27 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER JUNE /JULY 2024 MATT MCINTOSH As a grain farmer and an outdoor enthusiast, Matt McIntosh has long been interested in finding ways to preserve ecologically or culturally important spaces without impacting the viability of local farmers. This interest inspired him to apply for a Nuffield Scholarship in 2023. He was selected to pursue this research interest in the autumn of that year. Among other places, that curiosity took him all the way to Rathcroghan — a small area in County Roscommon, Ireland, where the community found a way to support local farmers while better conserving archaeological sites on their land. After an archaeologist colleague suggested he investigate the area because of its critical cultural importance, McIntosh travelled to Rathcroghan to learn more about how the conservation scheme works. Decades of regulations restricting what farmers could and could not do on their land made it even harder to sustain a profitable business. To address this problem, a program was launched to help farmers become the caretakers of the culturally sensitive land. The region now boasts more profitable farm businesses, as well as 240 culturally sensitive historical sites ranging in date from the Neolithic (late Stone Age) to the late medieval period. “I find that in deep southwestern Ontario, the landscape and a lot of the pressures that we have are exactly the same as many different parts of Ireland, including heavy deforestation and biodiversity crises,” he says. McIntosh works with his family on a small grain operation in Essex County. He earned a political science degree from the University of Guelph, where he gravitated towards food and agricultural issues. He’s also a freelance agricultural journalist who is fond of writing for both farmers and the general public. His Nuffield Scholarship is only partially complete now, but he’s expressed interest in understanding hedgerow management in the U.K. and looking into game species conservation “International travel is very good for forcing you to challenge some of your beliefs or opinions. You start to realize how small your world actually is.” SHIELD YIELD YOUR Shieldex® is a registered trademark of Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd. Always read and follow label directions. Learn More At gowancanada.com STRONGER ON THE TOUGHEST WEEDS FLEXIBLE ON YOUR CROP ROTATION NEEDS BUY 4 - GET THE 5TH FREE! JANUARY 15TH - JUNE 30TH, 2024 FOR EVERY 4 JUGS OF SHIELDEX 400 SC PURCHASED BETWEEN JAN 15TH AND JUNE 30TH, 2024, GROWERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO IMMEDIATELY GET A 5TH JUG FREE OF CHARGE AT POINT OF SALE AT YOUR PREFERRED RETAIL. continued on page 28 MATT MCINTOSH. PHOTO SUPPLIED.
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