Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Questioning the Need for a Factory Farm
12/04/2005
Questioning the need for a factory farm
I found out late summer that the field, which for 40 plus years had been mostly cropland, was to be purchased by persons from Ontario, Canada for their U.S. chicken operation. At the time I and some of my neighbors knew very little about this type of farming. So we began to ask questions.
The main question for local officials is if the location of this factory farm is a good idea. Close proximity to a very large number of families with children, elderly, family members with allergies or illnesses, pets and migratory waterfowl is of great concern. We do not live “in the country”, we live in a very residential area. After visiting the chicken farm in Canada, some questions remain.
First, water. How much will be used by the chickens? Will this affect our wells and will the flood zone be altered? Will water birds be drawn there in winter because of spilled feed?
Second, disease. What is the link between chickens and migratory waterfowl and the spread of avain flu?
Third, air quality. The air over the factory farm will not stay there. Will the air carry chemicals or antibiotics from feed and manure and in what quantities? Can avian flu be transported through infected fecal dust or fecal matter on feathers?
Four, quality of life. Will there be smell, much dust or feathers and will pests like flies and rodents increase? What about nighttime noise from machinery and trucking?
Five, property values. Will our property values plummet and can we get a tax decrease if they do? Will I be able to sell if I don’t want to live next to a factory farm? How will this benefit the local economy?
Six, labor. Who will work at this farm? I hear “catching” chickens is a particularly nasty occupation.
Seven, expansion. Will there ever be more than six barns?
Eight, manure. Is there a law stating that it cannot be spread on the rest of the property?
Nine, sale. Will the buyer always own that property? They are Canadian citizens, after all, with no ties to our community. What if they sell to a larger producer like Tyson, Perdue or ConAgra?
What will this all mean to Nichols?
It is irresponsible and just plain false to suggest our goal is to try to stop agricultural progress in Tioga County. We are merely asking that the future of farming here be explored. I know how hard it is to make a living on a small farm and I know how connected small farmers are to their land and animals. But, this is a factory farm. The owners will not live in this town, county, or even in this country. Only chickens will occupy this land.
Could this benefit our local family farms? Maybe. They could contract out to grow chickens. They already own the land and equipment necessary. Chicken barns don’t require much acreage or supervision and chicken manure is great fertilizer. Could be a nice supplement to the dairy income and it might be just the thing that saves the small struggling farmer.
On the other hand, do we want to encourage a build up of factory farming? If I had the capital, could I purchase 10 acres and raise 125,000 chickens? Apparently yes, if the land was zoned for agriculture and I had a nutrient waste management plan. The number of surrounding residences does not matter. Chicken farming now, could pig farming be next? Is questioning the future a “scare tactic”? I believe research and education are not bad ideas. I bet the people living now in Endicott wish someone had the foresight to look into IBM business practices more thoroughly years ago.
In closing, the neighbors of this property are looking for answers, facts, assurances, and options (if there are any left) and we have a right to do that.
Deb Stephens, Nichols