Ban Factory Farming

Over the last two decades, small- and medium-scale livestock farms have given way to factory farms that confine thousands of cows, hogs and chickens in tightly packed facilities known as Factory Farms. These farms produce millions of gallons of manure that can spill into waterways from leaking manure lagoons or fields where manure is over-applied as fertilizer. Manure contains hazardous air pollutants and contaminants that can endanger human health. Neighbors and workers in these animal factories often suffer intensely from overwhelming odors and related headaches, nausea and other potentially long-term health effects. When thousands of animals are crowded into unsanitary facilities they become vulnerable to disease. Consumers eating the dairy, egg, and meat products produced in factory farms can inadvertently be exposed to foodborne bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, as well as to the public health consequences of unchecked antibiotics and artificial hormones.
The size and speed of meatpacking plants have skyrocketed over the last several decades. This makes it harder to ensure that meat and poultry are produced safely and for government inspectors to examine it. The industry wants to rely on chemicals like chlorine, tri-sodium phosphate (normally used to clean cement) and hypobromous acid (used to clean swimming pools) to try to treat poultry for salmonella and sterilize feces that might still be on carcasses. And yet, despite all of the well-documented problems and health risks, the number and concentration of factory farms in the U.S. continues to increase. That is why I am asking you to add your name to the list of people demanding Xavier Bacerra support legislation that will regulate and limit Factory Farms.