Columbus, OH - In reacting to a news conference in Columbus featuring U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D- Iowa) and democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Mary Boyle, the Ohio Livestock Coalition once again voiced its opposition to a call for a moratorium on livestock operation permits and the Animal Agriculture Reform Act.
“A moratorium on livestock operation permits is unwarranted,” said David White, OLC executive director. According to White, there are a variety of reasons why a moratorium is not needed:
-- According to the Ohio EPA's 1996 Ohio Water Resource Inventory Report - which provides a statewide assessment and summary of the causes and sources of stream impairment - causes of impairment associated with animal agriculture have been identified as representing only 1.5% of the 6,560 miles of streams and rivers assessed. Septic tanks have been identified as impacting 2.5% of the total miles assessed.
-- Over the past 10 years, Ohio EPA has had a total of only six formal enforcement actions associated with livestock facilities.
-- In west central Ohio, two counties - Darke and Mercer - account for a majority of the concentrated livestock operations in the state. There are more than 100 lagoons used for animal manure storage in that area - some of them more than 25 years old - and no reported problems with leaks, breaks or spills.
Members of the OLC include the Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio Dairy Farmers Federation, Ohio Cattlemen's Association, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Corn Growers Association and Ohio Soybean Association.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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