Friends of Rural New York

The EPA is doing a study on the effect winter manure spreading may have on rivers, streams and lakes! What we are hoping is that the results are serious enough that the protection the farming industry has continued to receive – way beyond what any other major industries such as oil, timber, manufacturing, etc receive, will CEASE! It is way past time for the farming industry to be held accountable, instead of changing the laws to accommodate their increasing pollution! “ The Right to Farm” Law employed to protect farmers from lawsuits where they have fouled the environment that others must co-exist with them in, is just one example of the kind of protection that must end. Many CAFOs have 20 – 50 violations, pay a “hand-slap” fine and go right on operating and ……….. polluting! Why do they continue to pollute? Because those government subsidy checks keep pouring in and they outweigh the fines by far! In New York State alone, farmers received 1.11 billion in subsidies from 1995 – 2005! Subsidies should be discontinued to any farms that have repeated violations of the Clean Water Act and any other laws/regulations set up to protect our waters and our air. Reconsider them for subsidies when they clean up their operation – that is accountability. The REAL question isn’t why do they continue to pollute ……. It is why are they allowed by those who are suppose to be protecting both us AND our environment to continue to pollute! 
Lew Brown-Coon