To the Editor:
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (factory farms) are some of the largest sources of nutrient pollution in waterways, producing millions of gallons and megatons of manure on a single site.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture routinely approves permits with insufficient acreage upon which to spread the massive amounts of manure by simply utilizing loopholes in their program. This allows CAFOs to land apply massive amounts of untreated, nutrient-rich waste directly onto tiled farm fields.
Now that Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio program pays farmers $60 per acre — taxpayer money — to allow CAFO owners to spread untreated manure on fields, there will be numerous new fields getting manure applications.
If a person receives manure from a CAFO, then fails to utilize it according to state laws, the manure applicator and the landowner could be found negligent and liable in a nuisance lawsuit , according to a Columbus law firm’s legal opinion.
Since there is little to no oversight, residents need to be aware of:
Call your township trustees if you see that manure tankers have damaged the roads or berms (green road signs).
Call the Wood County Engineer’s Office if you see that manure tankers have damaged the roads or berms on country roads (blue signs).
Call the Wood County Sheriff if you see a large amount of manure on the roads which could be considered a hazard, or if manure tankers or tractors are blocking road access.
Call the Ohio EPA Emergency Hotline (800-282-9378) if you see manure discharging from field tiles, you see or smell manure in a ditch or stream, if liquid manure is ponding on the field (take a picture), or if someone is applying manure before a half-inch forecasted rain.
Call the Wood SWCD if f you see dead fish in a stream or ditch, if the manure was not injected or incorporated within 24 hours or if the manure is applied when there is a 50% chance of rain in a 24-hour period.
Call the Ohio Department of Agriculture if you see a fleet of red manure tankers from Iowa applying manure, since the owner is not supposed to have any control over this manure.
Then tell your state legislators how absurd it is that taxpayers are forced to pay, not only for factory farm waste disposal, but also to fix the road damage.
Vickie Askins
Cygnet
