Rural Outreach
Agricultural Pollution on the Rural Environment
Most agree these operations bring about myriad problems, from animal abuse to dangerous products. Often, these industrial farms are housed near the places where the poor and people of color live. Because these communities don’t have the money or political influence to resist, they end up stuck near an industrial farm.
Because of new methods of agriculture and increasing demand, the number of hogs in the United States has increased considerably. At the same time, however, the amount of land used for pork production has decreased. Why? The answer is concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) These high-density farming operations have ushered in a disastrous revolution in the farming industry—one that amplifies the dangers and risks associated with agriculture.
CAFOs are a relatively recent invention, dating back to the 1970s. Farmers realized it was much more efficient to raise only one kind of crop or animal, rather than many different kinds. They were able to make more money and raise more livestock through this method, and many farmers started following suit. Traditional farming largely fell by the wayside. Nowadays, if you’re eating meat, chances are it came from an animal raised on a CAFO.
Waste and pollution assault rural communities. In some cases, in order to eliminate mountains of animal feces, operators spray animal waste on the surrounding area to “fertilize” it. This means the entire community smells strongly of feces, and the air surrounding these homes is full of dangerous chemicals that can lead to increased heart rate. Residents sometimes refuse to leave their homes without wearing a surgical mask to protect them from the chemicals and the stink. Hog waste contains heavy metals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other pathogens. This is sprayed in a mist through the neighborhoods surrounding CAFOs, spreading smell and disease.
Many homeowners also lose tons of money as CAFOs move in. Proximity to the smell and danger of a CAFO significantly reduces the values of people’s’ homes and land, which puts people in an already precarious financial situation in even more trouble. CAFOs release hog waste that, unlike human waste, is untreated. This means that the waste releases chemicals into the soil surrounding the CAFO, and can pollute the watershed surrounding the town.
Though CAFOs seem to provide a certain amount of economic vibrancy to a rural area, the reality is much different. Even as CAFOs produce many more animals, and therefore much more revenue, little of that trickles down to the people who work there or live nearby. Overall, CAFOs can and do ruin rural economies and living standards.
What can you do? Always check labelling and try to choose a meat option that was sustainably produced. The only way to combat these companies is to hit them where it really hurts: their wallet.
FIC is actively working to protect a growing number of farmer whistleblowers, including the heroic individuals below who were willing to share their stories with the public.
Ordinary Farmers with Extraordinary Courage
Craig Watts
Craig Watts risked everything so that you could know the truth about the chicken industry. A humble farmer from North Carolina, Craig raised chickens under a Perdue contract for 22 years and became appalled by the company’s practices. He made national headlines in 2014 when he revealed the shocking conditions in which Perdue chickens live, food safety risks, and the company’s misleading animal welfare labels he says “couldn’t be further from the truth.” His story aired on HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and countless other media outlets.
Rather than heeding Craig’s concerns, Perdue took the low road with repeated attempts to intimidate and discredit Craig. In response, GAP helped him launch a complaint against Perdue for whistleblower retaliation, the first case and filing of its kind in the United States. Craig’s truth-telling effort has paved the way for others to speak out against a system that aims to manipulate, control, and silence farmers.
Rudy Howell
Long-time Perdue contract farmer Rudy Howell was inspired by Craig’s whistleblowing and has added his voice to the cause. He reached out to GAP’s Food Integrity Campaign because he was sick of watching the big chicken companies deceptively trap farmers like him into a business that makes it near impossible to stay afloat, and then punish farmers if they don’t do exactly what they’re told. Like Craig before him, Rudy took a big risk to stand up against industry practices that disempower truth-telling farmers. With FIC’s help, Rudy gathered more than 100,000 signatures urging Congress to protect honest chicken farmers who raise concerns.
Mike Weaver
Photo by Andrew Jenner
Mike Weaver is a West Virginia contract farmer who has been raising birds for Pilgrim’s Pride for 16 years. He has been speaking out against the injustices of the industry and the need for reforms since 2010. Since then, he has received lower rankings in the chicken grower tournament system, as well as letters from Pilgrim’s about his poor performance and the potential for disciplinary action. Despite suffering retaliation, Mike continues to speak out and has connected with FIC to prevent further reprisal.
Eric Hedrick
Eric Hedrick is the biggest Pilgrim’s Pride contract chicken grower in the state of West Virginia. After speaking out against injustices in the industry at a government hearing in 2010, there was a marked decrease in the quality of birds he received from the company. Now, Eric is close to declaring bankruptcy due to the burdensome demands Pilgrim’s puts on farmers without securing the corresponding income stream to meet them. With the support of FIC, Eric continues to speak out and has launched a petition urging Congress to protect farmers against retaliation.
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