Two great stop factory farm LTEs
Here are two more great letters-to-the-editor published in the Des Moines Register in recent days.
Letters-to-the-editor are a great way to call attention to issues you care about and put them into public discourse. Kudos to Jane & Jo!
Factory hog farms are not just a rural issue
It was good news that owners of a proposed Dallas County factory farm withdrew their request after pressure from the community. However, many other factory farms continue to be built in Iowa in areas where there are fewer people and therefore less pressure to stop them.
Iowa regulations don’t provide many options for community members to stop the construction of these farms. These factory farms often end up polluting the water, including the river basins providing drinking water to Des Moines and other cities, so this is not just a rural Iowa issue.
Let’s not stop at saying “no” to the proposed Dallas County farm. It’s time for all Iowans to push our legislators to get serious about protecting Iowa’s water, environment and rural neighbors by strengthening regulations so citizens and communities have more of a say about whether a new factory farm is established in their community.— Jane Alderman, Ankeny
Factory farms destroying Iowans' way of life
Last Sunday, I read the letter by Charlotte Witry (“No Fairness in the Way Neighbors Are Treated,” May 13) telling of her family’s life on their century farm with a factory hog farm one mile from their residence. Now they are faced with three more factory farms being built around them, and they have no recourse to stop it.
I personally know others who are facing this travesty all over the state. It brings tears to my eyes.These families have been on Iowa land for decades and out-of-state corporations are destroying their way of life with the blessing of our politicians. Shame on those in our Legislature who put greed and corporate donations ahead of our own citizens. It really comes down to “they just don’t care.”— Jo Rod, Ames
Learn more
See the map illustrating the influx of new/expanding factory farms this spring and what CCI members are doing to fight back.
Take Action
Right now, while hundreds of families are worried about their quality of live, property values and environmental impact, the Assoc. of Business and Industry is trying to formalize a rule that would force the Iowa DNR to permanently take a “hands off approach” to factory farms.
Join hundreds of Iowans in telling the Iowa DNR to crack down on factory farms and say no to weakened enforcement.
Join as an Iowa CCI member today or chip in $10 to support our organizing on this issue.
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