[pf] Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)

by Kaleopono

22 December 2000 22:47 UTC

This is a good overview of the many new problems including environmental and
human health hazards that have arisen from the rapid growth of CAFOs over
the last 20 years...the large-scale push to completely industrialize
agriculture that began with the Reagan administration's tax law changes,
destroyed countless decentralized family and middle-sized corporate farms,
and has picked up a humongous head of steam with the NAFTA and WTO
agreements.  Clinton stoked the boiler fires.  It's most likely that Bush
Jr. will pour on even more fuel.  (Given the prevailing political mantra,
one that's repeated everywhere ad nauseum, Gore would have, too, had he been
elected.)

We are on a hurtling train, trapped in the passenger car that's trailing
behind all the freight and tanker cars that are the bulk of the
assembly...and the engineer is asleep at the wheel, unseeing what lies
ahead!  The injuries we all will suffer when the train derails -- it
inevitably will -- are bound to be intensely painful.

Don't rush by, but contemplate the four color photos included in the
complete linked article.  Auwe!

Kaleopono
__________


NEW FACTORY FARM RULES PRAISED, CRITICIZED

By Brian Hansen

WASHINGTON, DC, December 18, 2000 (ENS) - Tougher rules designed to
regulate water pollution generated by large industrial farming operations
were issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Friday. A
top agency official told ENS that the new regulations will "do a much
better job of protecting public health and the environment" from water
pollution generated by factory farms, but a conservation advocacy group
called the new measures "grossly inadequate."

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2000/2000L-12-18-15.html