Farming complaints don’t add up

The April 1 guest column, “Tiling is good for farmers' crops, but bad for water supplies,” is crop production's “pink slime” misconception. By complaining that drainage tile depletes aquifers, the author (Marv Rops) ignores the junior high lesson about Newton's law of gravitational pull.

Water will move sideways in the soil to a tile tube only if its downward travel encounters a high-water table. High-water tables are not inherently responsible for depleting aquifers. In addition, I've been told by the Department of Natural Resources geologist, Bob Libra, that the top two aquifers are readily replenished.

The column's author also complains about soil compaction reducing the soils permeability. However, wet soils are far more prone to wheel compaction than soils benefited by tile drainage.

Another complaint the writer expressed was about inadequate soil conservation. With tile, farmers can use terraces, protect the integrity of grass waterways, practice no-till planting on soils slow to dry and warm up, greatly reduce anaerobic denitrification, use millions of acres of non-highly erodible lands rather than limit production to hilly, highly erodible land, and top it all off by increasing yields.

We all like to complain. It means more, however, if you know what you're talking about.

Curt Zingula

Fifth-generation farmer

Central City