The Wellington County Museum and Archives’ latest exhibit takes a look at soil, just as a new Senate report warns we have just 26 years to protect our soil before it degrades to the point we can’t grow food.
The new exhibit is called “Not Just Dirt: Digging into the Science of Soil.”
Senator Rob Black sits on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry which just released it’s report “Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health.”
Black attended the opening for the exhibit on Saturday and says it is a perfect fit given the report’s recommendations for the federal government.
“Education was a big piece of some of the recommendations and what we heard and this is a piece of that so I’m really excited,” said Black.
In all, Black says there are 25 recommendations in the report.
“We want the government to acknowledge that soil is a national asset that needs to be protected,” said Black. “We would appreciate the government identifying a soils advocate. Somebody who will cross the country and advocate for soil health.”
The report comes 40 years after a similar report into the importance of protecting soil health. Black warns soil is a critical resource.
“We also acknowledge as a recommendation that government doesn’t have another 40 years, we need to get this right now,” urged Black. “The FAO, Food and Agricultural Organization, of the United Nations says that if we don’t start doing something by 2050, which is 26 years from now, 90 per cent of our soil could be degraded to the point we can’t use it.”
The exhibit at the Wellington County Museum and Archives is open now and admission is by donation.
