ANDERSON – Farmers and environmentalist squared off this week as legislators invited public comments on possible changes to regulations targeting the state’s largest animal farms.
In a packed and passionate meeting Tuesday, the Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources heard from a dozen people on the possible environmental impacts and economic incentives for allowing large confined and concentrated animal feeding operations in the state.
Many speakers focused on possible water quality issues that can arise when manure from large animal operations is spread over fields too close to waterways.
Barbara Hoensteain, from Whitley County water quality group Whitley Water Matters, said she would like to see regulation focused on protecting the state’s waterways from manure pollution.
She pointed to two animal farms in Whitley County which are one mile or less from impaired waterways.
Hoensteain’s concern mostly focused on blue-green algae blooms, which can be triggered by nitrogen-rich runoff from fields and manure spills from animal farms.
Many species of blue-green algae create toxins. When concentrated in large amounts that toxin can cause skin irritation for swimmers and, if water contaminated with the toxin is swallowed, respiratory obstruction, vomiting and diarrhea.
Blue-green algae can produce toxins including microcystin, cylindrospermopsin and anatoxin-a.
Hoensteain argues the potential for environmental damages increases as animal farms, and the fields manure is spread on, are increasingly located closer to the state’s waterways. She urged legislators to pass legislation putting a one- to two-mile boundary around impaired waterways.
Joseph Decuis, who owns a farm-to-table dining restaurant and runs a Wagyu beef farm, said he would hope to see Indiana focus on more small animal farms, instead of operations with thousands of animals onsite.
Another focus for Decuis is allowing local communities to determine CAFO and CFO locations to better help communities regulate location.
Richard Himsel, who lives about a quarter-mile from a CAFO in Danville, said location is paramount, especially after a farm opened up near him, which he said destroyed his quality of life.
“If that air stays in there and gets stale the hogs can't survive, yet I'm expected to survive with that stuff blowing on me,” Himsel said.
He said his home value has been more than halved because of the odor and his wife is no longer able to stay there every night.
“I'm just like everybody else. I worked hard to get what I have. And now because of this, it has taken away from me,” he said.
Tuesday was the second study committee hearing on CAFO and CFO regulations. The members will make recommendations to the Indiana Legislature if any bills should be presented next session.
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