Environmental stewardship on farms - who should pay?
Everyone agrees that environmental stewardship is important, but a researcher from ANU says that the broader community, not just farmers, need to be willing to pay for it.
A researcher from the Australian National University is arguing for more evenly shared responsibility when it comes to conserving the environment.
In his essay, “Farm environmental stewardship programs”, Dean Ansell (BSc Hons BAppSc EcolEnvSc) delivers a compelling message that the conservation value of rural property can only be realised if the broader community is willing to pay.
He says it’s not just the farmers to blame for the evolution towards high input, high yield farming.
“Through our sheer numbers as well as our shopping preferences… we push the farmer to push the land, extracting as much from it as possible, in many cases simply to remain competitive and viable,” he writes.
“Unless we as consumers are willing to directly pay the true cost of agricultural production, then it is only fair as beneficiaries that we as tax payers help bear the cost of less damaging farming practices.”
He argues for the implementation of stewardship policies with caution, outlining ways to overcome the problems that often arise with financial incentives.
“Many farmers already possess a strong sense of environmental stewardship, particularly those that have long term or family connections to the land. Schemes that exhibit flexibility, engage farmers in design and evaluation, and are least disruptive to their management are more likely to be widely adopted.”
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