Dear Commissioner Steve Troxler,

We’ve never met, but my name is Riley Hood, and I am the director of Farmland
Preservation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
As the commissioner of the NCDA&CS, I am sure you care greatly about the health and
future of our farmland. I am writing to you today as a concerned colleague, and I would
like to discuss urgent problem facing the agricultural industry.

Introducing the Problem

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I am emailing you to discuss an urgent problem facing the agricultural industry. Like
many places across the world, Charlotte, North Carolina, is in danger of soil
degradation. There are numerous factors contributing to the rise in soil degradation,
some of which are natural and cannot be prevented. Many other factors are caused by
humans, such as poor agricultural practices, overgrazing, and deforestation.

Causes of Soil Degradation

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Agriculture accounts for over half of soil degradation in North America. Agriculture often
uses inconsiderate and unsustainable farming methods, such as heavy tilling, the use of
poor-quality crops, and misuse of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These methods
can deplete the soil and remove natural vegetation which holds it in place, causing the
soil to wear away. Overgrazing accounts for almost 35 percent of soil degradation in
North America. Overgrazing is when too many animals are kept in one area, where they
are constantly eating and trampling grasses and other vegetation. This results in the
death of plants that are necessary to keep soil in place and prevent soil damage.
Eventually all the vegetation will be gone, and the livestock is moved elsewhere, where
the cycle will continue. Deforestation accounts for a mere 5 percent but remains a
problem. In the modern world, trees are being cut down at an unprecedented rate.
Trees are crucial to the health of the soil, because their roots keep the soil in place, and
their limbs and leaves protect the soil from the sun’s heat. Once the trees have all been
cut down, the sun dries the now loose soil which then turns to dust that can blow away
in the wind.

Solutions for Soil Degradation

Naturally I would not contact you about this issue without proposing solutions. As
agriculture contributes the largest portion of soil degradation on our continent, our most
important move should be to adopt more responsible agricultural practices. There are
many agricultural advancements that have boosted crop yields but are detrimental to
the health of our soils. Slowing down tilling, using pesticides and fertilizers more
responsibly, and focusing on more sustainable crops will greatly help our soils. There
also new farming practices that should be adopted, such as cover crops, which reduce
erosion by more than 40 percent. We can mitigate the effects of overgrazing by
adopting more responsible land and animal management practices. For example,
avoiding grazing too early and monitoring rainfall can help maintain pastures. As for
deforestation, the answer is simpler; we need to plant more trees. Areas which have
enacted laws preventing deforestation have had noticeable decreases in soil
degradation.

Call to Action
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It is crucial we begin making plans to sustain our soils now, before it becomes a much
bigger problem. Some say that we are running out of soil, and with the human
population ever increasing, all of our soils could be gone before the end of this century. I
hope that you view this situation in the same way.

Goodwill Statement
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I hope that you view this situation in the same way I do. It is a pleasure to work in this
department and I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to read this.

Sincerely,

Riley Hood