OK so “they” (a company out of VA) want to build an industrial scale chicken farm in my backyard. There is a meeting tomorrow at the Civic Center at 6:00. --SEE ATTACHMENT-- There is also a meeting April 5 at 6:00 at the county council. This is such crap (pardon the pun) all the families around here trying their best to make a living growing chickens like sharecroppers for large corporations as if they were serfs. Now we are going to experience just what globalization is. The corporations are cutting out the grower and mechanizing the growing process. Any labor that they need will not be your neighbors teenager, it will be some immigrant brought in on a work visa at best and at worst a Muslim refugee that we will pay for. I would appreciate if you could put a spot on your blog letting people know specifically what is happening over here on Walston Switch Road. Also, please let people know that this isn’t just some neighborhood people complaining about their selfish problems, this is a symptom of a much larger problem that is destroying our way of life and our society. If we don’t fight it, then our children lose.
Best wishes from FEMA region 3
30 comments:
Well, the enviro-wacko crowd did its best to run off all the family chicken farms. The family farms simply can not fight the legal and regulatory battles -- only the big multi-nationals have the resources to do that.
And the sub-division crowd that pretends to be concerned about the environment in their SUVs, air-conditioned mc mansions, and chemically-produced perfect lawns: they don't like ANY chicken farms. Why pretend that the problem is huge farms! They have fought against chicken farms period.
"[D]estroying our way of life and our society," huh? Don't know where you are from, but chicken farming have been a major part of the way of life and society here on the eastern shore for a century.
I had to laugh when I saw all the supposed jobs Culver said chickens create. I guarantee if someone could have asked (I said could because the questions were screened) how many were jobs for Americans and not immigrants working on Visas he wouldn't have been able to answer. Culver came across very much nothing more than a Yes Man last night from what I saw.
Debbie Campbell said it well on FB and I agree esp w/CAFO's deterring any employers who pay well from considering the area.
"It is a larger issue for local municipalities and the county because of several issues, including but not limited to contamination of drinking water, water recharge rates, odor, avian disease in highly concentrated areas, traffic impact, property values, and the larger economic development picture and our desire to attract employers who pay a good living wage."
5:38, REALLY? You want to USE SBYNews to push your anti Culver agenda? I let your comment through because I really want to counter it.
Do ANY of your children have the desire to chase chickens for a living? Do they want to pick crabs, shuck clams and oysters?
The answer is, NO. The figured Mr. Culver put out there are real, not made up. Mind you, they may not be jobs YOU liberals might want but you and your kids realize that rather then WORKING every day you can simply ride the Obama Train with free health care, affordable housing and food stamps, SO WHY WORK.
We know, it's beneath you. My first job at 13 years old was cleaning the grand stands at Bowie Race track. HUH, go figure, I retired at 40 years old!!! Sad how I still have to pay taxes while retired to pay for your kids new schools and entitlements.
Mr. Culver wasn't trying to IMPRESS you with the jobs numbers. He was simply delivering FACTS.
In fact, until about 15 - 20 years ago, pretty much all the jobs in poultry were held by native-born Americans. The catching and killing jobs, were held by African-Americans. That changed. Don't know what happened to the 100% African American chicken catching crews. Where did they all go? Back to SU to get their MBAs? Don't know. But the chicken catching jobs for the last 17 or so years are now 100% immigrant. Who is responsible for that and how is stopping the building of chicken farms going to solve that problem?
They all on welfare/ebt/obamacare/dealing drugs now. No need to work.
614
I think you may want to talk to your delagates, Congress man etc. They are using h-1a visas.
The reason is simple, 75% of us would not do the work for the pay. Like someone said earlier, it is beneath us as a society.
LOL no "anti Culver agenda" here. Anti politician. I've been around way too long to know how they all operate and that is why I am supporting Trump. Democrat Republican they are all part of the same sewing circle and that is anti small business and pro big business. Both parties want all trade commerce and services controlled by a handful of large companies. Some politicians are so stupid they don't even realize that this is the main goal. I suspect Culver is one of them and he doesn't even know it.
I am not a "liberal" and I have no children. Don't be so presumptuous to assume that just because someone is against something that will eventually come back to haunt future generation that they are a "liberal."
I've been very fortunate and have previously donated 10's of 1000's of dollars to "conservative" candidates nationwide every election cycle including and not limited to those on the fed level, states' and local. Some names are now recognizable like Cruz, Jody Earnst, Mia Love but most not well known or even known at all. I have been very disappointed in most elected officials.
