Statement On NC General Assembly's Failure to Pass Clean Hog Farming Bill

The NC General Assembly is expected to adjourn today without passing legislation that would pave the way for cleaner hog farming in the state. A bill introduced by Rep. Carolyn Justice would have helped implement the recommendations issued by NC State University at the conclusion of a six-year, $17 million research project. The bill was based on a plan developed by Environmental Defense and Frontline Farmers that would provide incentives to farmers who volunteer to put new waste systems on their farms, a measure that ultimately would reduce costs and help all farmers in the state adopt new technologies.

 

The following statement may be attributed to Dan Whittle, senior attorney for the North Carolina office of Environmental Defense, 919-881-2914:

 

“It’s hard to imagine why anyone would oppose legislation that would help the state’s hog industry be cleaner and stay profitable. Years of research and millions of dollars went into finding new ways to treat hog waste, yet legislators turned their backs on a plan that both hog farmers and environmentalists agreed on. This is a missed opportunity for the hog industry in this state. Rep. Justice is to be saluted for her leadership.”

 

The following statement may be attributed to Chuck Stokes, an Ayden farmer and co-founder of Frontline Farmers, 252-531-2689:

 

“The General Assembly had a perfect opportunity to help hog farming families in this state keep up with the times. They chose not to take advantage of this opportunity. By doing this, they let us down. It’s disappointing that legislators failed to support farmers who welcome opportunities to employ modern hog waste systems and remain environmentally proactive.”

 

For more information on NC hog farming, visit www.environmentaldefense.org/go/nchogs.