Air quality worsens as drought forces California growers to burn abandoned crops

This feels like a complete farce. Farmers abandon their crops because it is too hot and their land has poor water retention only to expose the bare soil to the direct sun which makes the problem even worse. They are insane enough to set their mulching material on fire instead of spreading it on the soil to prevent it from drying out.<p>Californian farming practices have always been extremely paradoxical.

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This is madness. The state regulates small gas motors out of existence but farmers can just burn giant piles of garbage because it&#x27;s cheaper and more convenient?

In the UK burning crop stubble was banned decades ago. Farmers predicted a disaster... that everyone adapted to. Sure trees are harder to manage than straw, but its 2022 and we have machines!

California seems like it needs a dose of self awareness

Why burn? Won&#x27;t they die on their own?

Would it not make sense to let the crops decompose into organic matter for future crops?

Others make black-earth with it, why the need for burning?