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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

North Carolinians Want More Oversight Of CAFOs

Vince Winkel
A concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO, in Pender County.

According to the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, there are now over 100 million hogs and chickens living in factory farms in North Carolina.   Dozens of these Concentrated Animal Feed Operations – or CAFOs – are in the Cape Fear Region. And a new survey shows that people in the state aren’t too happy about it.

This week the Center for a Livable Future released poll results that show North Carolinians’ attitudes toward CAFOs. It says that people across the political spectrum are looking for a safer food production system – and they see CAFOs as a barrier to that. Bob Martin is a Director at the Center for a Livable Future.

“Some 45 percent of respondents in North Carolina said they believe industrial farm animal systems or the industrial farms are still contributing to air pollution in the state and more than half, are concerned about water pollution from these concentrated animal feeding operations. "

The research shows that folks are particularly concerned about CAFOs contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant diseases, waste contaminating rivers, and communities nearby suffering health impacts from toxic gases and dust. A majority also say they want much stricter oversight of these large-scale livestock operations. Vince Winkel, WHQR News.