FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   CONTACT:
March 18, 2002                                       Erin Jordahl,
515-277-8868

Care about Iowa?  Then Care FOR Iowa!
 Iowa Legislators Called on to Pass
Substantial Legislation on Industrial Livestock Production

 DES MOINES, IA- The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club started running radio
ads today on stations throughout the state.  The ads encourage Iowans to ask
their state legislators to care FOR Iowa by regulating the polluting
practices of industrial livestock production.
    Legislation related to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) has
been a major topic of discussion this session in the Iowa General Assembly.
"Shell" bills have passed out of both the House and Senate Agriculture
Committees, but these bills did not include specific language related to
regulating industrial livestock production practices in Iowa.  Currently, a
12-member bipartisan ad hoc committee is working on drafting more specific
language regulating livestock production.
    While the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club is hopeful that the 12-member
ad hoc committee will produce substantial legislation on industrial livestock
production, there is still a need to raise awareness of the environmental
significance of this issue throughout the state, with all Iowans and their
legislators.  Large livestock facilities are being sited and manure is being
applied too close to environmentally-sensitive areas such as rivers, lakes,
and agricultural drainage wells.  At risk are Iowa's drinking water sources,
state parks and recreation areas, cold water trout streams, and other
valuable areas.
    Key components of meaningful legislation on CAFOs include the use of a
phosphorus standard, in addition to a nitrogen standard, in manure management
plans; a permit fees system to raise revenues for administration of DNR
livestock programs; a ban on livestock facilities in 100-year floodplains and
near Karst formations and agricultural drainage wells; a revision of the
permit threshold to 1,000 animal units; and protection of Iowa's most
valuable waters through siting restrictions.
    "By passing meaningful legislation on industrial livestock production in
Iowa, our legislators can protect our family farmers and our natural and
cultural heritage," said Charlie Winterwood, Chair of the Iowa Chapter Sierra
Club.  "Because the current polluting practices of large livestock operations
are not sufficiently regulated, these facilities have an unfair advantage
over family farmers.  Industrial livestock operations are also threatening
our water.  And by changing the family farm heritage of Iowa and damaging the
natural resources of the state, industrial livestock production threatens the
future of Iowa's children."


Sample script to follow:

Animal factories are expanding throughout Iowa, bringing environmental and
economic destruction with them.  By releasing animal waste into our rivers
and streams, these factories are threatening our water and our children's
future.

We know our legislators care about Iowa.  But now is the time to care FOR
Iowa, to protect family farmers and our natural and cultural heritage.

Call your state Representative and Senator.

Ask them to care FOR the future of Iowa, by regulating the polluting
practices of industrial livestock production.

Paid for by the Iowa Chapter Sierra Club.


###


Here is the cities/town list and stations:
Albia     KLBA-AM, KLBA-FM
Algona   KLGA-AM, KLGA-FM
Atlantic  KJAN-AM
Boone   KWBG-AM
Carthage      WCAZ-AM
Cedar Rapids     KCRG-AM
Cherokee     KCHE-AM, KCHE-FM
Clinton   KROS-AM
Cresco  KCZQ-FM
Creston KSIB-AM, KSIB-FM
Denison KDSN-AM
Des Moines KRNT-AM
Dubuque      WDBQ-AM
Estherville    KILR-AM
Fairfield KMCD-FM
Forest City   KIOW-FM
Fort Dodge   KIAQ-FM
Grinnell  KGRN-AM
Hampton      KLMJ-FM
Harlan   KNOD-FM
Jefferson      KGRA-FM
Knoxville      KNIA-AM
Manchester  KMCH-FM
Maquoketa   KMAQ-AM, KMAQ-FM
Marshalltown      KFJB-AM
Mason City  KRIB-AM
Mount Pleasant  KILJ-AM, KILJ-FM
Newton  KCOB-AM, KCOB-FM
Oelwein KOEL-AM
Osceola       KIIC-FM
Oskaloosa   KBOE-AM, KBOE-FM
Ottumwa      KBIZ-AM
Red Oak      KOAK-AM
Sheldon KIWA-AM, KIWA-FM
Shenandoah       KMA-AM, KCSI-FM
Sioux Center    KSOU-AM, KSOU-FM
Sioux City    KSCJ-AM
Spencer     KICD-AM
Storm Lake  KAYL-AM
Stuart    KKRF-FM
Washington KCII-AM, KCII-FM
Waterloo/Cedar Falls      KCNZ-AM
Waukon       KNEI-AM, KNEI-FM
Webster City      KQWC-AM, KQWC-FM


Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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