Part I - Farmville County’s CAFOs
1. What is a CAFO and how is it diff erent from traditional farming?
Large, commercial, concentrated animal feeding operations that raise large numbers of farm animals in a confi ned area for the majority or entirety of the animal’s life
2. What types of CAFOs are in Farmville? How many animals are housed in each CAFO?
There are two CAFO's facilities including hens which contain almost 80,000 hens and amother that contains between 5,000 to 8,500 pigs.
3. Based upon what you currently know about CAFOs, what can you infer are some of the issues for each side of the CAFO controversy? What are some of the viewpoints that proponents and opponents may state for and against CAFOs?
Large companies agree with the idea of mass producing these productions for profit, but there are also views of others that mention environmental contamination, public health issues, and severe working conditions.
Part II - Preparing for the Vote
1. What did you learn about CAFOs?
CAFOs are farms where animals are kept in confined spaces. CAFOs consist of animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Because of the confined spaces, vegetation like crops and forage cannot be grown.
2. What are or might be some of the negative concerns with CAFOs?
Environmental contamination, poor working conditions, Public health issues.
3. During your review of the reference material, which references are biased and which are unbiased? How can you tell?
Biased- The way CAFOs are explained in this website made it seem like CAFOs are a bad thing by only stating the negative effects of them. The negative effects are the environmental pollutions to the environment and health risks.
Unbiased- The website only explains what CAFOs are, the difference between AFO and CAFOs, the laws regarding the size of CAFOs and procedures when you have a CAFO on your farm.
Part III - Town Hall Meeting
1. What concerns and medical conditions have you heard the residents express?
The poor air conditions make it difficult to breathe as one of the residents had explianed with his tow year old son who had already asthma for leaving out for only 15 minutes. The air quality was so bad, there was one case of a heart attack another saying the contaminated water caused stomach pains resulting in diarrhea, or nausea.
2. What do they believe is the source of their illnesses?
The runoff from the CAFO's excessive nutrients for fertilizer had contaminated air, and water supplies.
3. Should you consider their experiences with the CAFO for your vote?
Yes, this case may involve others to join in against these organizations to show others they can become a health hazard.
4. Using the facts you have learned from your independent research and the concerns you have heard from the residents, what is your current position concerning the proposed CAFO expansion?
CAFO expansion is a project that I do not support. Its fresh water, air quality contamination is a serious health risk to these areas and their environment.
Part V - We Have to Do Something!
1. What are some of the types of microorganisms identified in Hattie’s water samples?
E. Coli, protists and other harmful pathogens.
2. What are the levels of E. coli in water that the EPA consider safe for recreational use? What are the levels for drinking water?
The levels for recreational use is 133 E. coli colonies/100 ml and no E.coli for drinking water.
3. What are some of the bacteria levels detected in Hattie’s samples?
There were found an abundance of 1,000,000 E. coli colonies in a half cup of water.
4. What is the proposed plan the farmers are considering to help their cause against the CAFO expansion?
Hattie and her husband's research could be used as information against CAFO expansion. The farmers are going to help Hattie with the research by collecting samples from their own farms. If there are high levels of contamination, this can be evidence to the EPA that CAFOs are harmful.
5. If you were one of the farmers, would you participate in the board meeting and/or help collect samples?
I would participate in collecting water samples to help protect those around me, and for the better of the environment we all depend on. Putting a stop to CAFO facilities may help reduce contaminated water levels and air qualities as well.
1. What is a CAFO and how is it diff erent from traditional farming?
Large, commercial, concentrated animal feeding operations that raise large numbers of farm animals in a confi ned area for the majority or entirety of the animal’s life
2. What types of CAFOs are in Farmville? How many animals are housed in each CAFO?
There are two CAFO's facilities including hens which contain almost 80,000 hens and amother that contains between 5,000 to 8,500 pigs.
3. Based upon what you currently know about CAFOs, what can you infer are some of the issues for each side of the CAFO controversy? What are some of the viewpoints that proponents and opponents may state for and against CAFOs?
Large companies agree with the idea of mass producing these productions for profit, but there are also views of others that mention environmental contamination, public health issues, and severe working conditions.
Part II - Preparing for the Vote
1. What did you learn about CAFOs?
CAFOs are farms where animals are kept in confined spaces. CAFOs consist of animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations on a small land area. Because of the confined spaces, vegetation like crops and forage cannot be grown.
2. What are or might be some of the negative concerns with CAFOs?
Environmental contamination, poor working conditions, Public health issues.
3. During your review of the reference material, which references are biased and which are unbiased? How can you tell?
Biased- The way CAFOs are explained in this website made it seem like CAFOs are a bad thing by only stating the negative effects of them. The negative effects are the environmental pollutions to the environment and health risks.
Unbiased- The website only explains what CAFOs are, the difference between AFO and CAFOs, the laws regarding the size of CAFOs and procedures when you have a CAFO on your farm.
Part III - Town Hall Meeting
1. What concerns and medical conditions have you heard the residents express?
The poor air conditions make it difficult to breathe as one of the residents had explianed with his tow year old son who had already asthma for leaving out for only 15 minutes. The air quality was so bad, there was one case of a heart attack another saying the contaminated water caused stomach pains resulting in diarrhea, or nausea.
2. What do they believe is the source of their illnesses?
The runoff from the CAFO's excessive nutrients for fertilizer had contaminated air, and water supplies.
3. Should you consider their experiences with the CAFO for your vote?
Yes, this case may involve others to join in against these organizations to show others they can become a health hazard.
4. Using the facts you have learned from your independent research and the concerns you have heard from the residents, what is your current position concerning the proposed CAFO expansion?
CAFO expansion is a project that I do not support. Its fresh water, air quality contamination is a serious health risk to these areas and their environment.
Part V - We Have to Do Something!
1. What are some of the types of microorganisms identified in Hattie’s water samples?
E. Coli, protists and other harmful pathogens.
2. What are the levels of E. coli in water that the EPA consider safe for recreational use? What are the levels for drinking water?
The levels for recreational use is 133 E. coli colonies/100 ml and no E.coli for drinking water.
3. What are some of the bacteria levels detected in Hattie’s samples?
There were found an abundance of 1,000,000 E. coli colonies in a half cup of water.
4. What is the proposed plan the farmers are considering to help their cause against the CAFO expansion?
Hattie and her husband's research could be used as information against CAFO expansion. The farmers are going to help Hattie with the research by collecting samples from their own farms. If there are high levels of contamination, this can be evidence to the EPA that CAFOs are harmful.
5. If you were one of the farmers, would you participate in the board meeting and/or help collect samples?
I would participate in collecting water samples to help protect those around me, and for the better of the environment we all depend on. Putting a stop to CAFO facilities may help reduce contaminated water levels and air qualities as well.