-Press Conference Held to Support Citizens of LIncoln Township;
Fight
Invasion of Factory Farms
-Lincoln Township Leaders Say PSF, Inc. Misrepresents the Facts
-Township Zoning in Place Prior to Lagoon Construction
-Factory Farms Are Poor Rural Development Tools
-Lincoln Township -- Symbol of Nationwide Trend; Concern
ACTION ALERT, EVENTS, RESOURCES
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PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TO SUPPORT CITIZENS OF LINCOLN
TOWNSHIP;
FIGHT INVASION OF FACTORY FARMS
"Premium Standard's lawsuit against Lincoln Township is a symbol
of
what's going wrong in rural America," said FARM AID President
Willie Nelson in a prepared statement released March 14 to
support
rural residents engaged in a fight against factory farming in
Missouri.
"By standing together, the brave residents of Lincoln Township
remind the world that small towns and family farms must not be
destroyed by factory farms."
Representatives of the National Campaign For Family Farms and
the
Environment gathered in Kansas City, Missouri last week for a
press
conference to announce an upcoming rally in Lincoln Township and
to kick off a nationwide effort to halt the concentration of hog
farming that has invaded hundreds of small communities
throughout the country. Members of the Land Loss Prevention
Project, Prairie Fire Rural Action, the Land Stewardship
Project,
Clean Water Network, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center and others
attended the press conference to offer real solutions to the
economic,
environmental and social problems facing rural communities
instead
of the short-term fixes proposed by agribusiness.
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LINCOLN TOWNSHIP LEADERS SAY PSF, INC. MISREPRESENTS THE
FACTS
At the Campaign's press conference March 14 Lincoln Township
leaders told their side of the story behind the $8 million
lawsuit filed
against them by Premium Standard Farms, Inc. several months
ago.
In response to charges made by Lincoln Township leaders during
the
press conference, Premium Standard Farms (PSF) Inc., the giant
hog
corporation that moved into Lincoln Township, Missouri last
year,
issued a statement Lincoln Township residents said was
ironically
titled, "PSF Responds With Facts."
In the statement, PSF, Inc. alleged it had permits to build hog
facilities and waste lagoons "long before the township's new
zoning
was enacted." PSF, Inc. went on to say that Lincoln Township's
attempt to make the zoning laws retro-active is "illegal."
In addition, the corporation said, "PSF promotes a quality,
rural way
of life, and has made that possible for a new generation in
north
Missouri. Our $35 million annual payroll is making it possible
for
more than 1500 families to improve their standard of living and
strengthen their rural communities."
Lincoln Township leaders say most of the claims presented in
PSF,
Inc.'s press release are incorrect. Lincoln Township's
application of
zoning laws to PSF, Inc.'s waste facilities is not illegal. Nor
is PSF
offering rural residents and farm families a "quality way of
life" as
the corporation states.
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TOWNSHIP ZONING IN PLACE PRIOR TO LAGOON CONSTRUCTION
Lincoln Township zoning laws that restrict the placement of huge
animal waste lagoons near residential areas were in place prior
to
PSF, Inc.'s construction of these facilities. Lincoln Township
residents
told PSF, Inc. that the company was unwelcome last February. At
that time the town of 250 decided to include zoning laws in a
referendum to be voted on in June, 1994. PSF, Inc. proceeded to
build hog holding facilities, but did not receive state approval
letters
for the construction of waste lagoons until July 1st -- several
weeks
after Lincoln Township residents legally enacted zoning
regulations
through the referendum vote.
Lincoln Township residents say they are not trying to impose
unfair
restrictions on PSF, Inc.; they are merely trying to protect
their
environment and quality of life by enforcing common sense laws
voted on by the entire community.
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FACTORY FARMS ARE POOR RURAL
DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
Premium Standard Farms, Inc. and other corporate agriculture
interests argue that their factory approach to food production
provides economic opportunities for rural residents. However,
research conducted by several farm state universities proves
otherwise.
John Ikerd at the University of Missouri, for example, found
that
contract hog units producing the same number of hogs as
independent producers displace two hog farmers for each new job
created by contract production units. This means that a new $5
million investment in contract units generates 40-50 new jobs,
but
displaces at least 100 independent producers.
A review of the economic conditions in the pork sectors of North
Carolina and Nebraska exemplify Ikerd's findings. Between 1986
and 1992, North Carolina gained over 2.1 million hogs -- from
2.4 to
4.5 million -- making it by far the fastest growing hog state.
