Back to antibiotics.  This paper is from the year 2000 and Ohio is included int the study.  I find paragraph 2 interesting on a couple of levels.  First, the amount of antibiotics produced and second, the amount is nearly equal for man and beast. This article gives the numbers an even bigger boost.

This is a nice website that explains a bit about the effects of antibiotics but does it in a polite, gentle, not in your face be a vegan or else, way.

There's no need to bring up Grand Lake St. Mary's this week when we've got issues in NE and Central Ohio competing in the "which waterway has the most contaminants" game being played.  This was all over state news in October.

The NY Times published this article earlier this year regarding the ban on antibiotics for food animals in Europe..  The use of antibiotics has been a concern for many people and just to throw horse meat back into the mix they've put a ban on the use of antibiotics regarding this meat also. Yay for the horses.  If done legally they get to linger in feed lots for up to 6 months while the drugs clear their system. 

Just another day in the corporate world of drugs and CAFO's.

*Disclaimer: the words written are mine and do not reflect the views of Sinclair Community College and surely not the CAFO's.

One more week of horse slaughter (I think!) and then we'll move on.  This is a letter written by the former mayor of Kaufman, TX.  She had the guts to stand up to foreign corporations.  I have family in CAFO counties in Ohio and their very livelihood is dependent on farming.  They know no other life. They will defend their way and I can't blame them but I have to ask...what is fair about foreign-owned companies getting away with this?

Some of our biggest CAFO's in Ohio are owned by the Dutch.  I ask you to imagine the implications of the pollution if this were in your backyard.  We can only begin to understand by scratching the surface with Grand Lake St. Mary's.  We, as taxpayers, will be responsible for cleaning up the mess.  I'm not sure I'm OK  with that.  I want to support those that work their fingers to the bone, they truly are the salt of the earth but the business of big Ag needs to be examined.  Would we all truly starve if they were made to abide by the rules and pay fines to clean up their messes? 
 

Sunday, April 11, 2010
Letter to Legislators from Former Mayor Paula Bacon

Dear State Legislator:

...You will soon be asked to vote on … legislation regarding the commercial slaughter of American horses of which you probably have very little firsthand knowledge. No doubt you have heard from lobbyists and organizations who want you to support the practice, but before you do, you should ask yourself why the residents of Texas and Illinois worked so hard to rid their states of their horse slaughter plants. The answer may surprise you.

As a mayor who lived with this plague in her town for many years, who knows what the horse slaughter industry really is and what it does to a community,”… please allow me to tell you what we experienced. The industry caused significant and long term hardship to my community which was home to Dallas Crown, one of the last three horse slaughter plants in the United States.

All three plants were foreign-owned, and since the market for horsemeat is entirely foreign, the industry will always be dominated by these foreign interests. The corporations involved in this industry have consistently proven themselves to be the worst possible corporate citizens.

The Dallas Crown horse slaughtering facility had been in operation in Kaufman since the late 70’s and from the beginning had caused problems both economically and environmentally. I have listed some of the specific issues below.

I will gladly provide you with detailed reports from my former City Manager, Police Chief, and Public Works Director regarding odor and wastewater effluence violations at the Dallas Crown horse slaughter plant in the City of Kaufman. The reports reference “decaying meat [which] provides a foul odor and is an attraction for vermin and carrion,” containers conveyed “uncovered and leaking liquids,” there are “significant foul odors during the daily monitoring of the area,” and “Dallas Crown continually neglects to perform within the standards required of them.”

Therefore, in August of 2005, our City Council decided by unanimous decision to send the Dallas Crown issue to the Board of Adjustments for termination of their non-conforming use status. In March of 2006, the Board of Adjustments voted to order Dallas Crown closed, but the plant was able to tie the enforcement up in the courts until they were finally closed under state law in February of 2007.

Dallas Crown repeatedly described itself as a “good corporate citizen.” I will be straightforward in asserting that they are the very antithesis of such.

o Dallas Crown had a very long history of violations to their industrial waste permit, ‘loading’ the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant.

o Dallas Crown denied the City access to their property for wastewater testing beginning October 1, 2004 until July 6, 2005, despite requirement by city ordinance, city permit agreement, and court order.

o City staff reported that a $6 million upgrade to our wastewater treatment plant would be required even though the plant was planned and financed to last through 2015.

o Odor problems resulting from the outside storage of offal and hides over several days persisted not only in traditionally African-American neighborhood known as “Boggy Bottom”, but at the nearby Presbyterian Hospital, the daycare center, and surrounding areas.

o Transport of offal and fresh hides on City and state thoroughfares is conducted in leaking containers without covers.

