In early June 2011, Prairie Rivers Network was contacted by a McDonough County resident facing the prospect of soon becoming the unwilling neighbor of 18,000 hogs. He was calling for help because he feared the air, streams, and wells in his rural community would become polluted by a proposed hog farm called Shamrock Acres. He was not alone in his fears; dozens of others shared his concerns and had banded together to form Rural Residents for Responsible Agriculture.
During June and July, we worked with Rural Residents, Illinois Citizens for Clean Air & Water, and Environment Illinois to strategize our opposition to the factory farm. Prairie Rivers Network was compelled to action because the applicant has a history of environmental violations: Illinois should not allow bad actors to construct more factory farms at the expense of public and environmental health.
We had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments on July 12 at a public informational meeting held by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Over 200 people filled a room to overflowing at Western Illinois University during the 4-hour meeting. Most people seemed opposed to the facility and many voiced concerns about the likelihood of devastating odors, air and water pollution, and detrimental impacts on public health and roadways. In contrast, members of the industry seemed only concerned about the industry and touted its great importance to our nutrition and economy.
In the coming weeks, the McDonough County Board will make a non-binding recommendation to the Department of Agriculture. But only the Department decides whether the facility is built or not. The Department does not deny applications; they either approve them or wear the applicant down so the application goes away. Ultimately what this means is that approval is imminent if an applicant can meet the State’s standards, even if there is strong local opposition or the applicant has a violation history. Unfortunately, these standards have fallen short for many people and streams in Illinois.
