Cool Cow Ad: Organic ValleyCAFOs may be an increasingly outdated form of farmingBY MARCIA V. STUCKIReprinted from the Kalamazoo Gazette, June 8, 2008 Congratulations to the Kalamazoo Gazette staff for the excellent series on
concentrated animal feeding operations and right-to-farm issues. The
newspaper did a great job of covering a complex subject of great importance in
this part of Michigan.
Having spent many hours and dollars complying with local ordinances in order
to continue to keep a few farm animals on my 35-acre property, I am, in
principle, very supportive of the concept of ``right-to-farm'' laws.
I have little sympathy with city folk who move into ``the country'' and then
express outrage over a whiff of manure. That said, however, I am dismayed by
how these laws have actually been applied.
As townships are discovering to their dismay, right-to-farm laws basically say
that, unless a township wishes to ban agriculture entirely, they cannot
"discriminate'' against CAFOs. This flies in the face of common sense. It's almost
like saying that if you allow backyard mechanics to restore Model Ts in their
garages, you must also allow automobile manufacturing plants in the same
zoning, so long as the factory follows "generally accepted'' manufacturing
practices!
Supporters of CAFOs (including our tax-funded agriculture experts) are mightily
offended when CAFOs are referred to as what they most seem to resemble --
factories. Just because a factory happens to use animals as a key component of
the manufacturing process does not make it a "farm,'' in my opinion. Perhaps,
therefore, CAFOs should only be permitted in industrially zoned areas.
I personally consider CAFOs morally abhorrent and environmentally risky.
However, even with those major issues aside, the following are reasons why
CAFOs may already be outdated.
* Homeland food security: The more our food production is concentrated in
fewer and fewer massive facilities, the more we are at risk of shortages in the
event of either accidental contamination or deliberate acts of sabotage.
* Economic diversity: Michigan has learned the hard way with the auto industry
that putting all your eggs in one basket increases risk. Small, diversified farms
could decrease that risk by being flexible in what they produce. What happens
to a specialized CAFO facility if it goes bankrupt?
* Tourism: The traditional agricultural landscape (think big red barns, grazing
cows, vineyards) in Michigan has long been a component of tourist appeal and
tourism is big business. Now imagine our visitors from Chicago passing through
acres of pole barns and manure lagoons on the way to that special bed-and-
breakfast!
* The "Locovore'' movement: Several popular books have documented increased
interest on the part of consumers in eating "locally.'' Concerning what they eat,
more people are asking: "Where did it come from? Who raised it? How are the
animals treated?'' (See Michael Pollan's national best-seller, "The Omnivore's
Dilemma.'') Again, smaller, diversified farms can better meet that customer
preference. And the profits stay home.
* High fuel prices: This is perhaps the biggest reason that CAFOs may already
be an idea whose time has come and gone. Feed for so many animals must be
trucked in from miles away. The product must then be hauled far away for
processing and consumption. All of this takes massive quantities of fuel.
* Human Nutrition: "Garbage in, garbage out'' would seem a no-brainer, but we
are only just now confirming with scientific studies what our grandmothers
already knew -- what the cow eats affects the flavor of the milk, what the hen
eats affects the quality of the eggs. CAFOs are designed to produce CHEAP food,
not the BEST food. (For more on why pastured, rather than confined, farm
animals produce nutritionally superior meat, milk, and eggs, read Jo Robinson's
book "Pasture Perfect.'')
Our state Legislature needs to reconsider whether its intention with "right-to-
farm'' was to allow factory farms everywhere, despite local opposition. Contact
your state representatives and senators and ask them if this is what they
intended.
Finally, I would urge townships not to throw the baby out with the bath water by
zoning against all agriculture in an effort to protect themselves against CAFOs.
For the reasons stated above, I believe we are going to need our local, low-
animal-density, grass-based farms more than ever as fuel prices continue to
rise. Please support your truly local farmers!
Marcia V. Stucki operates Cedar Hill Farm in Galesburg.