The Izaak Walton League has released Spilling Swill, a report about pollution problems in 1999 at factory farms across the country, and particularly in the Midwest.  The manure spills, illegal dumping, and other violations seen at confined animal livestock facilities demonstrate that lagoons and other "technologies" used at factory farms threaten public health, wildlife, and the quality of our rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

Animal feedlot facilities spilled manure and wastewater at least 44 times over the last year into rivers, lakes, and streams, threatening public health in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.  Nationally, the report documents that livestock facilities caused significant pollution in ten states in at least 61 separate spills, releasing over 4.5 million gallons of manure into the environment.

"The frightening thing is that these numbers only represent the tip of the iceberg," said Amy Fredregill of the Izaak Walton League.  "There’s no national system for tracking pollution problems at factory farms - and most facilities aren’t required to conduct water quality monitoring.  Often spills only get reported when fish die or people’s drinking water is in danger."

The data in Spilling Swill underscores the need for better regulations at the state and federal level.  EPA is currently in the process of finalizing their Permitting Guidance, guidelines for the requirements that must be met by state feedlot permitting programs.  Their proposal is inadequate and should be strengthened.  The draft allows far too much discretion to state agencies, even though state control of factory farms has resulted in many of the pollution problems and health threats we see today and has perpetuated the un-level playing field that plagues the animal agriculture industry from state to state.

"The root of pollution problems at factory farms are easy to understand:  too many animals - thus too much manuer - concentrated on too little land," said Fredregill.  "This large concentration of manure coupled with inadequate technology - manure cesspools, piles of waste and aerial spraying waste - leads to huge pollution problems. "

Spill Swill also offers several recommendations for improving the EPA’s draft guidelines.  To get a copy of the report, contact Amy Fredregill, or call 651-649-1494.