Friday, January 04, 2008

Indiana county considers restrictions on confined and concentrated animal feeding operations

Delaware County, Indiana (county seat: Muncie) is considering tighter controls on confined and concentrated animal feeding operations, both known as CAFOs. The proposed new category, "intense farming," prompted some intense objections from farmers at a local planning commission hearing last night.

“Agriculture is under attack,” said Joe Russell, a farmer and member of the county council. “The confidence and trust in farmers is no longer there. It seems like we’re being attacked quite a bit.” He said the change would amount to Indiana's tightest restrictions on CAFOs and prevent any more from being established in the county, reports Seth Slabaugh of The Star Press.

The story didn't mention any arguments for the proposal, but a photo caption said Marita Fields of Albany, a town of 2,400 near Jay and Randolph counties, was "concerned about the property value of the rental home she owns." (Read more)

1 comment:

Sally said...

People are confusing confined and concentrated animal feeding operations with farming. They are two different things. CFOs and CAFOs are industrial animal production operations, much the same as puppy mills, except the product is sold to the public as food and is not as healthy as the food produced on a true farm. Anyone interested in their health, the air we breath or the water we drink, play in and fish in, should research the dangers of these operations.