Here we go again. The latest attack on North Carolina hog farmers, a blog posted on a National Geographic forum by a friend of the Waterkeeper Alliance, features a familiar cast of characters repeating the same false claims.The blog features Rene Miller, who lives across the road from a 100-acre farm in Duplin County that raises hogs. That part of her story is accurate. But the claims she makes simply aren't true."Several times every week, the farmer pumps (waste) into the air 20 yards from her front door," the blog says. But it’s not true. All hog farmers must keep detailed records every time they irrigate, so we checked to see how often the farmer across the road sprays that portion of his farm. In the past three months, he's sprayed exactly two times. Not "several times a week."Not only that, the farmer invested several years ago in sophisticated irrigation technology - called a center pivot - that's specifically designed to keep the spray low to the ground and minimize the potential to drift.So why is Rene Miller making these claims? The farmer has no idea. He says she's never once complained to him, and never complained to state regulators either. Neither have his other neighbors.The first he heard about her concerns was when she filed a nuisance lawsuit against him three years ago. For years, lawyers have been approaching people like Rene and encouraging them to file these types of lawsuits against major hog production companies. (None of the other neighbors who live near the farm joined the lawsuit.)Perhaps, Rene hopes that attacks like this will bolster her chances of winning her lawsuit, regardless of whether her claims are true or not.The blog ends by claiming that "science" will show how harmful hog farms are to our environment. But here's a scientific fact they conveniently fail to mention: North Carolina's 2015 health rankings show that Duplin County is the 8th healthiest county in the state in terms of "physical environment," a measure that considers certain air quality, housing, water and transportation factors.Our hog farmers live and work in these communities. They breathe the same air, drink the same water, and care deeply about protecting our environment.
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Join us for the Rally in Raleigh!!!
Join us at 11:30am on Thursday, October 1 as we meet at the North Carolina State Capitol Building for our Rally in Raleigh and deliver our petitions in support of North Carolina farm families to elected officials.What? NC Farm Families' Rally in RaleighWhen? Thursday October, 1, 2015 @ 11:30amWhere? North Carolina State Capitol Building (1 East Edenton St, Raleigh, NC 27601)For more information on where to park at the NC state capitol, please click here. For information on alternative transportation, please call James Pearce at 919-345-3119.
Our Pork Industry Is Leading On Manure-to-Energy Projects
Leaders of North Carolina’s pork producers are urging the General Assembly to protect our industry’s progress in renewable energy.Executives from Smithfield Foods and Prestage Farms contacted legislative leaders on the issue this week. They said the state’s renewable energy program is important to their growers’ work.Dennis Treacy, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for Smithfield, said “manure to energy” is part of the future for the company. He met with legislative leaders in Raleigh.Treacy told The News & Observer “that he hopes any changes do not set back efforts to grow capacity for alternative sources of energy.”He added that Smithfield is “very close to finalizing several significant renewable energy project agreements” in North Carolina.John L. Prestage, Senior Vice President of Prestage Farms, wrote in an open letter to legislators that “our company wants our state to be a leader in agriculture and clean energy.”He added, “Unfortunately, the recurring efforts to repeal or weaken North Carolina’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards (REPS) are sidelining hundreds of millions of dollars in investments for our state. This is unnecessary, especially when this policy is achieving positive results.”Read more here.