Letter: Factory hog farm threatens Devils Lake

Lake Region Concerned Citizens is a grassroots group who opposes your proposed confined hog factory located north of Graham’s Island State Park, one of the busiest parks in North Dakota.

What is concerning are the potential impacts of our community and surrounding areas:

• $89 million in tourism per year that will be lost

• Decreased values of homes, land, and businesses

• Impact on Devils Lake from runoff

• Inhumane conditions and treatment of animals

• Long-term impact of land used for waste sites

• Lake and well water contamination

• Negative health effects on people

• Poignant and noxious gases produced

• Division of families and neighbors

Everyone who lives in this area should be concerned, because everyone will be affected if this confined hog factory is built. This is not just a problem for surrounding townships, this problem belongs to us all. We should all care about our community, our land, our water, and our air.

We’re up against a state government that supported Grand Prairie Agriculture with our taxpayer money to help them get started. This is a big business that isn’t invested in this area, just their bottom dollar.

Are the benefits you gain from this confined hog factory worth the sacrifice of our community? Can anyone of good moral conscience build this factory and dump waste so close to a lake that has a history of flooding?

The people of North Dakota voted against corporate farming by 76 percent … .this is corporate farming!

I invite these owners to publicly explain to us how this confined hog factory will benefit our community and not just your pocketbook.

Rainesalo lives in Devils Lake, N.D.

http://www.inforum.com/opinion/4344399-letter-factory-hog-farm-threatens-devils-lake

Leave a Reply