Farmkeepers Blog
The Farmkeepers is the official blog of NC Farm Families. It is here that words will flow, our voice will be heard, a stand will be made, and the farm families of North Carolina will be protected. In these posts, we'll set the record straight. You'll see the faces of the families who feed us. Here, you'll receive all the updates and news. It is here that we will fight for farmers and be the keepers of the farm in NC. We hope you'll join us. Follow along on social media and by joining our email list.
Ripe for attack: When it comes to hog farms, nothing can appease an activist on a mission.
No matter what North Carolina hog farmers do to improve their operations, there is always an activist group eager to attack them.
Take renewable natural gas, for example.
More and more North Carolina hog farmers are interested in covering their lagoons, capturing methane emissions, and generating renewable natural gas. The benefits are immense. Aside from the environmental benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and generating clean energy, the covered lagoons reduce odor and minimize the potential for flooding during hurricanes.
Sounds incredibly positive, right?
Food & Water Watch just posted an article — Shit Storms: Factory Farm Pollution, Hurricanes, and Climate Change — arguing that hog farms are “a driving force” behind climate change. It points to our farms as a major source of methane emissions, saying it leads to intense hurricanes that flood hog lagoons and cause water pollution.
Now, we can argue the facts around hurricanes and hog farms (read the truth of the matter here), but the reality is that renewable natural gas projects address the article’s two main points of concern: the potential flooding of lagoons from hurricanes, and the impact of methane emissions from animal agriculture on climate change.
But hold on… here comes another attack from the Sierra Club.
A recent story in Sierra magazine criticizes North Carolina hog farms for — wait for it — “ramping up efforts to convert methane from swine waste into biogas.”
The 3,500-word article — A biogas boondoggle — accuses the pork industry of using renewable natural gas projects to “greenwash” its image. In other words, these biogas projects on hog farms aren’t really environmentally friendly…
Except they are.
The EPA says that methane emissions are 28 times more potent that carbon dioxide, so there’s clearly a value in capturing these gases on farms and converting that gas into renewable energy that can be used to power homes.
If you’re concerned about climate change, this is clearly a positive development.
And the benefits to the local community — in the form of reducing odors and minimizing the potential for flooding during hurricanes — are equally valuable to the people who live near hog farms. (Learn more here about the value of renewable natural gas projects.)
No one really expects groups like the Sierra Club or Food & Water Watch to present a balanced view of these issues. But when you read these two articles back to back, it simply defies logic.
These activists plead with farms: Stop lagoons from flooding during hurricanes! Reduce methane emissions that contribute to climate change!
Then, when farmers make improvements that address those two concerns, they launch another attack.
Don’t do it that way! Renewable natural gas is bad!
There’s no winning with these folks. Which is why we’re simply going to keep our heads down and continue doing what we do best: providing Americans with safe, affordable food that’s raised responsibly and sustainably.
Answering Your Questions About Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) on Hog Farms
Change can be scary. At the vary least, it can raise a lot of questions. With the opportunity to implement renewable natural gas projects on some of North Carolina’s hog farms, there have been many questions raised—questions of safety, impact, and simple curiosity.
While most are excited about the opportunity for NC to become a leader in RNG, there are those that have reservations. And so, we wanted to provide answers to some frequently asked questions. Whether you are a skeptic, a sucker for new technology, a community member, a farmer, or a consumer, we hope this answers some of your queries.
FAQ’s
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No. Ammonia levels are dependent on the number of pigs. The size of farms, nor the amount of nitrogen on the farm is changing.
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No it doesn't. Farmers will still be fertilizing crops with wastewater. However, GHG and other farm emissions will be reduced and treatment and storage capacity will be enhanced. The lagoon/sprayfield system is still highly regulated, designed by university professors, and is non-discharge. Learn more about lagoons and spray fields here.
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Covering lagoons will decrease odor as the emissions from the breakdown of manure will be removed from the farm.
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Farmers have long been the adopters of innovation. RNG is the next innovative frontier. RNG allows farmers to add another source of income that mitigates manure management costs, while being better stewards of the environment.
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No. Biogas is the only thing that will leave the farms.
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The biogas that will be transported through the gathering lines is 30-40% CO2, which is what is in a fire extinguisher. In addition, the pressure in the gathering lines will be very low, less than what is in a car tire. In these conditions, the gas is not explosive.
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No. The only thing being added is digesters.
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No new hog farms have been allowed to be built in NC since 1997. RNG does not change this. A modification to current Swine Permits are required to build RNG on existing farms.
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No. DEQ found that the Swine Permit "did not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin on its face, in its implementation, by its impact, or in any other way." In addition, digesters and RNG are good for the environment as described, so any impacts would be positive.
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Simply, they have. You can see a map of these farms here. In addition, farmer’s participation is voluntary. As farmers chose to participate, they will apply for permits, and their choice to participate will be known.
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We think there are different reasons for opposing this innovative technology. 1) people may have misconceptions about RNG. We're trying to provide answers and information to put those misconceptions to rest. 2) Sometimes people just want to be critical and would love it if pig farmers didn't exist.
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Yes! A recent survey showed that residents strongly support RNG programs
