Photo Diary: The Livestock of Scotland

My wife Sarah recently returned from a trip to Scotland.  She spent much of her time there on the island of Iona.  Her pictures of Scottish livestock were so good I thought I must post some to the blog.

The Highland Cows.

Cows grazing on a golf course.

Cattle in Iona, Scotland.

Cows eating seaweed on the beach.

Scottish Hereford?

Relaxing on the 9th hole.

Sheep grazing in front of Iona Abbey.

Twins.

Hebredian sheep, a rare and local Scottish breed.

My name is "007"

Mrs. Janzen herding sheep for vaccination. 

North Carolina Hog Farm Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued a press release stating that "Freedman Farms, Inc. and its president, William B. Freedman, pleaded guilty . . . in federal court in New Bern, N.C., to violating the Clean Water Act when they discharged hog waste into a stream that leads to the Waccamaw River."  According to the statement, Freedman Farms is farm located in Columbus County, North Carolina and raises 4,800 swine.  The hog waste was supposed to be directed to two lagoons for treatment and disposal.  But in December 2007, hog waste was discharged from Freedman Farms directly to Browder’s Branch.  Freedman Farms, the corporation, pleaded guilty to a Felony, while William Freedman, the president of Freedman Farms, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act for his role in the discharge.

Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno gave his take on this case:

Owners and operators of concentrated animal feeding operations must comply with the nation’s Clean Water Act for the protection of America’s streams, wetlands, and rivers.  Freedman and his farm failed to do so and should be held accountable for polluting waterways and wetlands in Columbus County and the Waccamaw River watershed.

Likewise, Mareen O'Mara, a federal EPA criminal enforcement officer, explained why the EPA and DOJ became involved:

Large farms and dairies can cause serious damage to the environment if they illegally discharge wastewater into nearby lakes, rivers, and streams. That is why EPA has made addressing violations by concentrated animal feeding operations an enforcement priority. In this case, waste products from nearly five thousand hogs went directly into a sensitive wetland area, jeopardizing the safety and health of water and wildlife. This guilty plea demonstrates that farm owners must obey the law and will be held responsible for their actions.

Historically, regulation of farms and smaller non-navigable creeks was left to the jurisdiction of states. The Clean Water Act applies in all states, but states typically take the lead in enforcing its application. Recently, however, there appears to be a trend of federal EPA investigations into the operations of livestock farms in the United States. Referring a case to the DOJ for criminal prosecution is alarming. It is not clear from the press release exactly what happened here that led a farmer to plead guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, but the mere fact that the DOJ brought a criminal case against a hog farmer is news by itself. And it is also cause for concern.

The plea agreement asks the judge to sentence Freedman Farms to pay a $1.5 million fine, serve 5 years probation, and issue a public apology. Mr. Feedman may be sentenced to "up to one year" in prison for his misdemeanor guilty plea.

The complete press release can be found here:  DOJ Press Release Freedman Farms    

New Animal Care Standards for Livestock and Poultry Farmers

Farmers I work with take animal husbandry seriously.  Animal care is at the core of what they do.  You can tell that these farmers take pride in the health of their herds, show off prized cattle at county fairs, and do everything they can to provide a safe living environment.  Still, many people who lack this understanding  raise concerns about current farming practices.  To address these issues, the Indiana Board of Animal Health is currently considering adoption of animal care standards for Indiana's livestock and poultry farmers.   

The new standards require that animals be giving access to adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care: 

Food and Water:  A person responsible for caring for livestock or poultry must provide the animals access to food and water that can reasonably be expected to maintain the health of animals of that species, breed, sex, and age, raised using the applicable production method.

Shelter:  A person responsible for caring for livestock or poultry must provide the animals access to sufficient shelter from the weather when it can reasonably be expected to be necessary to maintain the health of animals of that species, breed, sex, and age, raised using the applicable production method.

Veterinary Care:  A person responsible for caring for livestock or poultry must take reasonable measures to protect the animals from an injury or disease that can reasonably be expected to seriously endanger the life or health of animals of that species, breed, sex, and age, raised using the applicable production method.

(b) A person responsible for caring for livestock or poultry with an injury or disease that seriously endangers the life or health of the animal must either:

(1) provide treatment that can reasonably be expected to be sufficient for animals of that species,

breed, sex, and age, raised using the applicable production method; or

(2) euthanize the animal.

There are also standards for transportation of animals, requiring reasonable methods be used to avoid injuries during transport.  Each of these standards specifies that species, breed, sex, and age be taken into account, since caring for swine is not same as caring for poulty.

The standards can be viewed on the Board of Animal Health's website by clicking here:  Proposed Animal Care Standards.  The public is encouraged to submit written comments to the board prior to the standards' final adoption this July.

Should America's Farmers Care About Gulf Hypoxia?

The hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico is an upcoming issue facing agriculture.  Josh Trenary at Indiana Pork recently wrote a good article about the hypoxia issue:

The Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force was created in 1997 to address issues caused by excess nutrients in the Missippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB). Excess nutrients (called eutrophication) stimulate too much algae growth in a body of water. This can lead to a condition known as hypoxia. Hypoxia occurs when the excess algae removes too much oxygen from an area of water, forcing animals to move out of that area until the correct amount of oxygen is restored.
 
First documented in 1972, excess nutrients in the MARB have created a hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico that appears every summer and continues to increase in size. In recent years, the movement to decrease the amounts of excess nutrients from entering the water throughout the MARB has been gaining momentum. As part of these efforts, the Missippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force has developed an action plan. One component of this action plan was to develop state-led nutrient reduction strategies.
 
The Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force has many members from different federal and state agencies. Indiana, for example, is participating via the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. This means that Indiana will be one of the states developing state specific nutrient reduction strategies.

Continue reading after the jump: Gulf Hypoxia Overview