Selenium contamination a growing concern for irrigators
Agronomy Management: From a water quality standpoint, health of rivers and lakes should be of highest priority. ( Ross H. Mckenzie )
Southern Alberta farmers have a legacy of development and production for over 70 years. The food processing industry is, and has been for years, working with producers to meet the needs of domestic and growing international markets valued in the billions of dollars annually.
This cannot suddenly become a sacrifice zone for our Provincial Government due to the Australian industrialists threatening lawsuits against us…..the people of Alberta.
Simply put…..our waters matter more than ever and Ross Mckenzie has written another really good article on the subject in Grainews.
Excerpt:
“High-value crops such as potatoes, beans and other pulse crops, canola and various grains are grown under irrigation for human consumption. High-yielding silage corn is widely grown for feed for the intensive livestock industry and alfalfa is also commonly grown for feed. Se-contaminated water applied to irrigated land over a period of a just a few years could be devastating to the irrigation industry. Production of crops for human consumption and feed for livestock production would be affected.”
Read the article here.