Proposed new poultry operation with 4 industrial-sized barns means quality of life changes;   potential health risks & environmental hazards from the waste of half-million chickens per year

WHAT:           A community public information meeting with a nationally recognized expert on the community risks and potential impacts of expanding industrial poultry operations into the Village of Sterling

WHEN:             Saturday, April 8, 2017 | 7:00pm CT

WHERE:         Sterling School Gymnasium, 250 Main St, Sterling, NE 68443

WHO:                 Dr. John Ikerd | Professor Emeritus, Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri

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Nebraska is being targeted for industrial-sized poultry operations. The Village of Sterling is one of a growing number of communities across the state witnessing the expansion of corporate chicken into their towns and counties. Multinational food companies, large retailers such as Costco, and smaller operations like Tecumseh Poultry are proposing massive poultry operations for Nebraskan communities. The planned facility for Sterling will house a half-million birds raised on a small parcel of land. The size of these operations, called concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), and the amount of waste & pollutants they produce creates risks to local air standards, water quality, public health and property values that need to be understood and questioned by residents.

Dr. John Ikerd is an author, national speaker & Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, a national nonprofit working in communities across the country impacted by industrial animal operations. Dr. Ikerd will address the long term impacts of CAFOs on communities where they operate, speak about the economic and environmental benefits of family-scaled farming and ranching, and field questions from the public.

So far, most people have only heard one side of this story. It’s time to shine some light on the whole picture of this huge chicken operation so citizens and our local officials can make informed, responsible decisions to benefit the entire community.    Clarence Hagstrom, member of Citizens for Responsible Zoning

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For more information, please contact:

Laura Krebsbach | SRAP

laurak@sraproject.org | 402-770-7731