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Thu, 20 Apr 2006

Iowa CAFO Defeated By Local Action

Look At What Grass Roots Activism Can Do!

This story comes from JFAN, a Fairfield, Iowa organization, which was formed to fight CAFO's, (confined animal feeding operation) after the IA State legislature passed legislation blocking local control of agriculture. Similar legislation has recently been passed in many states.

JFAN, or Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors, joined forces with ICCI, Iowa Citzens for Commummunity Improvement. They worked together with local people in Farson IA, to get the DNR to pay attention to the many problems with a proposed CAFO, as well as the strong local opposition. Their success was due to their combined and organized efforts carried from the local to the state level. Without that, this CAFO application would have been rubber stamped, just like all the rest, in spite of it's obvious and certain disastrous effects on the environment.

JFAN: The proposed 4,300-head hog factory near Farson in Wapello County has been denied a permit by the DNR. We have our first major victory! This is only the second time in its history that the Iowa DNR has denied a permit for a major facility.

Here's What They Did: Congratulations go to Kari Carney and the whole Iowa CCI team for their dedicated efforts, and to the Farson residents who dedicated themselves to this cause. Many thanks to EPC Commissioner Francis Thicke (Radiance Dairy) for his pivotal role in this victory, as well as to JFAN Board members Jim Rubis and Chris Estle-Tedrow, who attended many Farson meetings and spoke against the proposed facility. Also, huge thanks to our JFAN members! Many wrote letters to the editor, 2,000 signed the petition that Deborah Williamson created, calling for a statewide moratorium on CAFOs, and 760 wrote letters to Iowa legislators and the governor in support of local control. From the JFAN Board, Robert Swanson organized the circulation of the petition, Chris Estle-Tedrow presented it to the governor, and Jeff Mangin and Rich Sims coordinated the letter-writing campaign. It's thought that the petition and the 760 letters may have contributed to this highly unusual decision by DNR Director Jeff Vonk. It's great to know our efforts can produce the results we're looking for.

Any community can do the same. It does take dedicated effort, organization, fund-raising, and so on, and it always seems that there are just a few individuals sacfricing all their time, energy and resources to the cause, sometimes for years, while a few others (myself included) turn out for the odd meeting, sign a few petitions, or write the occasional letter. But our attention is powerful - public opinion makes strong politicians shake. Concerted public action makes them head for the nearest exit. If enough of us common little people hiding in the grass can overcome our apathy and self-centered absorption, get together with the other members of our communities, and ACT, we can bring about change.

One CAFO down! Thousands to go.