I am 79 and do not like to drive long distances, but if you could schedule a
meeting in Newton, Ames, Humbolt, or Fort Dodge, I would try to go.
However, I
am not a farmer, only a retired person with ties to farming and the need for
independent farmers to keep our independent farmers in business.  The
corporate
hog lot bill passed by Branstad, and the Republicans has driven the small
farmers out of business and off the farms. I think it might be called House
519
or something like it.  It has driven the small farmers who used to raise hogs
out of business, and replaced them with corporate farms who are raising the
same number of hogs that Iowa used to raise before.  Has anyone investigated
the change in the hormones of the hogs grown under stress in the large hog
lots, and compared it the levels grown in smaller farms out in the open air
where they would coming running and squealing to be fed.  As a Ph.D.
Biochemist, I realize that hogs grown under humane conditions may produce
better meat for humans to eat.  It seem like our younger drivers are driving
faster, and following closer than people of the same age did before

At 05:15 PM 01/28/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>
> I sent out a last minute message last week about the CAFO public hearings
> held by legislators.  The Mason City hearing on Jan. 26 was well attended,
> but it would be great to have even more people, especially Sierra Club
> members, at the next ones
>
> Please contact me if you want to carpool and/or if you would like to testify
> at the hearings.  I spoke at the Mason City hearing, so I need someone else
> to speak for the Sierra Club at the next meetings.
>
> We are going to get something done this session on CAFOs, maybe not exactly
> what we would hope for, but we need to keep the pressure on our legislators
> to actually do something!  I hope you can attend one or more of the public
> hearings.  If you do plan to speak, please arrive early, so you can get
> signed up on the speaking list.
>
> (to members of the Northwest Iowa Group: I apologize if you get this message
> twice.  I wasn't sure which of you were on the Iowa-Topics listserv.)
>
> Feb. 1, 2002      Elkhorn, IA        7 PM - 9 PM
>       Lutheran Church basement   4313 Main Street
>
> Feb. 2, 2002      Sioux Center, IA       1 PM - 3 PM
>       Farmers Co-op  317 3rd St. NW
>
> Feb. 8 or 9   Somewhere between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids
>       I will send out more details as soon as I get them.
>
> Erin Jordahl
> Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
> 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
> Des Moines, IA 50310
> 515-277-8868
> [log in to unmask]
> [log in to unmask]