More than 400 students from throughout the state will view dozens of exhibits highlighting how Kentucky businesses address environmental concerns. Additionally, Farm Bureau has placed Earth Day advertisements on major radio stations throughout the state. The ads will note what farmers do to control soil erosion, protect water quality and preserve wildlife habitats. Farm Bureau President Bill Sprague said agriculture interests are stepping up such activities out of a realization that they no longer can afford to remain silent on Earth Day. Last year, for the first time ever, more than half of the nation's farmland was tilled using conservation or reduced-tilled techniques.
Farmers are willing to take highly erodible land out of production.
More than 36 million acres of land have been enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, resulting in a 90 percent decline in erosion on that land. Today's farmers use precise plant nutrition management plans to increase food production while producing less waste. Farmers are using fewer chemicals, reduced tillage practices and modern animal waste disposal systems. The most recent government statistics on farm chemical use show that insecticide use was cut in half and herbicide use declined by 21 percent from 1985 to 1995. Kentucky's farm interests have put in place a number of programs to help farmers do a better job of disposing of chemicals, testing groundwater, installing animal waste disposal systems, reducing soil erosion and protecting air quality.