Environment

Basic Aspects of the Issue

The environmental aspect of rural development on the prairies is critical. The danger from chemical contaminants was brought home this last year in a report in the Western Producer about an Alberta farmer whose crop suddenly died with no explanation. Tests determined that it had rained just a little bet...enough to bring all the chemicals out of the atmosphere, but not enough to dilute them. They killed off his crop. Further tests around Alberta apparently indicated that the same phenomenon could happen any where.

The high incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Souris and the huge blot covering the prairie region on the "endangered bio-diversity " map are further indications of our common problem out here. Critics of the intensive hog farming industry, and the slaughtering plant that processes a million hogs a year in Brandon are eternally vigilant about any danger to our health. Many more are very vocal about the pollution of our air with hog odors.

We may not have smog and the skies may look clear, but we have our share of pollution in this world of ours, much of it created by ourselves.

Rural Development Institute Research Studies

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