The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently approved the construction of a new hog confinement in Adams County north of Quincy. This news is disappointing and potentially life-changing for the residents who live nearby and are opposed to the confinement, which will house almost 5,000 hogs. Neighbors are concerned their quality of life will deteriorate due […]
Factory Farms
Prairie Rivers Network Seeks Environmental Safeguards at Proposed Hog Operation
On March 4, Prairie Rivers Network attended a public informational meeting on a proposed hog operation called D&B Farms. The operation would house almost 5,000 hogs in a single building in rural Adams County, which borders the Mississippi River. At the hearing, we raised our concerns that the 8-foot deep waste storage pit underneath the […]
State Factory Farm Rulemaking Almost at the Finish Line
Prairie Rivers Network recently filed our final comments on the proposed state factory farm rule. This rule will regulate water pollution from large livestock operations. If the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) adopts our recommendations, the rule could significantly reduce the negative impacts of livestock operations on Illinois streams. Illinois has many streams that are […]
Jo Daviess Megadairy Agrees to Call it Quits
The owner of the highly-controversial megadairy under construction in Jo Daviess County has agreed to abandon the project. Abandonment is part of the proposed settlement agreement between the dairy owner and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards (HOMES), the local grassroots organization that opposed the proposed dairy, is thrilled that their […]
Illinois Revising Laws Governing Factory Farms – Public comments still being accepted!
November 16 UPDATE: Prairie Rivers Network just wrapped up an intense schedule of hearings on IEPA’s proposed rule for livestock operations factory farms. Overall, the hearings went well and we were able to convey that livestock operations should be more stringently regulated because of negative impacts on Illinois streams and rural residents. Our priorities for […]
