To the Editor:

In this crazy world with so much going on and so many sources telling us about it, it’s easy to disregard bad news that doesn’t directly affect us.  

Yet sadly it does affect us. If not now, sooner or later.

An example of what I speak is what’s happening in farming. Since 2018, the U.S. has lost 158,200 farms at a clip of about 8% in just seven years. USDA said farms with more than $1 million in annual sales were the only group of farms that grew. Those farms gained 850,000 acres in 2025 while all other categories lost land according to the USDA. 

What this means is that our food—the food most Americans eat—is coming from fewer and fewer farms.  Why should you care about this?

Consider the recent outbreak of cyclosporin. The source of the outbreak, and the source of an e-coli outbreak in 2014, is believed to be iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms. Taylor Farms is now one of the largest salad producers in North America and books approximately $7 billion in annual revenue. 

Here in St. Lawrence County we see a similar pattern of concentration in the dairy industry.   Once home to hundreds of small dairy farms just 50 years ago, now just a dozen large farms dominate the area. These farms, typically with more than 1,000 head of cattle, uniformly practice confined feeding operations. Cattle once allowed to roam freely across the pastures are now confined into vast barns. 

We at Waste Not Perma suggest buying produce, meat and dairy from local farmers who spend the time and resources to ensure crops and animals are treated in a way that benefits the soil, water and air in our county. And us. 

To meet some of these local farmers, come to our farmer’s roundtable at the Sustainability Day/Green Living Fair happening on Friday September 25th at SUNY Potsdam, Barrington Student Union. The round table will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Hope you can make it. For more information, go to www.wastenotpermaculture.org.  

Greg Todd
President, Waste Not Permaculture, Inc.