RALEIGH, N.C. - Factory farms and other industrial farming practices are contributing to a climate catastrophe, according to a new global assessment by the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

North Carolina is home to thousands of industrial hog operations and, according to the report, these types of factory farms are significantly contributing to greenhouse-gas emissions.

Patty Lovera, assistant director at Food and Water Watch, said while intensified agriculture has fed more people, it also has fueled pollution and water insecurity.

"We've really intensified how most animals are being raised. Many of them are confined. Chickens are confined for their whole lives; so are pigs. Cattle are confined for a good chunk of their life," Lovera said. "The footprint of how you raise that food for them, which is often corn or soybeans, that counts when we're thinking about the environmental impact of this model."

Factory farms also release more air pollutants compared with small-scale farms. The enormous amount of manure produced by hundreds or even thousands of animals confined in one place emits particulate matter, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide into the air.

North Carolina has the second highest number of industrial hog farms in the country, and by some estimates there are more hogs in the state than people.

Managing the animal waste produced by factory farms is an ongoing problem. Most operations store hog feces in unlined pits before pouring the waste into nearby fields known as lagoons. In North Carolina, flooding from Hurricane Matthew in 2016 inundated these lagoons, releasing untreated animal waste into waterways.

"So in places like North Carolina, when you have a disaster like a hurricane, and you have all of that weather and all of that water, flooding lagoons that are full of animal waste, that's a problem," Lovera said. "But even without disasters, disposing of that waste on too small of an area of land creates all kinds of problems for water quality, for neighbors, the air that they breathe - it's a very different system from how we used to raise animals."

Research has shown in North Carolina, the damage to air and water quality from hog farms is concentrated in low-income rural communities and in communities of color, leaving these populations to bear the brunt of environmental and health consequences.

Reporting by North Carolina News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the Park Foundation

A North Dakota task force meets again next month as it considers updating the scope of local zoning laws dealing with factory farms.

It is an issue weighing heavily on the minds of community members who have fought such projects. The task force is expected to submit a proposal to state lawmakers before next year's legislative session.

The main focus is setback ordinances determining where a large animal feeding operation can go. State leaders have been vocal about the need for North Dakota to expand its livestock output and keep pace with neighboring states.

Lois Steinhaus, who lives near Devils Lake, said if a rural area has second thoughts, residents can feel overwhelmed.

"I feel on the edge a lot of the time," Steinhaus observed. "It's not like we hate the smell of farms. We don't, we're comfortable with that, but there's a difference between a herd of cattle and a barn that's got thousands of animals inside."

Steinhaus and her husband were part of a contingent pushing back against a proposed large-scale hog farm amid concerns about the effect on air and water quality, which led to a lengthy court battle. Even though project activity is quiet for now, the couple worries about future legislative moves. Agriculture officials contended there is not enough consistency and clarity under the patchwork of zoning laws.

Supporters of adding more animal agriculture in North Dakota tout the potential economic benefits.

Clark Steinhaus, chair of the Pelican Township's board of supervisors, said a key concern is location. He pointed out Devils Lake, the largest body of natural water in the state, would have seen its tourism drawing power evaporate if the project had moved forward without opposition.

"They were very close to the shores of Devil's Lake, and we have a lot of campgrounds around here," Steinhaus explained.

While the project in their backyard is essentially stalled, other proposals are surfacing, including plans for mega-dairy farms in eastern North Dakota.

The Steinhauses advised smaller communities exploring their options to prepare for things such as legal expenses, as well as the need to raise awareness through local media. They said it can help residents learn more and decide whether a project is right for their town. The next zoning task force meeting is Oct. 25.


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Communities in Colorado and across the U.S. are making time to connect with nature during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hilda Berganza, climate manager with the Hispanic Access Foundation, said last week's Latino Conservation Week saw thousands of people gathering at over 300 events. That's up from just nine events held during the initiative's launch in 2014.

"It was born from a commitment to Latinos being exposed to the outdoors. To experience being and playing in public lands, to empower families and future generations to be stewards of the planet, of the land," Berganza said.

Families of color are three times more likely than white families to live in areas considered concrete jungles without access to parks and natural areas. Due to policies some people deem racist, including redlining neighborhoods, communities of color also disproportionately live near high levels of toxic air and water pollution.

In 2022, just over 10% of Latinos were able to participate in outdoor recreation activities. Berganza said a broad coalition of community groups, nonprofits and faith-based organizations are working to change that. They are inviting families to picnics and park clean-ups, to go kayaking and hiking, to join scavenger hunts and festivals, and attend film screenings and webinars on the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems.

"We also have events at churches where community members are learning why it's important to take care of our earth from a religious and spiritual point of view," Berganza added.

Berganza said work is also being done to push towns and cities to create parks and other green spaces in historically under-invested neighborhoods.

"National parks, or state parks, or even regular parks. They are not usually around or built within the communities that Latinos live in," Berganza said.

A new report warned climate goals in Georgia and nationwide are threatened by the rapid growth of industries like data centers and electric vehicles.

Clean energy advocates said utilities are extending coal plant operations and planning new natural gas facilities to meet rising energy demands.

Laurie Williams, director of the Beyond Coal Campaign for the Sierra Club and the report's co-author, noted while companies set ambitious climate goals, utilities remain reliant on fossil fuels.

"As just one example, in late 2023, Georgia Power reported a 20% jump in expected electric demand, largely due to new data center interconnections," Williams pointed out.

She added Georgia Power later filed an emergency resource plan, citing rapid load growth as the reason for extending a coal plant's life span and adding new natural gas capacity. Williams stressed while clean energy can take center stage, it requires action from customers, regulators and advocates alike.

The report outlined 12 recommendations for tackling energy demands while reducing emissions and keeping costs sustainable.

Jeremy Fisher, principal adviser on Climate and Energy for the Sierra Club and co-author of the report, said one of them pointed to the importance of collaboration.

"A little bit can go a long way," Fisher emphasized. "We recommend that utilities and large customers work together to maximize demand response management capabilities."

The report's recommendations also included comprehensive utility decarbonization plans and 24/7 clean energy sourcing and transitioning backup generators to batteries. There is also a strong call for advocates and large companies to push for stronger clean energy standards at the state and federal levels.


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