In August, a few neighbors in our area were notified that a landowner nearby planned to build and operate a Concentrated Feeding Operation (CFO). This CFO would house 202,752 layer hens within less than a mile of many residents in our area. This facility poses an unacceptable threat to our environment, public health, access to clean water, quality of life, and property values. If this operation is approved, it could potentially push people out of their homes and away from the neighborhood that their families have been in for generations.

1. Environmental Impact— Manure and chemical runoff from the facility will leech into the ground of surrounding properties and contaminate soil and personal wells. This proposed facility will sit near the banks of the Wabash river, potentially harming fish populations. The Wabash watershed is already under stress during dry seasons. This runoff also introduces risk for nearby DNR land and its wildlife.
2. Public Health Concerns— Operations this size increase the risk for diseases like avian flu to spread rapidly not only among their own flock but also neighboring smaller flocks. Presence of improperly handled chicken manure can also introduce the risk of histoplasmosis— a fungal infection that is caused by a fungus commonly found in bird droppings.
3. Access to Water— These types of operations consume around 20,000-50,000 gallons of water per day just for drinking and an additional 100,000 gallons per day for cooling functions and even more for waste management and cleaning. This massive level of water consumption will dry our wells, especially those of us with shallow wells of only about 30-50 feet deep. 
4. Quality of Life— The introduction of this facility into our rural community will bring traffic and light pollution that this area has never known. This operation will produce constant truck traffic for feed delivery, waste removal, and egg transportation which will result in increased road wear and traffic hazards. Our rural roads are not designed for industrial infrastructure and more taxpayer dollars will be spent to fix these roads.
5. Property Values— Proximity to these types of operations lower property values due to noise, smell, truck traffic, pollution, and the presence of flies. Homeowners and farmers in the area will suffer significant financial  losses and we will lose the peace and quiet that we cherish in our community.

The state of Indiana is approving more CFOs across the state than it can regulate. Even with rules and regulations in place, we worry that they won’t be upheld and our community will be ruined by the introduction of an industrial farming facility. Please help the Rock Creek Township Community by signing our petition and showing your support against concentrated feeding operations and industrial farming in our rural residential communities.