20-plus local, state and national groups gather to oppose the impact of industrial animal operations; Call for change targets WI lawmakers

WHAT:  ‘Stink-In’ on the Steps A public assembly on the steps of the Wisconsin State Capitol. Two dozen state-based and nationally recognized organizations will address Wisconsin’s concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) crisis and its damaging impact on public health, water and air quality, natural resources, businesses, property values and rural community life.

WHEN: Saturday, November 7, 2015 ”1:00pm CT

WHERE: State Street steps ”Wisconsin State Capital Building, Madison, WI

WHO: A coalition of community, environmental and agricultural groups, including Farms Not Factories, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Kewaunee CARES, Sierra Club (John Muir Chapter), Humane Society of the U.S. (Wisconsin Agriculture Advisory Council), Wisconsin Farmers Union South Central and Penokee Hills Education Project

Farms Not Factories and the ˜Stink-In’ coalition will call on members of Wisconsin’s State Assembly and State Senate to reverse the longstanding trend of failed CAFO oversight, faulty county and state CAFO permitting processes, and noncompliance with federal law to establish a healthier, more sustainable future for Wisconsin.

The 5-point request to Wisconsin’s lawmakers is simple:

• Raise your awareness on the debilitating community impacts of the CAFO industry, locally and statewide
• Support enforcement of health and environmental standards violated daily by many of the state’s CAFOs
• Champion necessary upgrades in the Department of Natural Resources’ capacity to enforce the law
• Ensure that all regulations and safeguards are in place to protect both rural and urban Wisconsin communities from CAFO contamination threats
• Engage in open, impartial and sensible dialogue with impacted WI communities to seek workable solutions for CAFO-created public risks.

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Media contacts:
Mary Dougherty, Farms Not Factories
651-253-9352 | marydougherty57@gmail.com

Steve Masar, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project
415-420-7527 | media@sraproject.org