In support of the Mi'Kmaq struggle to oppose FRACKING in their territory, Akwesasne Mohawks shut down traffic on the bridge for a brief period of time on Saturday, November 9th.

As vehicular traffic approached the crossroads on Cornwall Island, volunteers distributed fliers of information from the Northeast Organic Farming Association of NY.

Cornwall city police cruisers were parked within blocks of the CBSA port of entry on Brookdale Ave in anticipation of the bridge shutdown. At approximately 1:30pm, a small entourage of protestors made their way down the American bridge past the previous site of the Canadian customs to the 'sacred fire'.

Out of respect to community members' concerns for safety, the protestors agreed not to 'shut down' the bridge for any length of time.

In New York State, the "fracking" issue is coming to a head. The State Department of Environment Conservation, under pressure from fracking opponents and proponents alike, and following directives from Governor Andrew Cuomo, continues to study the issue.

"Fracking" as it's widely known, involves injecting huge quantities of fluids containing toxic chemicals and sand at extremely high pressure into the Marcellus shale and similar geological features. The injected gritty mixture literally explodes the shale, sometimes thousands of feet below the surface, to release the methane and other components of gas that has lain there inert for millions of years.

Supporters Nick and Amanda drove from Ottawa to support the Akwesasne demonstration against fracking. They drove around the community and through both borders to get a sense of what the Akwesasne community deals with on a daily basis.

They are concerned about the future of agriculture and the small farms and the issues faced on both sides of the border. Wanting to support the 'buy locally' initiative to know where their food comes from was a learning experience. Buying an organic turkey was a disappointment when it was 'dressed' without the giblets! The reason for this, according to the farmer, was due to the food inspector. Apparently, the inspection process was taking too much time and he wasn't getting to be paid properly.

A small entourage of protestors made their way down the American bridge past the previous site of the Canadian customs to the 'sacred fire.'

New York agriculture, particularly as related to small farms that increasingly supply local markets, will depend on truly sustainable alternative technologies. For New York State's agricultural sector to grow and thrive farmers, together with consumers and advocates for environmental protection, must work for local bans and organize against this risky, and still largely experimental, technology.