Concerns over the impact of proposed 20,000-head swine confinement near Littleton; public health threats & environmental risks fuel local opposition

WHAT:           An open-air press conference & public testimony by local residents & farmers against the proposed Olive Branch Acres industrial hog operation

WHEN:             Thursday, June 1, 2017 | 4:45 p.m. CT [before the IDOA public meeting]

WHERE:           Rushville Downtown Park Gazebo (across from the Schuyler County Courthouse) | 102 S. Congress Street, Rushville, IL 62681

WHO:                   Schuyler County residents & farmers

Members of the Illinois Citizens of Clean Air & Water (ICCAW)

Representatives of the national nonprofit Socially Responsible Agricultural Project (SRAP)

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The residents & local farmers of Schuyler County are concerned — and they should be. Their public health, environment, surface waters, recreational lakes, roads, tourism, property values and overall quality of life are all in jeopardy. Olive Branch Acres, LLC — a massive swine concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), or factory farm  — is proposed by Carthage-based Professional Swine Management for a site near Littleton. The industrial animal operation will confine approximately 20,000 swine in extremely close proximity to area farm homes, recreational lakes, cabins and long-time residents — some of whom have preexisting respiratory and other health problems.

Community members have gathered information showing the CAFO proposal fails to meet a majority of the siting criteria set forth in the Livestock Management Facilities Act. They will share their findings at a 4:45 p.m. press conference before the Illinois Department of Agriculture public information meeting at Schuyler Courthouse and testify at the 6:00 p.m. IDOA meeting.

Local speakers will include Marshall and Glenna Prather, Keitra  Smith, Carrie Johnson and John Paul

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Media contacts:

Karen Hudson, SRAP | ICCAW: 309-742-8895| karenh@sraproject.org

Carrie Johnson, Schuyler County resident: 309-255-2978 | humanity9@live.com