Sustainable Agriculture Committee
Healthy Farms, Healthy Foods CampaignOverview This campaign developed out of the need to
address factory farming, a major source of environmental degradation
in Pennsylvania and other states. While livestock production is
an important focus of the campaign, the committee also has a strong
interest in promoting environmentally sensitive production of all
agricultural crops, and therefore, information is given here about
sustainable agriculture in general. Factory Farming in PennsylvaniaCurrent state and federal policies give advantages to industrialized animal operations (or CAFOs-Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), encouraging the establishment of an increasing number of factory farms in our state. Because of the large concentration of thousands of animals in a small area, the amount of manure produced is far greater than the amount that can be used to fertilize crops. The excess runs off and pollutes ground and surface water with nutrients and sickness producing bacteria. The methane and other gasses produced by all these animals contribute to air pollution and global warming. See http://www.sierraclub.org/factoryfarms/ for more environmental effects of factory farms. The goals of the HFHF Campaign in regards to factory farming are
to reduce the pollution created by existing factory farms, to stop
the establishment of new large-scale industrialized meat operations,
and to aid in the establishment and survival of sustainable farms.
To do this, the committee is addressing both the supply and demand
side of agriculture. What You Can Do to Be HeardRevisions of the CAFO regulations and nutrient management plans have been proposed. Important improvements are needed to stop factory farm pollution in PA. Please send CAFO program comments. Deadline for comments is Nov 5th. Send comments to:
Nutrient Management program comments should be sent to:
Public Hearings will be held:
Anyone wishing to present testimony should reserve a time at least one week in advance, by calling the Environmental Quality Board at (717) 787-4526 for the CAFO regulation, or the State Conservation Commission at (717) 787-8821 for the Nutrient Management regulation. CAFO LegislationHR 1222 (the bill that would have preempted local government protective ordinances against CAFOs) was defeated but it’s coming back in the form of Governor Ed Rendell’s ACRE initiative. This initiative appears to strongly favor the livestock industry and fails to offer the increased protections to rural communities and the environment. What You Can Do About CAFO LegislationWrite legislators and tell them to support legislation that helps sustainable farms, that controls air pollution from CAFOs, and that gives local communities the ability to protect themselves from CAFO pollution. We want there to be incentives for using sustainable farming practices. For more information about the CAFO and Nutrient Management Regulations,
see DemandFactory farms will continue to operate as long as their products sell. If consumers become educated about the impact of their diet on the environment and start purchasing local, sustainably raised animal products, the factory farms will have to become sustainable or get out. Therefore, public education is a big part of the HFHF Campaign.
Developing a Sustainable Farm ListCompile a list of sustainable farms in your region. You or your friends might already know of some farms in your area. You can also use Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) and Northeast Organic Farming Association directories.
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