Farmers close deals on clean air

INDIANA - Three East Central Indiana industrial-style swine and poultry producers are among the first in the nation to complete federal consent agreements designed to reduce air pollution in coming years.

Supporters call the deals a giant step toward the future regulation of dust, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds and other air pollutants from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

The Sierra Club and other environmental groups are terming the pacts "sweetheart deals" between President George W. Bush's administration and factory farms that will continue to jeopardize the health of rural communities.

"We've got to raise livestock somewhere," said Eric Pursifull, a pork producer from Redkey. "If we don't do it in this country, we will pay big prices for it when they move it all to Mexico. They have no regulations south of the border."

If the upcoming air regulations are not affordable, "it will run everybody out of business," Pursifull said. "No one thinks of that stuff."

This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Appeals Board ratified 20 air compliance agreements with 10 egg and 10 swine producers from Iowa, California, Ohio, New York, Nebraska, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Minnesota, Michigan and Indiana.

Source: The Star Press

2 February 2006