Dear Fellow Iowans,

I start this call to action because a 1200 head hog confinement (also known as a "Small Animal Feeding Operation" or SAFO) is currently under rapid construction 0.3 miles due West from my home (imagine 3 city blocks from your home).  My husband and our three young children watched the destruction of what used to be a beautiful neighboring property from the windows of our historic Victorian home, for which we have called our "Slice of Heaven" for the last 6+ years.  

You have likely seen the large scale hog confinements along the roadsides, in the middle of fields, but rarely right next to the farmer's home.  Despite what you think of this method of "factory farming," the facts speak for themselves.  Hog confinements, small and large, are known to come with very serious risks to the health of neighboring residents, the environment, the local economy, the local infrastructure, and the quality of life for those who live nearby.

No longer will my family, or the other six families within the a one mile radius of this confinement, be able to enjoy the beautiful outdoor lifestyle on our rural properties.  Our children will be at the greatest risk!  They will be more susceptible to the inevitable respiratory problems, nausea, diarrhea, headaches, burning eyes, confusion, tension, depression, and fatigue.  Also, the two combat veterans within this one mile radius, my husband included, have made the conscious decision to live peacefully in the countryside, to build the rest of their lives, after the trauma of war, in the serenity of our private acreages.  These dreams are being shattered by the impending air pollution, noise pollution, heavy machinery traffic, public health threat, and destruction of our clean water (our private wells, ponds, and natural waterways are in immanent danger).  

Imagine thousands of gallons of liquid hog manure rotting next to YOUR house, your children, your castle, your garden. Imagine the ammonia and hydrogen sulfide fumes polluting YOUR air, polluting YOUR health. Imagine the filthy flies and rats that will accompany this. Imagine the SOUNDS of distressed hogs, all 1200 of them, screaming 24 hours a day. Imagine the constant HUM of the factory fans, the CLANKING of the hogs pens as they fight their confined space. Imagine the SEMI TRAFFIC passing by on your already dilapidated dirt roads, hauling more hogs, their GMO feed, and tankers FULL of manure. Imagine no longer feeling safe to drink your well WATER or swim in your POND. Imagine working for YEARS to rehab your Victorian home only for your mortgage to be flipped UPSIDE DOWN over night.

Any other form of "factory" moving into a neighborhood would speak to the neighbors, inform them, and be a good steward to the existing land they are forever changing.  This currently is not required of a 1200 head hog confinement.  The owners are not required to submit a manure management plan or file construction permits.  They are not required to speak to the neighbors or tell anyone what they are planning.  My county does not allow for "zoning" of our rural lands, and the State of Iowa does not allow the local Counties to place restrictions on agribusiness.  The DNR will eventually be taxed with regulating the facility, but does not have a voice in the planning of where and how they are constructed. The trend is to purchase small plots of land, level the existing homes, outbuildings and trees, and construct these confinements as dense as possible.  Sprinkling our neighborhoods with factory farms and all of their negative consequences.  This leaves the neighboring citizens helpless.  Overnight our lives have changed.  We are fearful of what is to come, what our existence will become.  Will we be prisoners in our homes, unable to let our children play outside, unable to enjoy our gardens, pastures, and ponds?

Hog confinements, small or large, should not be erected within a one mile radius of existing residential homes not owned by the confinement owner/operator.   

Addendum Update (9/19/15):

This confinement turned out to be a 4800 head nursery.  Baby pigs will live in this building for approximately 6 weeks before being trucked off to a different type of confinement.  The first truckload of baby hogs arrived the evening of 8/27/15.  Subsequent truckloads since.  We were assured by the owner that we would not hear or smell the confinement while in operation.  Nor would the deliveries be driven down our road.  These statements have both proven to be false.  

 Addendum Update (10/8/15):

We are experiencing another evening of air pollution so foul we could not stand to spend time outside or have our windows open.