OSCIA is pleased to have supported the research and publication of “Hay Nutritional Quality and Grassland Bird Nesting: Impact of Delaying First Hay Cut on Dairy and Beef Production in Ontario”. This article is open-access and studies the impact on farm revenue that the practice of delayed haying has. In Ontario, support for delayed haying is provided by the Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Land, an Environment and Climate Change Canada funded program. The article can be accessed here: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/sar/article/view/0/46873
Mar 25, 2022 - 07:46 PM
I observe two assumptions that are not stated, and need to be stated.
In the 1950’s the average acreage of fields was about 10 acres. Fence rows containing trees and grass along with the fence provided habitat. The size of fields now varies, 50 to 100 to 1000 acres depending on location and other geology, topography and forest areas, there is still habitat even though it varies across many counties.
That leads me to state the second implied assumption by the report authors, is that a nominal 100 acre farm assumes that all 100 acres may be in hay. Not so given geology, topography, forest, swamp, hilly lands, and also road allowances.
My recommendation is for the authors to spread out a topographical map of Ontario on a large table.
The scale of such a map should be 12 inches to the foot. (pun intended)
Then, please report on the relative acreage that is available for nature vs intensive farming.
Thank you.