o City documents reveal an extended history of efforts to have Dallas Crown address various environmental issues. Reports include descriptive language including such as “blood flowing east and west in the ditches from your plant,” “It has been over 45 days [it had been 59 days] and no apparent cleanup has occurred,” “Your system has not improved and subsequently it has gotten a lot worse,” “Words cannot express the seriousness” of recent violations and the “adverse effects on the wastewater treatment plant,” and “Please be sure trailers are secured before leaving your premises to prevent spills,” noting also “bones and blood laying in front of the facility,” problems with bones and parts in neighboring yards and the attraction of “dogs and other animals.”

o In response to 29 citations for wastewater violations, each accompanied by a potential fine of $2,000, Dallas Crown requested 29 separate jury trials, potentially causing yet another economic strain to the City’s budget. We could, of course, not afford to litigate in order to extract the fines.

o Dallas Crown took 11 months to submit a mandatory “sludge control plan” to assist efficient operation of the wastewater treatment plant though City staff requested it orally and in writing many times.
o The City Manager advised me that the City would have to spend $70,000 in legal fees because of Dallas Crown problems, which was the entire legal budget for the fiscal year.

o During this period, Dallas Crown paid property taxes that were less than half of what the City spent on legal fees directly related to Dallas Crown violations.

o Generally, Dallas Crown has the economic ability to prevail, to exceed the constraints of the City’s budget.

Dallas Crown had a negative effect on the development of surrounding properties, and a horse slaughter plant is a stigma to the development of our city generally.

I have since learned that these problems were mirrored at the other two plants. Fort Worth’s Beltex horse slaughter plant also violated Ft. Worth’s wastewater regulations several times, clogged sewer lines, and both spilled and pumped blood... into a nearby creek (San Antonio Current, June 19, 2003 ). Texas State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, whose district includes Beltex, and Rep. Toby Goodman, R-Arlington, fought hard against legislation that would have legalized horse slaughter in Texas in 2003.

The horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, IL had a similar pattern. It was destroyed by fire in 2002, and rebuilt in 2004. It was charged and fined by the DeKalb Sanitary District almost every month from the reopening until its closing in 2007 under a new state law for consistently exceeding wastewater discharge guidelines. I can provide you with the documentation of those violations. Like Dallas Crown, Cavel refused to pay their fines for years.

During this time, I learned that an estimated $5 million in Federal funding was being spent annually to support three foreign-owned horse slaughter plants! And when the Dallas Crown tax records were exposed in the city’s legal struggle, we found that they had paid only $5 in federal taxes on a gross income of over $12,000,000!

Moreover, the parent company of Cavel has since moved its operations to Canada and continued to slaughter American horses. In Canada they have apparently become even more blatant, dumping huge untreated piles of entrails onto open ground and even using a tanker truck to discharge blood and refuse into a local river.

I have mentioned only the pollution issue, but this is but one negative aspect of horse slaughter. I have subsequently learned of a USDA document containing 900 pages of graphic photos that show the horrors that the horses were subject to. Behind the privacy fences of these plants, trucks arrived continuously and on those trucks was every form of inhumane violation one can imagine from mares birthing foals to horses with eyes dangling from their sockets and legs ripped from their bodies.

The more I learn about horse slaughter, the more certain I am: There is no justification for horse slaughter in this country. My city was little more than a door mat for a foreign-owned business that drained our resources, thwarted economic development and stigmatized our community. Americans don’t eat horses, and we don’t raise them for human consumption. There is no justification for spending American tax dollars to support this industry at the expense of Americans and our horses.

Sincerely,
Former Mayor Paula Bacon
City of Kaufman
Kaufman, TX 75142

*Disclaimer: This blog is part of an assignment.  It in no way represents the opinions of Sinclair Community College or the Paralegal Department.

On my way home Thurs. after class 75 N was backed up as usual.  I had just gotten on 75 S from 35 and there it was.  A rusty white 16' stock trailer filled to the gills with horses at a dead stand-still in rush hour traffic.  After slowing down on the highway to about 25 mph I did a quick headcount and there had to be at least 25 horses.  Usually we don't travel with horses that packed.  It's too dangerous to stack 'em in like bricks both for other drivers on the road and, of course, the horses.  I gotta admit I teared up a bit.  One in particular caught my eye being tall, white blaze, and ears perked looking around.  While I can't be 100% certain I'd say they were headed to Canada.  The tears formed over their fate...a European dinner plate.

Horse slaughter for human consumption ended in 2007 when the last 3 slaughter plants closed.  Two were located in Texas and were known as Beltex and Dallas Crown and the one in Illinois was known as Cavel.  It shouldn't come as a surprise that the lines between proponents and opponents were solid on both sides.  It should be noted all 3 horse slaughter houses were owned by foreign companies, Belgian, and did not pay federal taxes.  Kaufman, TX fought mightily to have their slaughter plant closed and Mary Nash made it her mission to expose as many facts as possible.

