Factory Farm Opposing Prop 2 is Emitting Massive Amounts of Ammonia

The Humane Society of the United States and several individual homeowners in Lathrop, Calif., have filed notice of their intent to sue Olivera Egg Ranch over the toxic pollution coming from the facility. This giant factory farm confines 600,000 - 700,000 hens in cramped, barren, wire cages and dumps the manure into multi-acre cesspools that release hazardous amounts of ammonia every day.

The egg factory farm is having a devastating impact on the local environment. Olivera neighbor Jeff Origer, a self-employed plumber, has to seal his home and use air filters to try and keep the horrible odor out. And because of Olivera's pollution he and his wife "get sore throats all the time. Two to four times a year I've gone to Urgent Care for upper respiratory infections and I can't breathe."

Because of the powerful odor and its sickening effects, neighbors of the factory farm are essentially prisoners in their own homes, seldom visited by friends and family. "Sometimes friends and family have come to visit us and they just get back in the car and leave," says Wayne Yepez, another close neighbor of Olivera. "Sometimes people who come actually have gotten sick and physically vomited. It's embarrassing, it's isolating."

Along with other industrial factory farm corporations, Olivera is a major funder of the political campaign to oppose Proposition 2. The ballot measure—supported by animal welfare groups, consumer advocates, environmentalists, veterinarians, family farmers, and others—would phase out the inhumane confinement of animals in tiny crates and cages where they don't even have enough room to turn around and stretch their limbs. So far, according to state election records, Olivera has donated more than $10,000 to the political committee of industrial factory farmers opposing Prop 2.

Olivera exposes nearby residential neighbors to ammonia, a toxic pollutant. Residents describe the smells from Olivera as "suffocating" and experience coughing and gagging attacks when they leave their homes. Mr. Origer described the air as making him "feel…like I just came out of one of those mace training facilities."

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. The information provides the state, emergency responders, and the local community essential information about exposure to hazardous chemicals. 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.

Ammonia is classified as an "extremely hazardous substance" and contributes to odor nuisances. Inhalation of concentrated ammonia can cause irritation, lung damage, and even death to humans, and it causes chronic stress to farm animals. Ammonia can also stimulate excessive algae growth in water, degrading habitat for fish and other aquatic species.

"Olivera's disregard for the animals it crams into tiny wire cages for their entire lives is matched only by its complete lack of concern for the people whose lives are being destroyed by the millions of pounds of liquefied manure dumped practically in their backyards" said Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president of Animal Protection Litigation at The HSUS. "The American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on new factory farms like Olivera because of the well-recognized human health threats they pose."

FACTS:

• Ammonia is a colorless, pungent gas commonly released by chicken manure.
• In addition to releasing noxious chemicals like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, the animal agriculture industry releases 18% of greenhouse gases – higher than the amount contributed by cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles together.
• California is the sixth-largest egg-producing state.
• California egg factory farms confine millions of hens in small, wire cages. Each bird has less space than a single sheet of paper on which to live. And other large egg factory farms also release high levels of air and water pollutants.
• A measure on California's November ballot—Prop 2—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 Californians for Humane Farms.
• Factory farms often spread waste on the ground untreated — contaminating our waterways, lakes, groundwater, soil, and air. By phasing out the worst animal confinement practices, Proposition 2 helps protect our precious natural resources. That's why California Clean Water Action and Sierra Club-California support Proposition 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.