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.


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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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