swine farms
Hog industry plans major new biogas project in Robeson County, but details are elusive
In any given year, roughly 300,000 hogs are born, weaned, fattened and slaughtered in Robeson County. During their short lifetimes, the animals excrete about 333 million gallons of feces and urine that percolates in open-air lagoons. The rancid cesspools and vast fields where the waste is sprayed are poorly suited for the terrain. Dimpled with […]
Key questions unanswered as Smithfield Foods unveils new plan to capture hog farm methane
Giant pork producer asks Northamption County officials to sign off on proposal that would transport gas to Virginia, but declines to disclose key details Smithfield Foods and its affiliate Cardinal Bio-Energy plan to build two large swine gas projects in Northampton County and inject the gas into the Transco Pipeline, which will carry it out of the state and into Virginia.
Gov. Cooper’s budget on environmental issues: what it contains and why it matters
Gov. Roy Cooper unveiled his $29.3 billion budget yesterday, 3% of which is devoted to natural and economic resources. Here are some highlights of the environmental sections and why they’re important: Department of Environmental Quality $2.49 million to address emerging compounds with additional staff and testing Why it matters: Are you tired of PFAS yet? […]
DEQ approves air permit for Align RNG biogas facility, but hog farms will need approvals
The NC Department of Environmental Quality has approved a controversial air permit for a proposed biogas gathering and processing facility in Turkey, on the Sampson and Duplin county line. However, the Align RNG facility, co-owned by Smithfield Foods and Dominion Energy, will not process biogas until the participating hog farms receive the required permits, […]
DEQ lists progress on environmental justice, swine farms; critics say enforcement essential
After initial results showed elevated levels of contaminants in Duplin County waterways commonly found at industrialized swine farms, the NC Department of Environmental Quality is continuing its water quality investigation to find the source. Policy Watch previously reported that in the Stockinghead Creek watershed — with 40 industrialized hog farms permitted to grow 94,068 swine, another […]
Farm Bureau wins Round 1 versus DEQ over swine farm requirements
This is a developing story and will updated. The North Carolina Farm Bureau has temporarily prevailed in a contested case hearing against the NC Department of Environmental Quality over three issues related to industrialized hog farms. Administrative Law Judge Donald Overby on Friday placed a temporary stay on requirements that were included in general swine permits: […]
The Farm Act, state budget are “erecting a fortress for the hog industry”
Disclosure: The NC Justice Center filed a brief in support of plaintiffs suing Smithfield/Murphy-Brown for nuisance. NC Policy Watch is a project of the Justice Center, but had no role in the decision to file the brief nor its contents. In order to maintain its editorial independence, Policy Watch has not read the brief and […]
In settlement with environmental groups, DEQ changes complaint process about swine farms
The NC Department of Environmental Quality says it will be more transparent about how it handles citizens complaints against industrialized livestock farms, including those that have been cited for violations as the result of those complaints. DEQ is implementing the new complaint investigation process as part of a settlement agreement with several environmental groups and […]