Never Enough--Activist Never Satisfied with Hog Farmer Efforts

For decades, North Carolina’s family farmers have consistently striven to make our farms better. We work hard to raise animals more safely, more efficiently, and more sustainably. To operate in a way that better protects our air, water, and land. To farm today for tomorrow with your family and our families in mind. To take advantage of new technologies that allow us to make improvements in everything we do. The list goes on and on.

 And yet, no matter what we do, it’s never enough.

 Those who are steadfastly opposed to animal agriculture are never satisfied with the proactive or positive steps our farmers take to improve our operations. Here are just a few examples:

 MORATORIUM ON CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PIG FARMS

When North Carolina imposed a moratorium on the construction of new pig farms in 1997, it wasn’t enough. Neither were the strict regulations that include annual, in-person inspections of every pig farm in the state.

 The activists aren’t satisfied with simply stopping our growth — they want existing farms to go away.  Fortunately, North Carolina’s pork business continues to thrive even though no new pig farms have been built here for the past 23 years. While the number of farms and number of animals we raise here hasn’t changed much in the past two decades, North Carolina remains one of the nation’s leading pork producers.

 CLOSING LAGOONS IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS   

Following widespread flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd in 1999, the pork industry took steps to ensure our farms were better protected during future storms. This included efforts to voluntarily close farms located in the 100-year floodplain.

 Since 2000, 42 pig farms (and more than 100 lagoons) located in floodplains have been closed. An additional 231 out-of-service lagoons have been permanently closed. But it’s still not enough, the activists say.

 EMBRACING SUSTAINABILITY

Today, American pig farmers are producing twice as much as pork as they did 50 years ago, while using fewer resources than ever before. As part of our commitment to sustainability, farmers now use 76% less land, 25% less water, and 7% less energy [source].

In addition, North Carolina is at the forefront of the movement to generate clean, renewable energy on our pig farms. By capturing methane gas and converting it to biogas, pig farmers play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Surprise, surprise — those steps don’t satisfy the activists either. Several “environmental” groups are actively opposing our efforts to generate renewable energy. It makes you wonder if they are more interested in protecting our environment or putting our farms out of business.

 Well, what exactly do they want?

 Let’s start with Sen. Cory Booker, the Democratic Senator from New Jersey. An outspoken critic of our farms (and a proud vegan), Booker has proposed a federal ban on farms with more than 2,500 pigs. This would potentially shut down 2,300 pig farms in North Carolina, most of which are family owned and operated.

Closer to home, the leader of the NC Environmental Justice Network wants to take things even further. In a recent news article, Naemma Muhammad said she believes pig farmers “need to be in jail.” Nevermind the pesky little fact these farmers are legally operating with a state permit — and following the toughest environmental regulations in the nation.

Other groups have a different agenda altogether: no more meat, period. They want to see an end to all animal agriculture and the elimination of all meat products. Imagine a world with no bacon or barbecue, no hamburgers or chicken tenders — that’s their version of paradise!

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what these groups think about the improvements we are making. As responsible farmers who care about our environment and our communities, we remain determined to keep moving forward every day.

In the words of Elanor Roosevelt, “do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." We’ll continue to do what we know to be right and continue to work hard to feed a hungry nation.

Attacking renewable energy projects? “Environmental” activists refuse to support innovations involving hog farms

You’d think an organization that supports environmental causes would enthusiastically throw its support behind an innovative project that will generate clean, renewable energy. But you’d be wrong.

 The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) recently wrote an article in The News & Observer attacking a proposed renewable natural gas project involving dozens of hog farms in rural North Carolina. These activists who oppose animal agriculture simply cannot bring themselves to support anything that benefits our family farmers — regardless of the environmental and economic benefits.

 They ignore the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They forget about the jobs and economic impact the project will bring to our rural communities. And they disregard the opportunity for North Carolina to establish itself as a national leader in clean energy.

 The Align RNG project, a partnership between Smithfield Foods and Dominion Energy, will cover lagoons, capture methane, and convert it into renewable energy. This is the type of innovation and advancement that our farmers have always made through the years.

 Those who care about our environment should embrace projects like this. But groups like SELC are attempting to turn this into a referendum on the lagoon and sprayfield system rather than accepting it for what it is — a responsible step toward a cleaner energy future.

 Their rationale for opposing the project does not make any sense. In fact, SELC recently praised Smithfield’s approach to manure management in Missouri, where farmers have made capturing biogas and generating renewable energy a core part of the process – a process almost identical to our own. Except due to colder temperatures, Missouri farms will only be able to produce biogas eight months out of the year, versus year-round here, making their system less efficient than ours.  

 North Carolina can be a leader in clean energy. Those who want to protect our environment should focus on the meaningful impact this project will have on our environment and the people of eastern North Carolina and leave ulterior motives out of it.

Activists Oppose Innovations that Improve NC Hog Farm Environmental Sustainability

If you’ve ever wondered about the true motivation of the activists who relentlessly attack our family farmers, here is a clear indication: their puzzling opposition to generating clean, renewable energy from North Carolina hog farms.

 Smithfield Foods and Dominion Energy have pledged to invest $500 million to capture methane from hog farms and convert it into renewable natural gas through a partnership known as Align Renewable Natural Gas. The project’s initial efforts involve hundreds of farms in three states — many of them located in Duplin and Sampson counties.

 It’s a solution that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create clean renewable energy, and further reduce threats from flooding by using covered lagoons and digesters to capture methane gas. 

Image from Align RNG

 Yet, the Waterkeepers and others refuse to support the project. Check that — it’s not simply that they don’t support the project, they are actively trying to kill it.  

 And that shows their true intentions.

 These groups won’t support any innovations that help our farmers and make our industry more sustainable — no matter how much they will help the environment. They simply want to put hog farmers out of business.

 What other logical reason is there for opposing a project that will establish eastern North Carolina as a leader in renewable energy, creating new jobs and attracting new investment in our rural communities?

 In a recent blog post from the Waterkeeper Alliance, Pamlico Tar Riverkeeper Jill Howell argues in vain that capturing biogas won’t help our environment.

 Huh?

 It’s clear that the very notion of saying something — anything! — even halfway positive about the innovative steps being taken by our industry to help the environment is simply impossible for these activists. That’s all you need to know.

 If you would like to show your support for the Align Energy project, you can submit comments on their proposed air quality permit to DAQ.publiccomments@ncdenr.gov. Use subject line: Align Energy. The deadline for comments is Friday, November 20.