and should continue to become educated on crops
developed to be more drought resistant.
Additionally, small changes in your regular habits,
such as turning off the water while brushing your
teeth, waiting until the dishwasher is completely full
before running or taking shorter showers are easy
changes anyone can make to reduce water usage.
Many of us have considered water an unlimited
resource for too long and now we must be proactive
to correct these mistakes to ensure a plentiful water
supply for future generations.
gone as far as to create a hierarchy for distribution of
water if this should become necessary. West Virginia
Farm Bureau policy states humans, animals and crops
should be of the highest priority for water, in that
order. Although we as agriculturalists may feel this
makes the most sense, someone in an urban area may
feel their pool or lawn is just as important as watering
crops. Education and public outreach are vital for
water conservation and protection. The general public
must understand the importance of the agriculturalist
to have water in order to continue producing a steady
food supply.
Protecting our right to use water is equally
as important as conserving it. Over the past few
years, West Virginia Farm Bureau has promoted an
aggressive campaign against the EPA and Corps of
Engineers’ redefinition of Waters of the United States
(WOTUS). The strict regulations of WOTUS could
be detrimental to agriculture producers and other
businesses across the country, and we must continue
to fight against this overregulation. As West Virginia
residents, we can look in our own backyard to find
other examples of water supplies being threatened.
The West Fork River Dam removal has been a
controversial issue over the past year. The dam is
being removed in order to protect the freshwater
mussels inhabiting the river. The plan is to remove
the dam in order to save the mussels, but is there a
plan in place to replace this water source which is
used by farmers and communities? Should Farm
Bureau push for policy that requires any water source
that is removed to be replaced with another of equal
or greater capacity? The American Farm Bureau
opposes stopping stream channel improvement, an
appropriate part of many watershed programs, due
to unrealistic demands made by recreation, fish and
wildlife interests. In the event a decision is made to
make changes to a water source in order to preserve
wildlife, policy requiring the water source must be
replaced by one of equal or greater holding capacity
could be a beneficial way to protect the water
available for agriculture production.
Water is an issue affecting every person, every
single day; therefore, we must work together.
Consumers, producers and our government must each
do their part to assure everyone has the water needed
for survival and the water supply is secure for future
generations. Conservation, protection, education
and collaboration are essential to the future of the
agriculture industry and everyone must do their part,
because as the West Virginia Farm Bureau mott