I'm not sure we should turn this thread into a farming lesson but I'm happy to explain. ;-) Burning straw causes a lot of nutrients to end up in the atmosphere

I'm not sure we should turn this thread into a farming lesson but I'm happy to explain. ;-) Burning straw causes a lot of nutrients to end up in the atmosphere (see http://www.topcropmanager.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1114&Itemid=182 http://www.topcropmanager.com/index.php?option=com_content&#...). It really is horrible practice but old habits die hard. It also reduces soil organic matter and the surface "trash" (broken up straw and chaff), making the top soil much more likely to be eroded by wind and rain. In the 1930's drought (the dirty thirties, the Dust Bowl) soil drifted in the wind like snow. North America had a worse drought in the late 1980's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Drought_of_1988 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Drought_of_1988) but erosion was not really a problem due to much improved farming practices. Crop yield during the late 1980's drought were also much higher than in the 1930's because the new farming practice was much better at preserving soil moisture. That said, it was still not a fun time to be a farmer.