Factory Farm Opposing Prop 2 is Emitting Massive Amounts of Ammonia and Harming Rural Residents
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Humane Society of the United States and several Lathrop, Calif. neighbors have filed suit in federal district court in Sacramento against Olivera Egg Ranch over the toxic pollution coming from the facility. This giant factory farm confines up to 750,000 hens in cramped, barren, wire cages and dumps 133,000 pounds of manure every day into lake-sized cesspools that release large amounts of ammonia.
The egg factory farm is ruining the nearby community's quality of life and exposing residential neighbors to toxic pollutants, including ammonia. The suit alleges that Olivera's failure to report its daily pollution violates two federal environmental laws, and the horrible odor and health problems it causes constitute a nuisance under California state law.
Olivera neighbor Jeff Origer, a self-employed plumber, attributes his chronic sore throats and upper respiratory infections to Olivera's air pollution. Like many others, he had no idea that exposure to hazardous chemicals like ammonia could make him sick. Origer describes the smell as "horrid" and says, "I was almost addicted to strawberry Halls [cough drops] just to keep me from gagging. Just so I don't have to put [up] with the smell and I don't have a throat problem… I kind of dash between the house and the car. I stick my Halls in my mouth and run. That's the way it is. [T]hat's life here."
Another neighbor said that the constant horrible odor and the maladies it causes has destroyed the community where she grew up: "I feel sorry for all the people because this was family on this road, we've all been here for four generations. It's like everyone's big dream to make it here and now a lot of them have died from cancer and things like that and all this has affected their quality of health. We don't have enough money to sell these places and no one wants to live here."
Along with other industrial factory farm corporations, Olivera is a major funder of the political campaign to oppose Proposition 2. The ballot measure will require that egg-laying hens, veal calves, and breeding pigs have enough room to turn around and extend their limbs. The measure is supported by The Humane Society of the United States, the California Veterinary Medical Association, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Food Safety, and the United Farm Workers.
FACTS:
- Last week, the prestigious Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production released a report revealing that factory farms harm rural communities and lead to poverty, crime, and a less active "Main Street."
- Ammonia is classified as an "extremely hazardous substance" and contributes to odor nuisances. Inhalation can cause irritation, lung damage, and even death to humans, and it causes chronic stress to farm animals.
- Two federal environmental laws—the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act—require all facilities that release certain amounts of harmful contaminants to report those amounts to state and local emergency response teams. Under these laws, the EPA requires ammonia reporting if the release is 100 pounds or more based on its chronic toxicity and residence time in the environment.
- Factory farms often spread waste on the ground untreated — contaminating our water, soil and air. By phasing out the worst animal confinement practices, Prop 2 helps protect our precious natural resources. That's why Clean Water Action, the Sierra Club, and the Planning and Conservation League support Prop 2.
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
