More CFO questions

I too am a firm believer in our freedom of speech. I am not a farmer, an editor, an herb merchant or retiree, but I would fall into the category of countless others.

I have only lived here 14 years and I love it, for the most part. The part I don’t love is when the manure (whether it be chicken, turkey, swine or other) is being transported to the fields. At this point, the first signs of odor, I have to close all the windows and bring the pets inside.

We had an incident in the past where our dog’s eyes swelled shut. The odor outside was really strong. I believe this odor to have come from turkey manure which was left piled up on this same property which is the future site of a confined feeding operation. I had asked a local authority if this was legal to leave the manure laying on the surface and I was told that it was. Our veterinarian suggested I put her inside for the night away from the odor and see if the swelling disappeared. Thank goodness it worked; her eyes were open again. This made me wonder what harm these odors might be causing us.

As I said I am not a farmer so I do not know whether the odor is noticeable because of improper transporting or from laying in the fields. But what I do know is it’s time to close up the windows and bring my animals inside. I will not take a second chance on leaving them outside when there is an odor present.

I am also concerned for our environment. It is my understanding that this confined feeding operation is going to be located near a creek. I want to know how close it will be. I haven’t lived here all my life as other neighbors have, but in what little time period I have (lived here) this tiny Limberlost Creek has flooded many times beyond its banks. The floodwaters have reached out into the surrounding fields, washed out a section of the road, and has even been known to rush over the bridge. Back in 1995, this tiny creek looked like the mighty Mississippi River to this city girl as it rushed across the roadway. As I walked out my front door to see why people were turning around in my lane, I could hear the rushing waters.

Recently, I expressed these concerns to the new owner from Ohio when he stopped by. He had stopped by to inform us that the CFO would not be built where we originally thought, but that it was going to be built even closer to the Limberlost Creek than we had expected.

Since he isn’t from this area, I felt that he needed to know that this creek does flood its banks regularly. He seemed to think that this little creek would never reach his operation and that IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management), he was sure, would check this out. To that I say, never say never, because I never would have expected my little piece of heaven would come with its own moat. My family has walked this creek many times and others have, too. I’ve seen people fishing in it. School kids have even taken a canoe trip down this creek in the past years. Will it be safe from contamination? Will there be any run-off from this operation that could reach the water? Will the creek flood again? (This one I can answer: yes.) Have you asked yourselves why some confined feeding operations are seeking places in Indiana to put up operations? Or why they bring their manure over here to leave on the fields? Is this because they have stricter rules and we don’t? I don’t know these answers. I only have questions that I want answered.

Let me leave you by saying I know how important it is to have farmers. I enjoy my eggs with bacon and wheat toast just as much as the next person.

Sincerely,

Penny Roush

Portland

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