Protect Iowa’s Air Quality and Taxpayers’ Dollars.

By Leigh Adcock, IFU

This handout was composed by our lobbyist Judie Hoffman and her college intern Dan Thele, and handed to all legislators last week. Please make contact with YOUR legislators about this bill and tell them you oppose it!

It Is Time For Action, Not Another Study
The “Livestock Odor Research and Air Modeling Study” included in HF 2862 is a seriously flawed piece of legislation because it delays progress in improving Iowa’s air quality.  Now is the time when we should be acting on current scientific findings in order to protect agricultural workers and those who live in rural Iowa.

Action on Air Quality Needed Now
Research has already been done on cost effective ways to mitigate odor.  Included are better siting methods, and the use of biofilters and covers on lagoons.  Iowa’s taxpayers should not be required to fund another round of studies on proven technologies when the legislature has not shown any willingness to act on the information already gathered from previous studies.  Instead we should require producers to implement what we already know.

Minnesota has enacted ambient air quality standards that limit hydrogen sulfide to 0.05 parts per million and is working on limiting ammonia emissions.   Missouri, Nebraska, and Colorado regulate sulfur emissions and emissions of other types.

Health Effects of Gases and Particulates Emitted From Livestock Operations
Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, two odor causing gases emitted from confined feedlot operations, are known to cause serious respiratory problems.

The bacteria found within particulates emitted from livestock operations create lung inflammation that leads to non-allergic asthma.  Twenty-five percent of those who work in confined feedlot operations have some form of respiratory disease, 10% higher than the United States working population as a whole.

Conclusion
Before Iowa funds another odor study, Iowa Farmers Union urges you to act on scientific information that has already been gathered.  Regulations should be put on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions and the health effects of emissions from livestock operations should be investigated.  If this is not done, the proposed study will amount to little more than a means to further delay action on this important issue.