My blogging friend Barb has a problem. A CAFO is proposed within two miles of her farm. Anyone that eats store bought, non-grassfed meat is contributing to this problem. And, this is a big problem.
CAFOs are farming operations, usually agribusiness, where animals are raised for food in a confined area. They have no access to pasture, minimal room to move around, pumped full of antibiotics, and fed grain - not grass, grain. These CAFOs are putting small family farms out of business.
CAFOs and Factory Farms are essentially the same thing. They destroy the rural way of life and pollute drinking water, streams and rivers. They render the rural countryside an unfit place to live, farm and raise children. In one day a CAFO/FF can produce the same amount of manure and waste as a town of 25,000 people! The manure is often stored in manure pits (called manure lagoons) which can leak nitrates and pollute ground water and streams. People that live in the vicinity of factory farms can not open their windows in nice weather or enjoy their yards because of the stench of the CAFOs/FF.
Click here for Wisco CAFO watch.
Don't be part of the problem. Buy local meat from family farms. Its not hard to do. It tastes better. And it will allow the farmer to stay on his/her farm without a CAFO/FF threatening the very existence of the rural way of life.
A journal of our adventures in construction, garlic farming and growing our own food as we transition from life in Chicago to life in Southwestern Wisconsin.
4 comments:
I have grown up around hog confinements (not ours but the neighbors) but even those were small compared to some now being built. Two years ago we drove by several CAFOs on our way to and from Colorado to see my sister. That sight of THAT many cows for several miles in a row was enough to change our eating habits. It was right after that we started buying locally produced meat from small farmers. What a difference in the meat and what a great feeling.
Judy
Hi Judy,
I've never seen one that is miles long - it sounds horrendous.
Angie...thanks for the support. I noticed a lot of people signed the petition yesterday. It makes me feel hopeful.
Barb
We even checked it out on Google Earth! You can see it from pretty far out. There are some in Western Kansas and others near Greely, Colorado. They are terrifyingly impressive.
Judy
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