I was dismayed at the tone and some of the content of comments in an article by Christopher Ross in the July 18 Addison Independent. The article on the meeting about Ag agency exemption policies focused, in part, on manure run-off on a Panton farm. An important aspect not mentioned is that this occurred because the person hired to do the work spread the manure on the wrong field — an aspect out of the farmer’s control. The sensationalism of the article surprised me for the Independent. I am sure the farmer was as concerned and chagrined as any of us.
We face huge and pressing problems about water quality. One example is the sewage run-off from towns that was mentioned in the article. We are all anxious and afraid about what is happening to our beautiful lake. We should all be working together creatively to figure out solutions; communicating with, not lambasting, one another. This involves towns, farmers, the state, and everyone living here.
Full disclosure: I am not a farmer.
Thank you.
Deborah Young
New Haven