Environmental Defense Statement on Introduction of NC Hog Farm Bills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2006

Environmental Defense Statement on Introduction of NC Hog Farm Bills

Two bills to reduce pollution from large scale hog operations in North Carolina were introduced in the General Assembly today.  The bill introduced by Representative Carolyn Justice (“Extend Moratoria/Cost-Share Funds”) would implement the key recommendations made by NC State University researchers (Dr. Mike Williams) and represents a big step forward on this issue.  The bill introduced by Representative Russell Tucker ignores most of the researchers’ recommendations and would delay for many years any meaningful progress on addressing environmental problems with hog waste. 

The following statement may be attributed to Dan Whittle, senior attorney for Environmental Defense.  He may be contacted at 919-931-9677.

“The Justice bill sets the stage for putting cleaner hog waste systems on farms across Eastern North Carolina.  Putting these systems on a significant number of farms as soon as possible is the best way to reduce costs for all farmers and help develop potentially lucrative new markets for waste byproducts.  The Tucker bill does not provide the state with a plan for helping farmers get new technologies on their land – technologies that will help them keep their farms clean and profitable.”

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