2 thoughts on “Policy Options Brief on Improper Waste Management Practices in the Factory Farming Industry”
Your policy memo brings to light a serious but yet a highly ignored environmental and public health issues caused by the factory farming industry. It is interesting how little attention is given to this issue. Most of the attention is directed to pollutions caused by the burning of fossil fuels. I wonder why all the focus is on petrol carbons yet these other industries are causing equal damage to the environment. The statistics you discussed are mind blowing and I wonder why such issues are not placed on equal pegging as the petrol carbons when discussing global warming and conservation issue. Who knows maybe it’s because the pollutants in this case are naturally occurring substances and are by products of livestock farming.
The options you gave were great especially the idea of anaerobic digestion. I honestly think solutions like these should be made standards in the industry and incentives made available to farms that employ this system. I believe pressure from government will lead to even better innovations that will help address these problems. The automotive industry is a perfect example of how pressure from government can lead to cleaner and more efficient ways of dealing with problems. If cars can go from fifteen miles a gallon to thirty five miles a gallon then it is possible with the right approach to eliminate farm waste altogether since its by-products can be put to use in other sectors. Also the promotion of mixed farming practices I believe will help with the reduction of waste since the waste of one group can be used as a raw material for the other.
I am happy to see that this issue has cropped up in the media recently. Although there are many people touting the problems of the Factory Farming Industry, and some attempting to curb it on a small level, I have not seen in popular media any recommendations for a fix at the source. Because the adverse effects of CAFOs are not as visible as those of industries such as oil drilling, there has been far less attention paid to the issue. This, combined with the popularity of the American farming culture, has translated to very little attention from the government and regulatory committees. No member of Congress representing a farming district is likely to introduce legislation that might hinder the industry that has lobbied Congress for fiscal support, lest they have no interest in being reelected in that district. An EPA maintained database and loophole closures in the CWA are interesting and proactive methods to begin addressing the problems. The proposal for use of anaerobic digestion is particularly appealing, as it is one of the few options that doesn’t replace the current situation with a new problem. It would seem that this could be part of a convincing argument for federal action.
Your policy memo brings to light a serious but yet a highly ignored environmental and public health issues caused by the factory farming industry. It is interesting how little attention is given to this issue. Most of the attention is directed to pollutions caused by the burning of fossil fuels. I wonder why all the focus is on petrol carbons yet these other industries are causing equal damage to the environment. The statistics you discussed are mind blowing and I wonder why such issues are not placed on equal pegging as the petrol carbons when discussing global warming and conservation issue. Who knows maybe it’s because the pollutants in this case are naturally occurring substances and are by products of livestock farming.
The options you gave were great especially the idea of anaerobic digestion. I honestly think solutions like these should be made standards in the industry and incentives made available to farms that employ this system. I believe pressure from government will lead to even better innovations that will help address these problems. The automotive industry is a perfect example of how pressure from government can lead to cleaner and more efficient ways of dealing with problems. If cars can go from fifteen miles a gallon to thirty five miles a gallon then it is possible with the right approach to eliminate farm waste altogether since its by-products can be put to use in other sectors. Also the promotion of mixed farming practices I believe will help with the reduction of waste since the waste of one group can be used as a raw material for the other.
I am happy to see that this issue has cropped up in the media recently. Although there are many people touting the problems of the Factory Farming Industry, and some attempting to curb it on a small level, I have not seen in popular media any recommendations for a fix at the source. Because the adverse effects of CAFOs are not as visible as those of industries such as oil drilling, there has been far less attention paid to the issue. This, combined with the popularity of the American farming culture, has translated to very little attention from the government and regulatory committees. No member of Congress representing a farming district is likely to introduce legislation that might hinder the industry that has lobbied Congress for fiscal support, lest they have no interest in being reelected in that district. An EPA maintained database and loophole closures in the CWA are interesting and proactive methods to begin addressing the problems. The proposal for use of anaerobic digestion is particularly appealing, as it is one of the few options that doesn’t replace the current situation with a new problem. It would seem that this could be part of a convincing argument for federal action.