My letter to the editor that wasnt published as hoped: After reading last week’s article on the proposed CAFO’s looking to be erected in our community I thought it may be beneficial to also inform the public on the very high risks associated with such facilities. One of the supposed benefits to our community is the addition of a potential 6 jobs per facility. While new businesses and the creation of jobs should be an amazing opportunity, CAFO’s are a dangerous place to work and I cringe at the thought of anyone I know or care about working for one. The American Lung Association reports that nearly 70% of CAFO workers experience some form of respiratory irritation; but a staggering 58% of these confinement workers will suffer from chronic bronchitis. 25% will develop permanent lung damage. Another risk associated with this employment opportunity is that each year across the U.S. several workers die from falling into the manure pits. There is also a fairly new and unexplained event occurring in the Midwest in which swine manure pits spontaneously begin to foam and can ultimately catch fire and cause explosions. I certainly have concern for any one of our people in our community that may chose to work for a low pay rate at a job that is so unhealthy and dangerous. In two studies from 1983 to 2001, it was found that communities in which CAFO’s are present will suffer. The study found an increase in community depression, lower median family incomes, high levels of poverty, lower education levels, and social and economic inequality between ethnic groups. To make matters worse, CAFO’s can be literally taxing on a community. These “farms” generate a fair amount of truck traffic. They require much feed, and will be shipping out animals on a frequent basis. Roads will deteriorate, and citizen taxpayers will foot the bill. One recent study found communities can estimate costs for gravel road upkeep to increase by 40% due to the excess truck traffic. Another false statement is that home and land values will be unaffected. One University of Missouri study of 99 rural land real estate transactions found that CAFO’s will lower land value within a three mile radius of approximately $2.68 million, or $112.00 per acre. While there are only 2 proposed at this time, more will be built after the initial buildings are erected, which means the next may be in your backyard, effecting your land value. Of course there are also water concerns as well. According to the Environmental Protection Agency as much as 80% of the antibiotics administered orally to livestock in CAFO environments passes through the animal unchanged and into manure pits, after which it is spread or knifed into cropland where it is free to run-off into waterways. 70% of Iowa’s streams are polluted, largely in part by CAFO’s. The high amounts of nitrates in this run off into waterways contributes to low levels of dissolved oxygen which results in toxic algal blooms and too high a toxicity threshold to sustain any aquatic life. Our community boasts a beautiful landscape that supports many wildlife. Many of us in this community enjoy our outdoors, bird watching, biking, hiking, fishing, and hunting amongst the many other ways of enjoying our plentiful natural resources. Aquatic life is an important part of our area’s entire ecosystem. Plus, if this can result in aquatic life destruction, what will it do to our ground water? Our local farming community is made up of amazing, dedicated individuals who care about their future as well as our community’s future. I do not see a CAFO facility as farming. The doors are unlocked at 7 am and closed at 4 pm. The loss of livestock is referred to as “loss of product”. I do not know of any local family farm who keeps these hours and is unaffected by mass loss. The farm families in our community are doing chores, planting, spraying, and harvesting, feeding livestock and taking pride in their work from sun up to sun down, and sometimes even into the night. That is what makes me proud of where I live and the people I get the joy of talking to every day. Naturally, I, as well as many others want to protect this way of life and the land we get to call home. A local farmer’s wife whom I greatly looked up to once read me a letter she received upon her dear husband’s passing and it has stuck with me over the years. In it, farmers were referred to as “painters of the land” and I must admit that I love the way our local fields are painted each year. I do not want a day to come where CAFO’s are scattered amongst fields of corn, soybeans, and wheat. I hope that our community is not the next to fall victim to factory farming. The truth is that there is much we do not know about these sort of facilities and much more research is desperately needed. Area township moratoriums allow us to do the much needed research that may eventually save our community from the possible destruction of it by infringing CAFO’s. If you have concern over our community’s future please plan to attend the Strand Township meeting on July 10th at 8:00 pm and the Spring Creek Township meeting on July 17th at 7:00 pm. Respectfully, Amanda Syverson
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 15:29:48 +0000
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