We city folk may not realize it, but farming operations are getting bigger and more hazardous - - and wouldn't you know it? - - state and federal regulators (sic) are exempting these mega-farms from operating and reporting rules governing toxic emissions.
Wisconsin environmental organizations are joining a national effort to mandate cleaner and more transparent farming operations so that surrounding residents can breathe cleaner air and know what the hazards are.
If you were living down the street from a chemical plant, or a business of any kind with a belching smokestack, you'd expect and receive better protection from state and federal clean air officials.
But if you live out in the country, with 7,000 dairy cattle down the road, the government is less interested in the quality of the air you breathe.
Those double-standards make little sense, and as consumers of farm production, we should help our rural neighbors in the quest for environmental justice.
In addition to the local toxicity issue, there are equally compelling issues associated with confined animal feeding operations(CAFOs)such as animal cruelty and concentrated emissions of gases that contribute to climate change as well. Eating more vegetable protein and less animal protein is one way individual's can help, but protective government policies are crucial.
ReplyDeleteKicktime has been covering this for a long time, but we don't get any clicks, so look up the EPA caving on NPDES permits:
ReplyDeletehere
NRB caving on air emissions:
here
Debacle in Crawford Co:
here
At every level there is trouble and the CAFO conference planned for April 5th might not come off because of low registrations. Everyone needs to step up, but it is hard to get urban folks to attend to what is not in their neighborhood. Here's the conference details:
here
Yeah and eat more vegetables, of course.