Hallo Bob, Friday, 19 November, 2004, 11:33:46, you wrote:
ba> the following does not bode well for those of us in rural US: ba> http://www.organicconsumers.org/Toxic/factory_farms.cfm ba> Factory Farms Want Exemption from Air Pollution Laws ...snip... I am afraid that is not the half of it brother. I live in the southeastern Michigan/northwestern Ohio area. In a 20 mile radius there are at least 6 factory dairy farms with an average herd size of 2000 head of milking cattle. Each cow produces AT LEAST 40 pounds of manure per day which totals for ONE herd 29,200,000 pounds of manure per year which is generally spread on the earth. For some reason they seem to be Dutch owned in this area in the main, not that that makes any difference. A friend has a small farm which adjoins an 80 acre tract which one of these farms uses to "dispose" of its waste. There are times when the manure is some 4" deep and the stench is nigh unto unbearable. Nothing grows on that field. The upshot of this is that due to the high concentration of these "farms" in the area the pollutants in the manure are working their way into our water table. Concomittant with this is the loss of revenue by the small family farmer with small herds of, say, 100 head or less. Some dairies are refusing to pick up milk from these small farmers because they say it is "unprofitable" because they can get all the milk they need from the milk factories. This is disrupting families, the economy of the area and the environment of the entire region. The excuse for this abuse is "the bottom line". This is the greater good our government speaks of apparently. If we consider that this is just one example in one contained and small region we have to wonder what else and where else similar actions are being done for the greater good of the monied class. What really mystifies me is how people like my brother can bring themselves to justify this. Apparently he has not read the fine print on the business cards of those in power which reads "Bend over and let me introduce myself", or perhaps he and those like him simply enjoy being bent over. I suppose this is as close to angry as I have been in a while. This strikes so close to home. I have seen all too many good people lose their livlihood, their homes and farms, their dignity for the "bottom line" not to mention the absolutely horrendous adverse impact this is having on the environment. And we export this kind of thinking and infect others. Sorry for the rant. Happy Happy, Gustl -- Je mehr wir haben, desto mehr fordert Gott von uns. Mitglied-Team AMIGA ICQ: 22211253-Gustli ******** The safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C. S. Lewis, "The Screwtape Letters" ******** Es gibt Wahrheiten, die so sehr auf der Stra§e liegen, da§ sie gerade deshalb von der gewšhnlichen Welt nicht gesehen oder wenigstens nicht erkannt werden. ******** Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music. George Carlin ******** The best portion of a good man's life - His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love. William Wordsworth _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable): http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/