Meanwhile, the number of pork producers in the state dropped
almost by half -- from 15,000 to 8,000 -- according to the
Center for
Rural Affairs. In Nebraska, however, where strict
anti-corporate
farm laws exist, hog numbers have grown steadily, while
producers
have remained on their land. Since 1986, only four percent of
Nebraska hog producers have been lost.
Likewise, University of Missouri rural sociologist William
Heffernan
told National Farmers Union members at their annual convention
two
weeks ago that profits from independent producers have a
multiplier
effect of three to four in a local community. Conversely,
Heffernan
said, profits from corporate-owned farms leave communities
almost
immediately.
John Helmuth of Iowa State University said in an address to the
National Farmers Organization last December that "when a family
farmer makes a bad economic decision only a few people may be
hurt -- the family, maybe a bank, or local suppliers, but when a
giant
corporation makes a bad economic decision thousands can be hurt,
possibly an entire industry."
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LINCOLN TOWNSHIP -- SYMBOL OF
NATIONWIDE TREND; CONCERN
Support for Lincoln Township residents has been overwhelming
since
they voted to challenge Premium Standard Farms, Inc. Petitions,
letters and financial assistance have been rolling in from
family
farmers, environmentalists, consumers and rural residents around
the nation who are facing similar battles in their own towns.
These
citizens will join residents in Lincoln Township April 1 for a
rally to
support their mutual concerns.
Blaine Nikles, a retiring pork producer in North Central Iowa,
said of
the situation faced by Lincoln Township residents, "It's pretty
similar
to what we have here. The large factory farms have been driving
out family farmers and threatening our quality of life. We were
planning to retire here ... Now the large poultry and pork
facilities
are ruining our natural resources , like our water and our land
-- our
quality of life."
"Corporations are buying up land, dominating and imposing their
will
and when they leave there are only ghost towns and Superfund
sites," agreed Bill Wenzel of the Madison, Wisconsin office of
the
Clean Water Network.
In addition to Willie Nelson and other national leaders have
joined
the cause to help Lincoln Township. The Reverend Jesse Jackson
met with residents last week and vowed to take action in support
of
their efforts.
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ACTION ALERT
Thanks to those of you who have been working to gather
signatures
on the petition for the National Campaign for Family Farms and
the
Environment. National support is crucial to stop companies like
PSF
from setting up in family farming communities where they are
unwelcome. Please continue to circulate the petition and mail
completed copies by April 1 to the Missouri Rural Crisis Center,
710
Rangeline St., Columbia, Missouri 65201. The petition was
mailed
along with the last issue of FARM AID NEWS. If you need another
copy, please contact Missouri Rural Crisis Center: (314) 449-1336.
_________________________________________________________
EVENTS
April 1, Lincoln Township, Missouri. National Campaign for
Family
Farms and the Environment. FARM AID President Willie Nelson
will
join citizens from around the country to rally in support of
Lincoln
Township residents. Call (816) 947-7337.
April 18-26, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, California, New York,
and
Florida. House Agriculture Committee Chairperson Pat Roberts
announced March 10 a schedule of field hearings on the 1995 Farm
Bill, including a full discussion by the Subcommittee on Dairy,
Livestock and Poultry. Contact Jackie Cottrell for locations
and times,
Rep. Roberts' office, (202) 225-4050.
_________________________________________________________
RESOURCES
"The Economic Impacts of Increased Contract Swine Production in
Missouri: Another Viewpoint," John E. Ikerd, University of
Missouri.
Delivered October 28-30 to The Livestock Production for
Sustainable
Rural Communities Conference, Kansas City, Missouri. For
ordering
information contact Gigi DiGiacomo, (612) 379-5980.
"Buyer Consolidation in Livestock Markets: Trends, Impacts and
Implications," John W. Helmuth, Iowa State University, December
6,
1994. Contact Gigi DiGiacomo, (612) 379-5980. $2.00.
"Panel Says Market Concentration Hurts Many, Benefits Few,"
National Farmers Union Press Release, March 7, 1995. Contact
Marylin Wentz, (303) 338-2535. Free.
_________________________________________________________
We welcome comments and suggestions: contact Harry Smith at
FARM AID, (617) 354-2922. We encourage the reproduction of
FARM AID NEWS. Produced by The Institute for Agriculture and
Trade Policy (IATP) for FARM AID. Editors: Gigi DiGiacomo and
Harry Smith. For information on other agriculture bulletins,
contact
IATP: (612) 379-5980.
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