Dairyman’s Recent Comments

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  Fish Kill

  Tom read the article carefully: Let me highlight the key words here. "Can, most likely. The 1.5 mile stream they are talking about is a drainage ditch which is designed to take the water from these fields so the farmer can get a crop. You are assuming too much to put the entire blame on the hog confinements. Note that it entered a tile line which is located in either a corn field or a soybean field. Can you rule out commericial fertilizer? I think not. The crop year of 2006 Central Iowa was dry and was inneed of rain, when the rains did come a lot of nitrogen fertilizer leached from the soil profile.  Evidently you are not familiar with the way tile drainage systems work. On How the meat industry thrives, even as costs rise posted 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Responses

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  The scoop on poop

  I must agree with jaborganic. I live in Hardin County, Iowa and have no recollection of any manure spills in our county. Granted there are people who think there are manure spills as a way to downgrade the hog industry. I think people are more upset with the large corporate hog farming, but it is no different than those farmers who farm thousands of acres. These large farmers pollute more with commercial fertilizer than the hog producers. I was once employed by the meat industry dealing directly with hog producers. Back in the early 90's the porducer base was of older gentlemen in their mid to upper 50's and with decling hog prices they decided to quit raising hogs and concentrate on crops. Several producers told me it was time to let someone else do it. Well, with the farm economy the way it was, no young generation of farmers wanted the risk of large debt, so they decided to stay with crop farming. So the large producer sold their idea to investors and lo and behold the "Mega" hog farm evolved. I guess someone has to raise pork. Needless to say these confinement operation are much more environmentally friend by containing manure instead of the run off from open lots. Do I like the way the industry has gone?....No, but I still like to eat my share of pork.

  Lately, Iowa experience large rainfall amounts and several cities and towns had to discharge not fully treated sewage. If we crucify the hog producers we need to clamp down on the city municipals.

  So, where are the manure spills and which river did it occur? Can't be the Iowa River beacuse I live right next to the river. We need to get the DNR invloved.On How the meat industry thrives, even as costs rise posted 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Responses