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ACTION ALERT! Urge Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Sexton to Schedule HF 164, the Factory Farm Moratorium Bill, for a Subcommittee Hearing!

The 2023 Factory Farm Moratorium Bill (HF 164) has been introduced and assigned to the House Agriculture Committee, but we need your help to make sure it gets a hearing and vote!

Representative Mike Sexton of Calhoun County is the new Chair of the House Agriculture Committee this year, and it’s his job to assign the HF 164 to a subcommittee for a vote. But HF 164 has been in the Ag Committee for more than two weeks, and he hasn’t done it yet.

So we’re asking factory farm fighters across Iowa to give him a call and ask him to do the right thing and assign HF 164 to a subcommittee.

You can reach Representative Sexton at 1-877-796-1948. When you call the number, you will hear a brief voice recording, and then be transferred to Representative Sexton’s phone.

The deadline to move bills out of Committee is Friday, March 3, so the time to call is now!

Thank you for taking action to support a moratorium on new and expanding factory farms.

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STOP FACTORY FARMS LOBBY DAY 2023!

Join us once again for the 2023 Stop Factory Farms Lobby Day!

January 25, 2023

10:30 am – 3:00 pm at the Iowa State Capitol

1007 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines

 

The unchecked expansion of factory farms has wreaked havoc on Iowa’s independent farmers, water quality, and rural communities. Iowans have fought for years against the factory farm model, from opposing new factory farms in our communities to introducing new legislation to stop the expansion of factory farms. They have been voicing their support for a factory farm moratorium since 2018.

This coming legislative session will mark the sixth year that legislation for a moratorium on factory farms will be introduced in the Iowa legislature. And with a new crop of legislators in office, now is the time to educate our elected officials about the need for a moratorium, and show them just how much support a moratorium has!

We’re bringing together supporters of a factory farm moratorium from across the state to show the power and diversity of this movement. Regardless of whether you live in Iowa City or Calhoun County, we’ve all seen the damage that factory farming has done to our water, our communities, and our quality of life.

The morning will begin with with a briefing on the issue, an analysis of where legislators stand, and a lobby training, then move to the Capitol for a rally and lobbying!

 

Our schedule:

10:30 am                Start the day with some steaming hot coffee

10:45–11:45 am    Lobby Training – We’ll prepare you with everything you need to know to effectively lobby

12:00 – 12:30 pm  Lunch – Will be provided

12:30–1:00 pm      Rally – Together we’ll let our legislators know how important this is. We’ve got some great speakers lined up. Bring signs – or use some of ours.

1:00–2:00 pm        Lobbying Our State Legislators

2:00 – 2:30 pm      Debriefing Meeting – How did our legislators respond?   

Register for the lobby day here and get more details on where to show up. 

We’re looking forward to seeing you on January 25!

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Watch or Schedule a Screening of Right to Harm

RIGHT TO HARM screenings are now being scheduled in Iowa. Find out where you can view the film – or schedule one for your community. 

Right to Harm is a national exposé on the public health, environmental, and lifestyle impacts of factory farms. Award-winning filmmakers Matt Wechsler and Annie Speicher (SUSTAINABLE) document the ongoing battle with factory farms in Iowa as well as in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, and Delmarva.       

Find out where Right to Harm is screening in Iowa. Here’s the schedule.

Schedule a screening for your community here.

Each of Iowa’s 13,000 factory farms are built in communities of neighbors who have few protections and little ability to have a meaningful say a confinement’s location. Right to Harm addresses the devastating ramifications that many families in Iowa and across the US experience from these inadequately regulated livestock factories.

Wechsler and Speicher address the “human welfare” impacts of factory farms, revealing the social injustice of this industrial system that is largely unknown to a broad swath of US consumers.

The film also exposes the failures of state agencies to adequately regulate industrial agriculture and chronicles actions taken by disenfranchised citizens demanding justice from their legislators.

Iowa’s Fight Featured in Right to Harm: The Iowa segment examines the plight of an Iowa County resident who was confronted with two 1200-head CAFOs built across from his family’s 145-year old farm shortly after he retired there. It also features the efforts of many Iowans coming together to protect their communities.

Watch the Trailer:

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“Right to Harm” Premiers in Iowa May 29

New Film Documents Iowa’s Battle with Factory Farms and Toothless Legislation Wednesday, May 29 at 7:00 pm; Doors open at 6:30 pm
Iowa State Historical Building Theatre
600 E. Locust Street, Des Moines
$5 admission benefits Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture

TICKETS ON SALE HERE and at the door

Watch the trailer here.       

