Surge in factory farm construction
Throughout 2012, our phones were ringing off the hook.
We had a surge in calls from across the state concerning more than 45 new or expanding factory farm sites in 28 counties.
Below is a map that gives you some idea of where they tried to locate, but what the map doesn't show you is that there were two to five new or expanding sites in several of these counties. What's more, most are being built in areas already saturated with factory farms.
The good news is that Iowans fought back against these hog factories and won!
VICTORY! Linn County CCI members stood up for justice and didn't back down! They successfully stopped a 5,661 head of hog site submitted by Matt Ditch near Center Point. Over 100 community members signed petitions, wrote letters to the editors and testified at Linn County Supervisors meetings which paid off with success! This victory highlights the power of organizing, speaking out and not backing down.
VICTORY! CCI members in Greene County stood united against a 5,000-head, Cargill-backed factory farm, and forced the developer to withdraw his plans.
VICTORY! Story County saw a proposal for a 2,498-head factory farm less than a mile from Hickory Grove Lake that was withdrawn a week later. Concerned citizens organized to make sure that the developer didn't come back with another proposal. What's more, members convinced the Board of Supervisors and the Story County Conservation Board to pass resolutions condemning any proposal to build a factory farm confinement in close proximity to a county park. We're sending a clear message to the developer that the community doesn't want him to come back with another proposal!
VICTORY! In Poweshiek County, CCI members beat one 5,000-head site and are fighting another. After strong community opposition, Prestage Farms withdrew the first application. Now, the Board of Supervisors are appealing the DNR's approval of the other. With united community opposition and a lot of hard work, we can stop the second site too! Update: Prestage Farms has re-applied for the first site, but we're going to keep fighting and keep winning!
VICTORY! In Dallas County, over 55 folks organized to stop a 5,000-head Cargill-backed hog factory and they won. They worked together, stayed hopeful, used a lot of creativity and refused to give up. Read more about the win here.
VICTORY! In April, new members in Floyd County successfully stopped two non-permitted (2,498-head hog each) Iowa Select hog factories from building by pressuring the developer to drop his construction plans.
VICTORY! Jefferson County members successfully stopped a factory farm expansion and indefinitely delayed another this winter.
We have provided organizing assistance to additional factory farm fights in: Davis, Marshall, Emmet, Winneshiek, Clayton, Buena Vista, Wright, Black Hawk, Keokuk, Adair, Decatur, Guthrie, Fayette, Lucas, Allamakee, Fremont, Muscatine, Page, Audubon, Linn, Adair, Union and Wapello Counties.