Corporate Farming Notes
On January 19, 2009, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to require industrial livestock farms to file air emissions reports under the Environmental Protection and Community Right to Know Act.
NPPC also is alleging that EPA violated the due process rights of farmers by failing to develop an adequate system to accept the reports.
On December 18, 2008, EPA announced that large livestock farms would be required to file mandatory reports on air emissions. Farms that fail to comply could face penalties of $25,000 per day. The rule went into effect on January 20, 2009.
NPPC is challenging EPA’s decision to exclude industrial livestock operations from the Act’s agriculture exemption.
The Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau is seeking financial and logistical support from the Illinois Farm Bureau to assist dairy magnate A.J. Bos in overcoming his legal difficulties in building an industrial mega-dairy near Nora, Illinois.
As previously reported in this column and on the Blog for Rural America (www.cfra.org/blog/2008/09/03/insult-megadairy-style), Bos was seeking to construct an 11,000 cow dairy in the Northwest Illinois county until a judge ruled against him in a preliminary injunction hearing of a lawsuit brought by several local residents and the nonprofit organization Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards (HOMES). A permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for March 2009.
In a January 8, 2009, letter to Illinois Farm Bureau officials, Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau President Nick Tranel asked the state organization to provide financial support, attorneys, and scientific studies to defend against claims of health and environmental risks of the proposed operation, all to assist Bos in his legal defense.
Jim Francis, a longtime Farm Bureau member and HOMES President, said, “It’s a slap in the face to other producers and Farm Bureau members who are opposed to the mega-dairy.” He added, “Anybody that is a contributing member is helping with Bos’ legal fees.”
Bos joined the Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau approximately one year ago.
Contact: John Crabtree, johnc@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1010 for more information.
NPPC also is alleging that EPA violated the due process rights of farmers by failing to develop an adequate system to accept the reports.
On December 18, 2008, EPA announced that large livestock farms would be required to file mandatory reports on air emissions. Farms that fail to comply could face penalties of $25,000 per day. The rule went into effect on January 20, 2009.
NPPC is challenging EPA’s decision to exclude industrial livestock operations from the Act’s agriculture exemption.
The Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau is seeking financial and logistical support from the Illinois Farm Bureau to assist dairy magnate A.J. Bos in overcoming his legal difficulties in building an industrial mega-dairy near Nora, Illinois.
As previously reported in this column and on the Blog for Rural America (www.cfra.org/blog/2008/09/03/insult-megadairy-style), Bos was seeking to construct an 11,000 cow dairy in the Northwest Illinois county until a judge ruled against him in a preliminary injunction hearing of a lawsuit brought by several local residents and the nonprofit organization Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards (HOMES). A permanent injunction hearing is scheduled for March 2009.
In a January 8, 2009, letter to Illinois Farm Bureau officials, Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau President Nick Tranel asked the state organization to provide financial support, attorneys, and scientific studies to defend against claims of health and environmental risks of the proposed operation, all to assist Bos in his legal defense.
Jim Francis, a longtime Farm Bureau member and HOMES President, said, “It’s a slap in the face to other producers and Farm Bureau members who are opposed to the mega-dairy.” He added, “Anybody that is a contributing member is helping with Bos’ legal fees.”
Bos joined the Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau approximately one year ago.
Contact: John Crabtree, johnc@cfra.org or 402.687.2103 x 1010 for more information.
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