Panel Discussion after the film with Drs. John Ikerd and Francis Thicke, and neighbors of CAFOs Joyce Otto and Nancy Adam

Right to Harm is a national exposé on the public health, environmental, and lifestyle impacts of factory farms. Award-winning filmmakers Matt Wechsler and Annie Speicher (SUSTAINABLE) document the ongoing battle with factory farms in Iowa as well as in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, and Delmarva.       

Each of Iowa’s 13,000 factory farms are built in communities of neighbors who have few protections and little ability to have a meaningful say a confinement’s location. Right to Harm addresses the devastating ramifications that many families in Iowa and across the US experience from these inadequately regulated livestock factories.
 
Wechsler and Speicher address the “human welfare” impacts of factory farms, revealing the social injustice of this industrial system that is largely unknown to a broad swath of US consumers.
 
The film also exposes the failures of state agencies to adequately regulate industrial agriculture and chronicles actions taken by disenfranchised citizens demanding justice from their legislators.
 
Iowa’s Fight Featured in Right to Harm: The Iowa segment examines the plight of an Iowa County resident who was confronted with two 1200-head CAFOs built across from his family’s 145-year old farm shortly after he retired there. It also features the efforts of many Iowans coming together to protect their communities. 

Wechsler will moderate a panel discussion after the film with the following guest speakers:

  • Dr. John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri at Columbia. Dr. Ikerd is a sought-after expert on industrial agriculture. Originally an ardent supporter of industrial agriculture, Dr. Ikerd later became an ardent critic once he saw how factory farms were damaging the health, environment, and economic vitality of rural communities. Dr. Ikerd is featured throughout Right to Harm.
  • Dr. Francis Thicke, co-owner of Radiance Dairy, an organic and regenerative Fairfield, Iowa farm. Thicke formerly served on the National Organic Standards Board and is currently a board member of Jefferson County Farmers & Neighbors, Inc.
  • Joyce Otto, President of Poweshiek CARES and a Poweshiek County resident who had to close her in-home nursing care business after a 5000-head CAFO was built nearby.
  • Nancy Adams, a Marshall County resident who was forced to change the course of her life after a 2499-head CAFO was built near her home. 

The screening is sponsored by Hourglass Films, Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Women International League for Peace and Freedom, and Iowa Sierra Club.
 
Purchase tickets ahead of time.
 
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased through the Iowa Farmers Union website. The screening is also a fundraiser for the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture (IARA), a coalition of 33 community, state, and national organizations. Additional donations are warmly welcome and support IARA’s efforts in advocating for a factory farm moratorium in Iowa. 
 
Tickets will also be sold at the door.

Free parking is available at the Capitol Complex Parking garage on E. Grand Avenue, right across the street from the Iowa State Historical Building.
 
Buy your tickets here.

Watch the trailer here.

Right to Harm Poster

Listen KHOI-FM’s May 16 interview on Local Talk with Dr. John Ikerd Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri/Columbia on the issues addressed in Right to Harm. Dr. Ikerd is featured throughout the film.

 

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Action Alert – Tell Rep. Dean Fisher to Assign the Factory Farm Moratorium Bill to a Subcommittee!

Last week 100 Iowans from across the state gathered at the Iowa State House to lobby in support of HF 203, a factory farm moratorium.  IARA supporters along with Iowa CCI and Food & Water Watch members met with nearly 30 state legislators then concluded the day with a rousing press conference and rally.

Many thanks to everyone who were able to get through the snow-covered roads to make it to Des Moines. It was a great day and a powerful moment to see so many factory farm activists crowded together at House Chamber steps speaking with their elected officials.

We still have some follow-up work to do. 

HF 203 was introduced to the Environmental Protection Committee, chaired by Rep. Dean Fisher. But Rep. Fisher is refusing to assign the moratorium bill to a subcommittee, the next step in moving legislation forward. We tried to meet with Rep. Fisher last week, but many of us were told he was out of the chamber.

It’s completely unacceptable that Rep. Fisher is single handedly holding up HF 203. Assigning it to a subcommittee would provide an opportunity for the bill to be debated and possibly scheduled for a public hearing. This is an issue of critical importance for Iowans all across the state.

Rep. Fisher needs to hear from us. Can you help? Would you take a few minutes to either call him at 888-724-8946 or email dean.fisher@legis.iowa.gov and tell him to assign HF 203 to a subcommittee?

Here are some points you can include:

  • As chair of the Environmental Protection Committee, please assign HF 203 to a subcommittee.
  • The bill has 13 official cosponsors and another seven supporting the bill. At the very least, it deserves to be discussed.
  • The bill is pro-agriculture as it would enable MORE hog farmers to get back on the land as independent hog farmers.
  • We need to take a temporary pause on building new and expanding CAFOs so we can get a handle on the ways that factory farms impact Iowans and our waterways all across the state.
  • Thank him for seriously considering your request.

Want more talking points? Find them here: Talking Points; Why Iowa Needs a Factory Farm Moratorium

After your call, please email us at info@iowaresponsibleagriculture.org and let us know how it went.

PS – If you missed the day, check out this recording with highlights of the press conference and rally.

Then check out some press coverage here: KTVO, Pilot Tribune, and Public News Service

Photo credit: Karla Conrad

IARA Calls for a Statewide Factory Farm Moratorium

At any given time, the state of Iowa has over 20 million pigs (1), more than 40 million egg-laying hens and 1.9 million broker chickens (2) that are predominately confined on over 9000 factory farms. (3)

Factory farms can have a myriad of impacts on air, water, and public health documented in over 50 years of respected, peer-reviewed studies. The state is incapable of adequately regulating the factory farms we currently have. We don’t need more!

It’s time to reclaim the rich agricultural heritage of our state, and recognize that factory farms are industrial facilities, not agricultural ones. Therefore,

The Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture calls for a statewide moratorium on new or expanding factory farms until Iowa has less than 100 polluted waterways.

SIGN IARA’S PETITION HERE

Why Iowa Needs a Factory Farm Moratorium NOW

With over 700 water impairments, Iowa’s water quality is unacceptable and getting worse. (4)

  • Over 60 cities and towns experienced high nitrate levels in their drinking water over the last 5 years.(5)
  • 30% of the state’s 260 municipal water systems are susceptible to harmful levels of nitrate pollution.(5)

Factory farms can create serious air quality and public health impacts:

  • Factory farms generate numerous toxic compounds that can cause asthma, nausea, vomiting, and even death. Living near CAFOs can cause significant stress. (6, 7, 8)
  • Antibiotic Resistance: Low dose antibiotic use in factory farms significantly contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (9)

The factory farm model has destroyed rural economies:

  • Over the past 50 years Iowa lost 94% of its pig farmers contributing to dwindling rural towns and shuttered school districts (2)

Factory farms do not make good neighbors:

  • Iowans who live near factory farms can experience overpowering odors, flies, and mice, as well as deteriorating roads and bridges. (10, 11)

Alternatives to CAFOs Exist:

  • Traditional, independent farming operations provide more sustainably and humanely raised meat, dairy and egg products with fewer harmful health and environmental impacts.

Stand with IARA and call for a statewide moratorium on factory farms. Find out what you can do here.

Read the press release announcing the moratorium campaign here.

Download a copy of the IARA Moratorium Fact Sheet here.

 

References

(1) Iowa Pork Facts, Iowa Pork Producers Association.

(2) USDA 2012 Agricultural Census.

(3) Iowa Department of Natural Resources AFO Database

(4) Iowa Department of Natural Resources Final EPA-approved 2014 303(d) list of impaired waters

(5) “High nitrate levels plague 60 Iowa cities, data show.” Des Moines Register. July 7, 2015.

(6) Air Pollution and Odor in Communities Near Industrial Swine Operations. Steve Wing, Rachel Avery Horton and Stephen W. Marshall, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Kendall Thu, University of Northern Illinois; Mansoureh Tajik, University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Leah Schinasi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Susan S. Schiffman, Duke University, 2008.

(7) Intensive livestock operations, health, and quality of life among eastern North Carolina residents. Steve Wing and S. Wolf, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2000.

(8) Malodor as a Trigger of Stress and Negative Mood in Neighbors of Industrial Hog Operations. Rachel Avery Horton, PhD, Steve Wing, PhD, Stephen W. Marshall, PhD, and Kimberly A. Brownley, PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Public Health, 2009.

(9) Antibiotic resistance 101, Food and Water Watch, 2015.

(10) Industrialized Farming and Its Relationship to Community Well-Being: An Update of a 2000 Report by Linda Labao. Office of the Attorney General, State of North Dakota, 2006.

(11) Excessive Truck Weight: An Expensive Burden We Can No Longer Afford. U.S. Government Accountability Office study.