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Dec. 9, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Do you know the land uses in Rockbridge County?
Number of farms, 752; average size of farms, 179 acres; cropland, 29 percent; pastureland, 42 percent; woodland, 23 percent; other, 6 percent Exactly what is it?
The woods, fields, meadows and pastures just as they are – exchanging carbon to oxygen. That’s a good thing! It can be figured out how much your property produces. This will give you your carbon credits.
Companies and industries want to buy your (farmers’) carbon credits. Why? So they can use your carbon credits so it looks like they are putting less carbon in the atmosphere – robbing Peter to pay Paul. How is that helping the planet?
Clearing land and changing usage can adversely affect native vegetation and wildlife in many ways. It can cause temperatures to fluctuate. Extra energy can influence the path of weather systems.
Solar farming will change the future productivity of the land. Solar panels only capture 20 percent of the light for about five hours of the day. The rest of the solar energy will pass through the ground.
Sheep are not a good match for solar farms. Sheep will not go under the panels because the temperature is at least 2 degrees warmer. With all their wool, that makes a big difference.
OK, now how are you going to round them up and shear them and give them shots once a year? How about if they get sick or they die? In the summer heat, grasses turn brown so they need for hay to be put out for them. In winter water freezes and they will need hay. More expenses and there is a danger of fire. Sheep need structure for protection! Where are the animal rights activists?
After the solar farm has reached the end of its life, you say it can go back to agriculture. It would take at the minimum five years or more.
When does it go back to agricultural taxes? NANCY CUZZIMANO Lexington
