While Farmers Continue Efforts to Feed Communities, Waterkeepers Launch Baseless Attack

Here they go again…

When Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette launched another baseless attack on North Carolina’s pork industry last week, our Executive Director Chad Herring didn’t hesitate to call him out.

“You have to hand it to the activists attacking North Carolina’s pork industry — they never let a crisis go to waste,” Herring wrote in a letter to The News & Observer. “First, it was the hurricanes. Now, they are using the COVID-19 pandemic to keep attacking our industry.” 

Burdette wrote a guest column taking aim at hog farmers and pork processing plants, including claims that our farms pollute the air and water. But let’s take a look at the facts.

The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently collected 15 months of air quality data in Duplin County. After taking measurements of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and particulate matter, the Division of Air Quality concluded that the results “do not constitute a significant air quality issue in the study area.” They determined that no additional testing is needed.

Burdette also specifically accuses our farmers of creating water quality problems during hurricanes. But we’ve seen time and time again that you simply cannot trust the claims these activists make — especially during hurricanes and other crisis situations.

As Herring explains in his letter, “When a crisis hits, our family farmers don’t attack others. We look for ways to help. We protect our animals, feed our neighbors, and strengthen our communities.”

It’s a shame the Waterkeepers refuse to do the same. 

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Letter to the Editor

You have to hand it to the activists attacking North Carolina’s pork industry — they never let a crisis go to waste. First, it was the hurricanes. Now, they are using the COVID-19 pandemic to keep attacking our industry. 

The latest example: Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette’s May 10 op-ed. 

He repeats a long list of vague, misleading claims about the impact of hog farming on air and water. Burdette also unfairly attacks our state’s processing plants, which are operating at significantly reduced capacity to protect workers and keep our nation’s food chain up and running.

When a crisis hits, our family farmers don’t attack others. We look for ways to help. We protect our animals, feed our neighbors, and strengthen our communities. 

Chad Herring, Mount Olive

Executive Director, NC Farm Families

Who Really is Essential? A Farmer's Perspective

The last few weeks have been insane with the activity, or lack thereof, associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our normal way of life has been turned upside down on its head. 

These unprecedented times have brought many changes—a lack of toilet paper and hand sanitizer, but a plethora of news stories, opinions, and comical memes.

Farmers and those involved in agriculture have been deemed “essential” to the country and our battle of this pandemic. This is something that I personally am humbled by and do not take lightly.

Being deemed “essential” does not mean that I am more essential than the next person. It simply means that my profession cannot stop for the virus.

As a farmer, I know our jobs are essential to the health and well being of not only this nation, but other nations as well.  I don’t do it for fame nor fortune. I do it for many reasons, one of which is that I believe we are ALL ESSENTIAL.  Your health and well being is just as important as mine, and I can assure you that each and everyday when I head out to care for our livestock, my number one responsibility is producing safe food.  That safe and nutritious food is the fuel that makes the people of this great nation carry out their essential daily activity.  Whether it be your local volunteer firefighter, farmer, grocery store worker, pastor or even a movie star, we are all essential to making this nation great. 

As a farmer, I’m an essential worker. I’ve made a commitment to make your food my priority. That commitment was made years ago when I became a farmer. Amid this pandemic, I maintain that commitment. Know that I do not think of myself as any more important than the next. I believe we are all essential. I’m just doing what I love and keeping a promise—provide safe food and feed families.

Stay safe. Stay well. Thank you for supporting farmers. Thank you for believing in us.

-Chad Herring

"Farm"schooling During COVID-19: Lessons from the Farm

Farms are providing more than a steady food supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also aiding in the education of youth home bound due to school closures. For farm families, the farm is more than chores and a job that needs to get done. It is an opportunity for their children to learn valuable lessons, develop life skills, and a chance to spend some additional time with their family.

Lessons from the farm encompass many school subjects—math, science, art, etc. We asked folks to send photos of their kids on the farm during this quarantine and let us know what they were learning. All we can say, is the farm is a wonderful teacher.

Farmschooling in NC

Ryley Herring learns all about nutrition, feeding the pigs. Ryley’s had a great time lending an extra hand on the farm while out of school, but he’s still learning lessons. Did you know that pigs get a specialized diet created by nutritionists? Photo: Chad Herring of Mount Olive.

Learning all the basics! Quinn may need to grow into his coveralls a bit, but that doesn’t stop this little farmer from checking on the pigs and helping where needed. Work ethic and animal science is definitely being learned here. Photo from Eric and Carmon Short of Rose Hill.

These brothers’ mom says that they are working on math, small engine preventative maintenance, soil science, and environmental stewardship while irrigating at the hog farm. Photos from the Linton family of Mount Olive.

“We studied environmental sciences and agronomy. Environmental stewardship is practiced everyday on my farm. This valuable lesson will be passed down to the next generation.” -Marlowe Vaughan regarding her daughter Kivett of Goldsboro.

The farm also teaches creativity. Whether that is using what you have to fix something or getting the perfect photo. Gideon Linton practices creativity by getting just the right angle for the photo lower right.

“Visiting daddy at the hog houses. On these nice days, we are gonna be here a whole lot!! It’s just a short walk from our house, so getting in that awesome sunshine!”- Shawn Norville

It’s hard to beat fresh air and sunshine. I think we can classify this as a bit of PE for the day.

Crop and soil sciences are learned in the field. The Shooter family is subsoiling before corn gets planted.

Sarah Hobson snapped this photo of her kids making the world a better place by picking up litter that had blown into their fields. Raising considerate humans that care is so awesome!

“This morning our School lesson took a different turn other than acedemics. Environmental Stewardship and acting responsible for God's beauty! These young men got A's!” Morris Murphy

PSA…Don’t litter.

Some kids are getting to just explore the nature on the farm. Amanda Gardner took her grandkids on a nature hunt on the farm!

The photos and lessons continue as kids everywhere continue to learn despite the Coronovirus. For many, social distancing is life enriching.

We hope these photos bring light and happiness to a difficult time. Happy farmschooling everyone!