Although the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is widely known, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still allowing the prevention of disease to be included in the definition as a therapeutic use of antibiotics.Ask them to take stronger action to control the widespread use of antibiotics in food animal production.
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Take Action!
Protect our Water by Stopping Mosquito Spraying in Lake County, OH
Lake County General Health District sprays toxic chemicals for mosquito and West Nile Virus control throughout the community annually. However, there are only 2 human cases reported in the past 5 years. Meanwhile the expensive toxic chemicals are killing benefitial insects and fish. Urge your county officials to explore alternative ways like rain garden to control mosquitos and stop spraying hazardous chemicals into our environment.
Protect Our Water at the Source; Tell the OEPA that Ohio needs Nutrient Standards
The water in Ohio is turning green and toxic. Nutrient pollution from manure, fertilizers, and sewer systems increasingly threaten our water quality. