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Bailey L.

Ms. Jizi

UWRT 1104

13 November 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Binker, Mark, and Laura Leslie. Lawmakers Override McCrory Veto on Controversial 'Ag-Gag'

Bill. WRAL.com, WRAL, 3 June 2015, www.wral.com/lawmakers-override-mccrory-

veto-on-controversial-private-property-bill/14687952/.

In the summer of 2015, Governor Pat Mccrory vetoed a controversial bill that claimed to protect

farms and businesses and grant them the ability to prosecute whistleblowers who hope to

undermine their businesses. However, the bill passed through North Carolinas Senate and House

with flying colors and is set to go into law. Many activist and workers groups are devastated by

the legislation, explaining that it will discourage many from seeking justice and unearthing

misconduct by businesses. Dubbed an ag-gag law, many believe that this law is an attempt

made by the partnered animal agriculture industry and the government to inhibit the clarity and

understanding of industries across North Carolina.

This article was enlightening and disheartening to read. I found the content and the obvious

coalition of North Carolinas government with big business unsurprising and entirely believable.

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One of the United States most prized features is the right to the truth and the right to freedom of

speech, both of these American stepping stones are being hindered by the legislations of laws

like this that prevent truth seeers from unveiling the detrimental and cruel practices to the public.

This contributes to my subject by being just another example of how the farming industry is

damaging the environment, contributing the the decline of public health, and convoluting the

political system with their harmful tactics, all for monetary gain.

I retrieved this article from the website for the Raleigh based news source WRAL. Owned by

Capitol Broadcasting Company, one of the top news companies in Raleigh, NC, the WRAL

station has been involved in reporting truthful, reliable information to the citizens of North

Carolina. Authors Mark Binker and Laura Leslie have been with the station for many years and

both have extensive, impressive resumes in journalism and public radio.

Drew, Jonathan. Legislators Significantly Change Hog Farm Liability Bill. U.S. News &

World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 10 Apr. 2017, www.usnews.com/news/best-

states/north-carolina/articles/2017-04-10/legislators-significantly-change-hog-farm-

liability-bill.

A bill has passed the North Carolina State Senate which restricts the punishment and

responsibility of industrial hog producers of North Carolina and is on track to be implemented in

the state. Over 500 residents of North Carolina, whose homes are in close proximity to these

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farms, have filed lawsuits primarily against North Carolina based farms, owned by the biggest

pig production company on the globe, over the stench that ruminates from the hog farming

properties. The bill agrees to acknowledge the loss of curb appeal and property value by

homeowners in the area. Most opposition of stricter regulations on pig farms come from

Republican Senators of the state, namely Rep. Jimmy Dixon, argue that this bill is necessary to

protect the rights of these hog corporations.

Through my extensive research on the topic, I have begun to recognize a pattern in the

relationship of the U.S. meat industry and the U.S. state and federal government. It appears that

the legislature and judiciary system is more inclined to support the massive, highly profitable

business which exploit animals, irreparably damage the environment, and sicken American

citizens by their farming practices than the American people whose very livelihood is being

threatened by these corporations. Growing up, I was often told that government officials function

is to serve the people who elected them and I can see that the sentiment couldn't be farther from

the truth. This article reveals not only the severity of the effects on the population, but how the

North Carolina legislature is working against the residents of North Carolina who are simply

trying to breathe safer.

This article was posted by the U.S. News and World Report which has been publishing quality

information since 1933. It has the reputation of a revered online publication and the author,

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Jonathan Drew, is seasoned journalist who has been involved in news publication since 2005.

The article features direct quotes and thoughts from the representatives and is well researched.

Hellerstein, Erica, and Ken Fine. A Million Tons of Feces and an Unbearable Stench: Life near

Industrial Pig Farms. The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 20 Sept. 2017,

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/20/north-carolina-hog-industry-pig-farms.

Rene Miller, resident of Dublin County, North Carolina, describes the life of living next door to

a noxious industrial hog production farm. She describes the scent as debilitating and practically

making the air unbreathable to both her and her neighbors. The article goes on to explain that the

hog waste, gathered in huge marsh-like lagoons, is sprayed on nearby fields, contaminating the

well water of the community, releasing toxic chemicals, and ruining air quality. Though many

are attempting to change the legislation and practices of the pig industry, there are laws and

regulations in place to prevent any improvement on the farms environmental effects and impact

on their neighbors.

This article really reflects on the individual impact of the Eastern Carolina hog farms practices

on each residents health and quality of life. Rene Miller described her attempts to visit her family

gravesite to show respect to the dead and being met with a pungent smell of pig feces. Most of

the residents of this area can't afford to move anywhere else and don't wish to due to their

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extensive family history. These thoughts are looked over and often directly negated so

corporations can make a dime, no matter how much the citizens of North Carolina have to suffer.

NYT Editorial Board. Opinion | North Carolina's Noxious Pig Farms. The New York Times,

The New York Times, 25 Oct. 2016, mobile.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/opinion/north-

carolinas-noxious-pig-farms.html.

The Eastern land of North Carolina is the site of numerous pools of pig urine and fecal matter.

These sites are a result of the vast industrial pig industry in North Carolina. These waste sites are

not uncommon and are very dangerous, containing and transmitting harmful bacteria. Flooding,

which has become very frequent in recent times, cause massive overflow of these waste sites

which mixes with sources of drinking water. The bacteria and chemicals in the overflow damage

public health and the local environment. In 1997, North Carolina government attempted to help

by prohibiting the formation of more waste sites but over 4,000 are still in use. NC State

University is making strides to better dispose of the large quantities of pig waste damaging the

state.

After reading this article, I was shocked by the sheer quantity of the billions of gallons of pig

waste that is continuously mixing with the drinking water of millions of North Carolina

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 residents. Though some attempts of improvement have been made, it is not nearly enough. Not

only do these practices damage the environment by the addition of excess nitrogen and

phosphorus, but the E.Coli, salmonella, and cryptosporidium in these waste lagoons are placing

North Carolinians at high risk of contracting these infections. This article contributes greatly to

my inquiry project, focusing on the damage pig farming does to North Carolinas

environmental and public health.

This article was written by The New York Times's Editorial Board. Not only has The New York

Times publication been active since 1851, but has won 122 Pulitzer Prizes and is a globally

recognized paper. Though The New York Times, like many media sources, has been accused of

a bias, it is regarded as an incredibly reliable source. The author of this article, The New York

Times's Editorial Board, is a composition of 16 vetted and critically acclaimed journalists. The

NYTs credibility is continuously scrutinized by its millions of readers and remains one of the

most credible online and print publications in the world.

Community Health Impacts of Factory Farms. Performance by Steve Wing, Youtube, TEDx

Talks, 11 Mar. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZW8-LQftnY.

The beginning of Steve Wings talk begins by him explaining that the farming industry has

changed immensely from family owned farms to massive industrial operations and this change is

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most actualized in North Carolinas hog industry. Ventilation of the giant pig houses pollute the

air, pig waste cesspools damage the land, and sprayers spray the dangerous compounds in pig

poop into the surrounding, populated area. Additionally, when it rains in North Carolina, as it so

often does, these lagoons of waste overflow, spilling toxic waste onto the surrounding land. He

explains that through his research he realized the chemicals and pollutant exiting the hog farms

are detrimental to the health of those in the surrounding communities. Being exposed to these

chemicals in a study, those exposed had high blood pressure, respiratory issues, and

inflammation. He leaves his audience with the message to be more conscious of how your eating

habits affect others.

I found Steve Wing Ph.d a well spoken and educated man who brought a lot of data and common

sense to the topic. One important thing to note is his acknowledgement of the placement of hog

facilities in North Carolina. The vast majority of industrial pig businesses are located in minority

based, low income areas where the people have no monetary or political power to fight the

establishment of a damaging pig farm. Something that deeply pertains to my topic is his ideas in

how to remedy the issues he touched on. He explains that being open and sympathetic to local

communities, making companies liable for their harm, and supporting smaller owned farms

would help bring an end to these widespread and devastating practices.

Steve Wing, a Ph.d. in epidemiology and former associate professor at UNC Chapel Hill, is more

than qualified to speak on the impacts of the North Carolina hog business. He was an activist for

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social change and justice and had been the field of science since 1985. Wing received many

accolades over his lifetime including the Research Integrity Award from the American Public

Health Association, a certificate of honor from the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, and an

award from the Concerned Citizens of Tillery and Land Loss Fund, to name a few. The platform

that this video was posted by, TEDx Talks, is a well known and highly respected educational

source. It is often used by teachers and educators around the world, and is a favorite of our very

own, Ms. Jizi.