Hog Factories in Pa

Argee · May 2, 2002

I'm with Terry, we need to get back to a sense of community in our urban and rural areas. That's missing in our society today. Gene Logsdon touch's on that very issue in his book "Living at Nature's Pace". The title pretty well sums it up, either we live at her pace or she'll slam dunk us./w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

Tractor_Barn · May 2, 2002

FWIW...I also run a small sausage operation. The most recent quote I got for pork butts is $.89/lb. Market sized hogs are nearing $.25/lb. When hogs were in the mid 30's I was paying $.89/lb. I asked my local packer why the prices hasn't dropped?...He's not paying any less. I guess Cargill is just putting the difference in their/stockholders pockets. BTW, Cargill was #7 in last years pork production. They also control a fair amount of the ag chemical market around here.

Steelfan · May 2, 2002

Terry , you bring up some great points. I'll give you some insight in to my answer. Now we understand the problem, and we work together to fix it. In a lot of ways the hardheaded people are not doing this. You got homeowners saying, that we've got problems. And you've got farmers saying no we don't. I think that government is not the answer, but realistic people doing everything they can to do what's right for everyone. Where have all the good people gone? Kent

Steelfan · May 2, 2002

Wow That's great info, farming is not rated high because no one can afford it. The poor sons , and daugthers of these great people can't afford to pay the amounts of money to buy out their Brothers, and Sisters to buy a family farm. So guess who buys it, Realtors, or Companies like we are talking about. One more thing Tgello, please do me one favor, and take the time to hit the shift key to capitalize your letters. It drives me crazy, sorry I went to a proper school. No offense. Thanks for the reply. Kent

tgello · May 2, 2002

Sorry about the lower case. I have a hard time with these newfangled things. I didn't know that shift button did that.I'll try to remember. Also motorcycle `injurys limit the way the old wrists bend...tgello

pennwalk · May 3, 2002

<font color=blue>Boy, the only thing really nasty about Hog Farms is the stink!!!</font color=blue>

I used to know a guy in school who's dad farmed pigs. He used to say what's the matter city boy don't you like the smell of money? I guess you get used to them but I still think they stink. Even a small operation. They have two pigs at the county park zoo and they stink. The problem is that we all polute every day so where do you draw the line?

Chris

TerryinMD · May 3, 2002

Steelfan,

I think that you have hit one of the major issues of why people raise such a stink (pun intended!!/w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif). People from the 'burbs move into a farm area and their expectations that country life is to meet their perceived notion of country life. If the reality does not meet their expectations then the reality must meet it. So, they expect the locals to change to meet their expectations. And quickly!! Even if it means going to court.

People who were raised in a country lifestyle understand the realities of the rural lifestyle and live with it. There are smells, life realities of animals dying and suffering (not necessarily due to people, disease, ever hear a rabbit squeel in the middle of the night - not a nice sound!!), insects, stupid and ignorant people, bad weather, etc. Rural folk like things to remain constant. They accept change on their terms because they have many other things to consider i.e. - slow to change. Usually look at things as cost vs benefit. Gee, a novel idea!!! Rural folks would rather walk over a talk about things over a cold beer after helping each other. Why bother the court system!!!!

A conumdrum to be sure. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif I've seen this situation in my neighborhood and it has become an issue at times. Neither wins which usually worsens the situation. My view is that the burden lays upon the surburbanite to adapt his attitudes to country life. Live and let live. The important issue is that one must observe, research, and understand the problem before pointing fingers and rattling the sabre. Understanding the laws and regulations are the prime tool. If you detect a problem, talk it over with the neighbor. Sometimes they're not aware that a problem exists. Give them the opportunity to correct the problem. If they ignore the laws and regulations, you have the right to report them to the proper authorities.

Terry

Wingnut · May 3, 2002

There is actually a potential solution to all this .... and that is to get rid - completely - of corporate welfare!
I was reading an interesting investigative report in Time several years ago (I don't usually read that socialist rag, but I was trapped in a dentists office) which included an entire section on hog operations.
What I found utterly amazing in the article was how the various levels of government fell over themselves to get another "employer" into their neck of the woods. And what did that do? Well, it made these companies (like Cargill) realize how lucrative it was to play off the states (and counties) against each other.
If we could force our elected officials to work for the people ... instead of doing favors for Corporate Welfare bums - like Big Hogs, Big Sugar, Big Tobacco, etc .... it wouldn't take long to clean up this mess.
Bottom line .... why does a person use millions of their own money to run for a job that pays tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars?

Gringo_Viejo · May 3, 2002

As a new poster I will refrain from taking a position on this issue, but I can't restrain myself from a war story.

A number of years ago I had a deer lease off the Old San Antonio Road south of Fredericksburg Texas. The route from Dallas led past a roadside park between Johnson City and Fredericksburg on Hwy 290 where I ritually stopped to stretch my legs, water the grass, and pop the cap on a beverage to celebrate my arrival in God's country. As fate would have it the park was between a small but olfactorily prominent pig farm and the LBJ ranch state and national historical site. If the wind happened to be blowing from the southeast, the stench would knock buzzards off a gut wagon. I always maintained that the owner of the hog operation was either a good Republican or subsidized by the G.O.P.

I don't know if the pigs are still there. I finally gave up the lease after years of threats from one of the property owners to turn the ranch into a nature preserve. I wonder if the tree huggers were willing to pay the price that we were to preserve nature.