I got involved in alternatives to horse slaughter after this accident in 2004.  The horses were being hauled in a double-decker trailer designed to haul short-necked livestock species usually cattle, swine, and sheep.  Being a horse owner myself I was unaware at the time of the dirty little secret of horse slaughter for rich Europeans to feast on.  I knew horses were food for starving people in WWI & WWII but had no idea it was now considered a delicacy.  Here you can find a short history of horse meat.

Since the 2004 accident there have been more: in 2007 and 2006 and this one always gets my goat because of all the previous offenses.

Before the quarter is over we'll talk about the business of horse-breeding and how the auction-to-slaughter pipeline works.  In the meantime, the next time you send your kid to camp or the fair tell them to hug the one they ride!

*Disclaimer: This blog is part of an assignment.  It in no way represents the opinions of Sinclair Community College or the Paralegal Department.

Let's talk poultry.  Again.  More and more people are raising their own if their city ordinance allows it. I found this blog this morning and I'd like to share it. Dayton area farm life is published in the Dayton Daily News and gives local information regarding urban-ag in Dayton and backyard poultry has a fan in this gal!  You can also find Dayton Urban Ag on Facebook.

If poultry is permitted within city limits there are usually restrictions such as the number of hens allowed. You don't want just one, 3 is usually minimum and 6 will keep your family and another in eggs.  Most city ordinances don't allow roosters.  You don't need a rooster anyway since hens will lay all on their own and a rooster would, no doubt, make you the most hated in your city neighborhood.  I honestly haven't dug through the Dayton City Ordinances but found Dayton Animal Ordinances at the Animal Law site. I'm guessing some people would consider them a nuisance.

If you hear roosters in your neighborhood and you live in the city there is always the possibility of cockfighting. Should you suspect any activity such as this please contact your local animal control officer or the police. 

Now for the food aspect of keeping backyard poultry.  I don't eat mine but I do like chicken.  I'm eating it for dinner this evening.  And my hens have been lousy at laying this year. They are obviously not happy about something and I think it's their diet.  I (gasp!) have been feeding more of a commercial feed rather than organic when it comes to their scratch and supplemental layer mix. They free range every day and bring themselves home at night but I have 3 that I know are older and I know 3 are still well within laying age.  My seventh was found in the city of Beavercreek and is a consistent layer.

This would be the time most people retire their hens to the soup pot.  I just can't do it.  I know the process, I appreciate the process and I can't join the process.  For me they control bugs so they are dual purpose for me.  I haven't had a tick on a horse, dog, or barn cat since I got my girls.  They are worth their weight in gold and if they won't lay another egg they're worth keeping around for that!

If you're inclined to read more about keeping chickens this is a very user friendly place with a lot of information.         


 Disclaimer: Sinclair Community College is not responsible for the content of this blog!  This is just my opportunity to offer information and my opinion.

I knew I wasn't the only one who thought organic was making headway and was glad to find this article talking about the increase of organic farms and was especially happy to see the increase in dairy cows and laying hens.

One question the article asks is who are America's Organic Farmers?  I'll share a farm I have personal experience with.  Dale Filburn & Family have a family farm in W. Alex about 20 min. from my home.  The eggs you find at 4 farmer's markets and Dorothy Lane Market are raised humanely and with pride.  The downside is they are close to 4x the price of eggs from Kroger or Meijer.  Paying close to $4/carton is hard to justify to most people, especially in today's economy but the eggs do have a wow factor!  You'll never see yolks like that coming from caged-raised hens, ever.  If you are baking for the holidays treat yourself!


Another local farm in the area is E.A.T. Food for Life Farm.  The picture here shows him with free-range turkeys and it is a true to life picture.  The farm has the greenest pastures and the animals are fat as ticks.  Here is their official website http://www.eatfoodforlife.com/index.html and you can find them at Dayton Public Market. 

http://www.branchcreekfarm.com/  is maybe 7 miles from me at the most.  If I take the back way home from classes I pass by this farm and the view is always the same - a farm cattle are comfortable in and raised in a way you won't find in CAFO's.  Of course some would argue that we can't feed the world on farms that raise 15+ heads of cattle. It's true. But is it so ignorant to think that we can help the world feed itself with programs like Heifer International. It's also true that organic farmers charge significantly more for their food, especially meat and eggs. But the question remains and will forever be debated that at the end of the day, with food recalls, environmental catastrophes, and the lobbying that goes with it, does it all even out and are smaller farmers suffering because of what we've determined to be "rich folk" food?

Disclaimer:  This blog reflects my own opinions and Sinclair Community College is not responsible for any content contained here.