6:14 It's because they can pay them less. They say Americans won't do the job but maybe they would if wages were higher. They should do an experiment and advertise $20/hr chicken jobs and see how people line up. Of course they would tack it on to the price of chicken but then we should see either taxes go down or services improved because of all the welfare money saved that the employees now get.
Ok Charles we know it's you.
We have never been against chicken farms.
Only the industrial feeding stations being built over the drinking water The meeting at the civic center was no more than s lame attempt by our back stabbing liberal corporate living county executive to try to look interested. We know this because none of the folks with the facts were allowed to speak. Can't wait to vote the liberal corporate butt kissing jerk out if office. And to think we thought we got rid of the Pollitts of the world. Just shows it can always be worse on the other side Sad times for our county. Sold to the corporations. No one with enough nads to say no
Then why wouldn't he allow anyone else to present their facts Joe. I have been to many meetings and he does the same thing. Only his facts or agenda go forward. Until he shows he really has the public interest in mind I don't and won't trust him I am born and raised here and this is wrong. I have no problem with chicken houses We already have some around us. Right to farm was never meant to cover CAFO and it actually does not. It reads they have the right to add to existing but only if the housing development wasn't there first. And I agree but I have lived in my home for over 30 years. It's just politics as usual. Driving more folks away from here. No one is picking on Bob culver only his inaction and cover up
Then why wouldn't he allow anyone else to present their facts Joe. I have been to many meetings and he does the same thing. Only his facts or agenda go forward. Until he shows he really has the public interest in mind I don't and won't trust him I am born and raised here and this is wrong. I have no problem with chicken houses We already have some around us. Right to farm was never meant to cover CAFO and it actually does not. It reads they have the right to add to existing but only if the housing development wasn't there first. And I agree but I have lived in my home for over 30 years. It's just politics as usual. Driving more folks away from here. No one is picking on Bob culver only his inaction and cover up
7:42, You jackasses had the opportunity at the Council Meeting and took hours acting like a bunch of jerks. Now you want to cry more because you tree hugging fools want to continue to act like typical liberal protesters who can't control your tempers.
GET THIS, the laws are in place and there's not a damn thing Culver or ANY of the Council members can do with the permits already in place. GET THE HELL OVER IT.
As for the future, yes, things might change but your screaming and crying like a bunch of spoiled brats who ALL get trophies even after you lose every game needs to STOP. Yes, even WBOC, WMDT and the DT's need to SHUT THEIR TRAPS and start telling the public what's in place WILL GO THROUGH. It's the LAW.
Now crybabies, what say you now???
The only way I see change in the chicken industry is for a change at the retail level. Chicken is a commodity that is traded everyday and a 1c per pound difference in a contract can mean millions of dollars. Get away from the .99c a pound crowd and by from a company that meets your standards. Its going to cost you more but the meal will be so much more satisfying! Do a little exploring and support your local food suppliers, not the big mega-corporations.
For the people commenting about the number of people employed by the poultry industry..I'm sure it includes those employed at Perdue headquarters, the growers, and as Culver said, related businesses that supply and support the industry. To make all the comments about "chicken catchers" is ridiculous. If you did a little research, I think you'd find that average pay for someone working in the poultry industry is a very livable one, particularly for this area. Before you go berserk, I said "average" pay. Do I dare "assume" you know what that means?
7:43, WHY do you need an audience???
You have every right to call or write your County Executive.
However, LIBERALS want to scream and protest in front of the camera, just like Jimmy Ireton.
I'll await your response.
Well on the good side our taxes will go down without property values.
Who knows could be some good class action suits come out of it.
And if we are lucky the wifkdcseries of softball won't want to breath the fowl air for three weeks at a time.
And maybe that proposed hotel over on route 50 won't get built.
But hey we will still be catering to DPI
I was at the forum and I think most people wanted to discuss the zoning rather than the health issues. It was said from the beginning that the purpose was to discuss health and environment.
As far as whether CAFOs or chicken houses (or hog farms, cattle, etc.) are health hazards, you can read reports and studies all day long that contradict each other. (Google is a wonderful thing!)
It was made clear that there are a lot of regulations already in place, by State and US government,to protect the environment and public health. The state's experts believe there is no danger to the paleochannel or other ground water IF the rules are followed. Compliance must happen.
