Please visit Ken
Midkiff's website for very important information related to CAFOs
(Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). He has just started a podcast
and will be adding more audio in the weeks and months to come. Here is
the address to his website: http://www.kmidkiff.com
The weblog and podcast explore the economic development of CAFOs, so
touted by the proponents of CAFOs. I found that CAFOs are not an
economic benefit at all, but are in fact a drain on the rural economy.
You've seen those pleasant photos of cows frolicking in a green pasture
surrounded by shade trees, pigs wallowing in cool mud, a rooster crowing
on a rail fence, or salmon jumping in a pristine stream. While such
pastoral scenes are depicted on packages, cartons and labels of meat,
milk, and eggs, unfortunately those are completely bogus - just so much
hype by multi-national corporations posing as "family farmers".
Agribusiness repeatedly claim that the complaints and lawsuits about the
stink from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are coming
from urban and suburban folks who have moved to the country and don't
like the smells. This is nothing more than a lie - the complaints and
lawsuits come from long time rural residents and farmers.
While family farmers are perfectly capable of "feeding the world", most
of the government largess flows to Corporate agribusinesses - millions
of dollars in subsidies and grants. Consumers have become convinced that
factory farms are a necessity This is not at all true, but rather is the
hype spewed out by agribusinesses' hacks, lackey, lobbyists, and
marketing gurus.
An introduction to CAFOs (CAFO "101"); issues in common; how operations
differ for hogs, broiler chickens, laying hens, dairy cows, and beef
feedlots; and how all are similar in air and water pollution.
Producer Guy Hand reports on the migration of dairies from California.
Dairy farmers are looking to escape urban sprawl and strict
environmental regulations and many have re-settled in Idaho's Magic
Valley. Dairy farmers and long-time state residents say the explosion
has been a mixed blessing. (14:00)
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