Yesterday, Prairie Rivers Network attended a heated, public informational meeting on a proposed hog farm in Marshall County. We attended because we were asked to by a group of local residents who don’t want to live near what they call a “hog factory.” If approved for construction, the hog farm will house almost 20,000 hogs on just a few acres of land that drain into Sandy Creek. Neighbors are concerned that pollution from the hog waste will contaminate their beloved creek, which they use for recreational activities.
At the public meeting, it was disclosed that the proposed hog farm (Sandy Creek Lane, LLC) would produce approximately 10 million gallons of waste annually. This waste will be applied on 1200 acres of nearby farmland. It was unclear whether this acreage is adequate for all of the waste that needs to be applied, or if additional acreage will be needed to avoid over-application. Like the neighbors, we have concerns about Sandy Creek becoming polluted.
Before the public meeting, we held a press conference with the residents who object to the construction of the hog farm. They expressed their concerns about not only water pollution, but also odors, air pollution, lower property values, and decreased quality of life. These legitimate concerns are the very reason we introduced a state bill this spring to amend the Illinois Livestock Management Facilities Act. Passage of the bill will be a multi-year battle because we face opposition by the livestock industry. But meeting people like the neighbors of Sandy Creek remind us the battle is worth fighting.