My impression is that there is less worry about these issues than where houses will be built. No one wants them near their homes or businesses or vacant property zoned residential or commercial.
If CAFOs are put in a strictly agricultural area not close to residential or commercial property that would be fine with most people I believe.
This whole shebang is more about property values than anything else. if the land is zoned Ag, then there isn't a damn thing you can do because you don't own the land. If you wanted control over what is put around your property, you should have bought the surrounding property. I have lived here all my life on 1 1/2 acres surrounded by farm fields on three sides. Do you think I like all those pesticides and weed killers and fertilizers blowing into my yard and home 9 months of the year? Or that I enjoy being buzzed at 6 am by the yellow plane airdropping god knows what on the fields? I have no right to tell the farmer what he can and cannot use. Just as you have no right telling a property owner what they can and cannot do if they are within the law/zoning.
"Well, the enviro-wacko crowd did its best to run off all the family chicken farms. The family farms simply can not fight the legal and regulatory battles -- only the big multi-nationals have the resources to do that."
Don't be so naive. It was and still is Big Business who comes up with the regulations. The "advisors" on all the federal government boards are big shots from GE, etc. When anti trust laws were enacted Big Business dreamed up the EPA and other regulatory agencies to rid competition.
I think we should drive the farmers, perdue and the university out of Wicomico county. It would just speed up the inevitable demise which is coming as a result of refusing to adapt and change with times.
OK then, let's talk facts. Most of the panel were from the MDE(Maryland Dept of the Environment), who define a "feedlot" as any parcel of land or FACILITY(building) used for the confining and feeding of non aquatic animals for at least 45 days. Which is in line with the dictionary definition as well. By definition then, these CAFO's are indeed FEEDLOTS. The county annotated code Section 225-74. Schedule of District Regulations, has clear restrictions regarding such facilities. The proposed sites on N. West Rd and Levin Dasheill Rd are NON-COMPLIANT in accordance with these regulations. But you probably won't post this Joe as they aren't facts you or your buddy Robert Lee Culver like.
8:55 true but still doesn't make it right. If a neighbor plays loud music all night you can call the police and they can put a halt to it because it's encroaching on your property and your right to enjoy it. When it comes to issues like pesticides, stench etc that are dangerous to people's health the government overlooks it.
"Anonymous said...
Well, the enviro-wacko crowd did its best to run off all the family chicken farms. The family farms simply can not fight the legal and regulatory battles -- only the big multi-nationals have the resources to do that."
5:34-Big Agribusiness ran off all the FAMILY chicken farms by making sure all the small independent processors were run out of business so farmers have no choice but to be contract growers.
There is on UMES property a complete processing facility complete with USDA inspection office paid for with USDA grants and tax payers money sitting idol some of the equipment still in plastic for years. Who is preventing this from opening. Sen Mikulski was contacted many times about it and won't give an answer as to why it's not up and running so farmers can use it instead of being under contract. As it stands now the closest independent facility large enough to handle large amounts of chickens is in PA which makes it cost prohibitive for local farmers to use the service.
IF you stop and think, study than you could understand this:
“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”
—U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
The MD Dept of Agriculture released a report earlier this month that concluded:
Two thirds of farm fields on the Lower Eastern Shore (Som/Wor/Wic Co.'s) have soil phosphorus levels that will require use of PMT (Phosphorus Management Tool) and 11 percent on the Lower Eastern Shore are restricted from any phosphorus application.
This must be from years of just spreading manure wherever to get rid of it.
5:34-Big Agribusiness ran off all the FAMILY chicken farms by making sure all the small independent processors were run out of business so farmers have no choice but to be contract growers.
There is on UMES property a complete processing facility complete with USDA inspection office paid for with USDA grants and tax payers money sitting idol some of the equipment still in plastic for years. Who is preventing this from opening. Sen Mikulski was contacted many times about it and won't give an answer as to why it's not up and running so farmers can use it instead of being under contract. As it stands now the closest independent facility large enough to handle large amounts of chickens is in PA which makes it cost prohibitive for local farmers to use the service.
You are right about this -- I have been aware of this for years. IT is inexcusable that this facility has never been used.
About the chicken catchers -- Americans WERE doing the job. And then -- they weren't -- literally overnight. And not because they weren't willing to do the work. Immigrants came in, and the jobs were taken from Americans.
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