AR-News: Factory Farm in North Carolina

[FARM]

Rose Acre Farms, an Indiana-based poultry company, has indicated its intention to build a factory farm for egg production and locate 4 million chickens in Hyde County, NC. The proposed location of their operation is within a mile of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and within 30 miles of the Alligator River, Swanquarter, and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. If built, this factory farm will generate tons of animal waste which will pollute the air and water. The impacts on wildlife in the area could be devastating. 

Rose Acre Farms has met with state and local officials regarding the proposed operation but has not yet applied for any permits. It is important that the Governor receive comments in opposition from the public before the company takes action. 

For more background information on this issue click here <cgi-bin/action/show.rt?247&background> 


WHAT YOU CAN DO: 
NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS ONLY: Please e-mail Governor Michael Easley today at governor.office at ncmail.net or call him at 1-800- 662-7952. Tell him you oppose the Rose Acre Farms proposal and urge him to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation of the company, the proposed facility, and its potential impacts on wildlife, human health, and local quality of life. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: 
Rose Acre Farms, an Indiana-based poultry company, has met with state and federal officials to discuss locating a 4 million-bird egg-laying operation adjacent to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Hyde County. The location under consideration lies between the proposed military landing strip (OLF) and the Refuge. 

This proposal raises numerous concerns relating to wildlife, human health, and local quality of life. Below are just some of those concerns: 

"X The proposed site is located next to (and in some areas within a mile of) the Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge, and within 30 miles of Alligator River, Swanquarter, and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuges. These areas possess outstanding cultural and ecological values and are significant for recreation-based tourism and scientific research. They also drain into important primary nursery areas. 

"X The production and management of millions of tons of waste from this facility would present significant ecological threats to these important areas, and could also have negative impacts on human health. It is our understanding that a lagoon and sprayfield system would be used for wastewater produced by the houses and the egg washing operations. The ¡§drip irrigation¡¨ system, which is typical for managing chicken waste at this type of operation, liquefies the manure produced by the chickens and is then land-applied. 

"X The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the proposed operation would release approximately 4.8 million pounds of ammonia per year into the air. This source of nitrogen would be deposited on the wetlands and other surface waters in the area, contributing to nutrient over-enrichment and eutrophication of estuarine waters. 

"X Odor from the operation could deter the public from using the area's wildlife refuges, thus having a negative impact on tourism in the area. It would also have a negative impact on those living near to the operation. 

"X Carcass disposal is a serious concern, especially considering the millions of chickens that would be housed at the operation. The common practice is to bury the animals on-site, but the high groundwater table and the large numbers of mortalities (the industry average is around 6-10%) make this impractical and potentially dangerous. The carcasses also are likely to attract wildlife from the nearby refuges. 

"X Pathogens in the waste and egg wash wastewater could have a negative effect on neighbors and nearby animals. The waste stream from poultry operations in general, and egg laying operations in particular, is high in a variety of pathogens. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that migratory waterfowl are likely to view the wastewater lagoons as habitat, presenting the potential for transmission of pathogens and other diseases to rare and endangered birds. Similarly, there is potential for spread of disease from the egg-laying operation to the wildlife populations in the area. 

"X Egg washing operations consume enormous quantities of clean water. In the proposed location, the likely source of water is groundwater, which has been withdrawn at alarming rates throughout eastern North Carolina. 

"X Considering the remoteness of Hyde County to feed supply, markets for eggs produced, and markets for breeding-age chickens, the area will experience a tremendous rise in trucking traffic that will impose a burden on the greater community. It could also potentially require substantial road construction and improvements, further threatening water quality, slicing habitat, and inviting sprawl-type development. 

"X Rose Acre Farms has a poor compliance history at its operations in Missouri and Iowa. Regulatory agencies have issued numerous Notices of Violations to the company for a range of environmental violations. For example, a civil penalty was issued for constructing a waste lagoon without a permit, and the US EPA cited the company for failing to obtain a Title V permit. 

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