Through Operation Green Stripe , FFA chapters recruit farmers to establish vegetative buffers between their fields and surface water supplies. Cooperating AG retailers provide free grass seed for the stripes, and Monsanto Company provides educational grants to FFA chapters based on the number of farmers the students recruit. Farmers get a sense of satisfaction from helping young people in their community. They also get a feeling of pride from helping the general public understand agriculture's commitment to the environment. Soil erosion is one of the most serious environmental problems.
Many people believe it is the most serious.
It's hard to dispute their reasoning. Soil is the very basis for life on Earth. Without topsoil, we cannot grow the food and fiber we will need to sustain future generations. And, when we lose topsoil from the fields, it also means that its winds up in our waterways. Soil sediment threatens the quality of our streams by blocking out sunlight that is vital to beneficial aquatic plants.