July 25th event on the future of agriculture, family farming & healthy living in South Dakota targets what’s going wrong — and what can be done

WHAT: Beyond the Barn is a public forum and community social event to support awareness and local coordination on the unchecked growth and mounting negative health and environmental impacts of industrial concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in South Dakota. Public Q&A follows.

WHEN: Saturday, July 25, 2015 || Food/Drink – 5:00pm | Presentation – 6:00pm

WHERE: Twila Egger’s Barn 21609 469th Ave., Brookings, SD 57006

WHO: Dr. John Ikerd | National CAFO expert & author
Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Economics | University of Missouri Board of Directors | Socially Responsible Agricultural Project

Mitch Peterson | South Dakota lawyer
The Legal Battle against CAFOs: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Communities and Way of Life 

Our rural landscape is changing. The state of South Dakota has seen an increase in the number CAFOs during the past few years. Far from the ˜family farm’ operations that they claim to be — these massive, corporations threaten public health, environmental security, water safety, air quality and long-term economic stability. It’s a scientific fact that CAFOs are creating a statewide pollution crisis with the potential to forever change the land, water, living and lifestyles of the Mount Rushmore State.

Beyond the Barn is a chance for local citizens to share concerns, hear from national and local experts on the growing CAFO contamination crisis, and learn what they can do — including a new citizen water quality monitoring program — to help protect themselves and South Dakota from a public health and environmental catastrophe.

Sponsored by Dakota Rural Action, Brookings Convention & Visitors Bureau and Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, a group working in farming communities across the nation impacted by factory farms.

For more information, please contact:

Meghan Thoreau
Dakota Rural Action
mthoreau@dakotarural.org
605.697.5204

Steve Masar
Socially Responsible Agricultural Project
media@sraproject.org
415.420.7527