Just for giggles here is a short clip where Steven Colbert interviews the head of the American Meat Institute - a lobbyist group for meat producers that lobby for many things, including the right to slaughter downed animals so as not to upset the profit of the farmer sending the poor beast to slaughter...  better-know-a-lobby---american-meat-institute.

I've learned from the AMI that the average American eats ~235 lbs. of meat a year.  Good gosh, that comes to well over 1/2 # of meat a day, every day. I don't know where they get their numbers because I surely don't eat that much meat.  Can you imagine how much poop each head of meat produces?  The numbers vary from 50-100#'s a day for each head of cattle.  That's a lot of poop and a lot of reasons why we have a problem just an hour north of here at Grand Lake St. Marys.  Today the Columbus Dispatch  also published a story about the poop problem in the article ohio-farms-drowning-in-manure.


I live on a farm.  I've got 7 horses, 7 laying hens, and 2 goats.  I'm here to tell you they poop - alot, every single day.  We're not talking one or two times a day people.  We're talking 10+ piles a day per horse.  And that poop doesn't magically disappear on its own, nor does it magically compost on its own.  You've gotta cook that stuff!  It's like black gold to some farmers and mushroom farmers love the stuff.

I'm always amused when "city folk" come visit, see the manure pile, want the composted stuff for their own gardens, and then turn themselves inside out when they actually see the animal poop for real right there in front of them.  For some the chemicals will now work just fine as fertilizer thank you very much and they don't want anything "natural" in their garden after all.  For others the thought of natural fertilizer is stomach-turning and they've decided genetically altered food grown in a test tube could be the ultimate "food"; not much to think about there.  But they tend to forget that and they could come begging for tomatoes, corn or pumpkins & watermelon as long as they don't think about it actually being grown with....wait for it....composted manure from goats, chickens, and horses. For the record I don't use any dirt or pesticides, just composted manure.

It's enough work for anyone with livestock to scoop the poop produced but then you have to rid yourself of it.  We're lucky that we have a farmer behind us who rotates crops yearly and he allows us to spread it.  Our next door neighbor loves to have us spread it on his field as it has doubled the grasses and turned an overgrazed field into a grass paradise that nothing but deer graze on and hide their fawns. And then there is my beloved compost pile.  It's not just a mountain of poop.

The cost of manure management is astronomical both for the farmer and the consumer.  Farmers have to pay for the spreaders and the fuel to run them. Consumers have to pay one way or another through government clean-up or face higher prices at the grocery store.  Farmers are required to come up with manure management plans but then complain about the price of compliance.  I've read and heard quotes from farmers up north that say they have nothing to do with the problems created in Grand Lake St. Marys.  Some feel that even with 1000+ head of cattle or hogs, a strip of grass that separates their land and a waterway is sufficient and they are in compliance.

How often are fines collected?  It's just my opinion but not often enough  - Compliance. The OEPA isn't giving up the numbers so easily.  By the end of the quarter I hope to have a monetary number to let us know this situation is being taken seriously and the citizens of Ohio are being protected and compensated for the damage being done by CAFO's.

Organic farmers also have to follow their own set of management practices which can be found here. Ohio State  has a rules and regulations bulletin that provides Ohio statutes regarding the requirements. Whether CAFO or small, private organic farm crap can become more than a headache if not managed right.

Disclaimer: Just a reminder these are my thoughts and Sinclair Community College isn't responsible for the content of this blog.

I was talking to a classmate/friend during break last week and she made the comment "I don't want to know where my food comes from."  I don't blame her.  She's a great gal and she has a family to feed on a limited budget. Our system is set up to feed the most people at the lowest cost possible. Or is it?  lawsuit-aims-to-protect-tax-payers-from-dirt-cheap-livestock-subsidies

There is also this article: cafo-costs-report that shows our food is subsidized by those who seek to feed their families in an economical way.  The CAFO's just get our money in a different way than those who buy certified humane.  $35 billion out of taxpayers to pay for the feed?! 

Ghandi said "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". Does that make him a wacko animal rights activist?

"Concern for animals is a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done." Harriet Beecher Stowe 1811-1896.  This quote comes from a woman who wrote about the suffering of slaves.  She showed compassion towards humans and animals. We have a hard time doing that today. Why?

Legendary musician Paul McCartney said "If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be a vegetarian". Meet Your Meat

PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have put out videos regarding factory farming conditions.  I am not a vegetarian and usually I look at  PETA and HSUS as fringe lunatics at times.  Unfortunately it takes undercover video to show the abuse that takes place in factory farms. Meat for school lunches and the poor   Of course abuse also happens at private farms. newborn-calves-abused-at-organic-farm

What do we do to have a voice but also keep food affordable?

Disclaimer: These are my opinions and mine alone.  Sinclair Community College is not responsible for any information given in this blog.