Edited by Debbie Neustadt

Feedstuffs Magazine
Hog Industry Insider
Dec. 25, 2000
By STEVE MARBERY
Feedstuffs Correspondent

Iowa air war

A grassroots petition drive has netted more than 3,000 signatures of
citizens urging the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to
control
emissions from confined feeding operations. Iowa Citizens for
Community Improvement (ICCI) will deliver petitions to legislators and
DNR
officials and propose rules similar to those in Minnesota, which
regulates
hydrogen sulfide and ammonia emissions on livestock and poultry farms.
Citizens contend DNR is authorized to craft rules without legislative
action.

The citizens' group contends DNR will have 60 days to approve. Within
six
months, DNR's board would pass rules to the Environmental Protection
Commission for acceptance, denial or modification. Proposed changes
would apply to hog and poultry units with maximum capacity of 300,000
lb. (600,000 lb. for beef and dairy). ICCI has worked with
Farmers Legal Action of Minnesota to develop proposals based on North
Carolina, Iowa and Minnesota studies.

Rural health debate

Supervisors in Worth County, Iowa, are backing away from local health
board
recommendations for ordinances on confined feeding facilities
(Feedstuffs,
Sept. 18 and Oct. 23). After two hearings on proposed rules, two of
three
supervisors have decided to oppose health ordinances due to concerns
over
enforceability. A final vote is set for this week.

In related news, the Iowa Department of Public Health is gearing up to
study
human health effects of confined livestock operations under a new
environmental health division.

Formed this year by legislative action, the division will coordinate
research with DNR and the University of Iowa. Stephen Quirk, former
Sioux
City, Iowa, health department official, is directing the division to
study
the effect of hogs, chickens, farm chemicals and other factors on public

health.

Copyright 2000, The Miller Publishing Company, a company of Rural Press
Ltd.

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