permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>]

Amish Farming Draws Rare Government Scrutiny - NYTimes.com
www.nytimes.com
Some agricultural practices of the Amish, chiefly involving manure
runoff, may be destructive to the environment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/science/earth/09amish.html
<a snippet>
"But farmers like Mr. Stoltzfus are facing growing scrutiny for
agricultural practices that the federal government sees as
environmentally destructive. Their cows generate heaps of manure that
easily washes into streams and flows onward into the Chesapeake Bay.

And the Environmental Protection Agency, charged by President Obama with 
restoring the bay to health, is determined to crack down. The farmers 
have a choice: change the way they farm or face stiff penalties."

My comment:
-----------
If there really is an issue with manure-based runoff leaving
Amish properties, that problem can be easily fixed with an investment in 
grading land and limited terraforming, channeling and impounding water, 
cover cropping, catch cropping, strip cropping, forest and perennial 
farming, constructed wetlands and aquaculture, all as intergrated 
systems utilizing the best permaculture methods. Their limited use of 
mechanization may present problems that would not exist for conventional 
farmers. - LL

Anyone else have any suggestions for these Amish farmers?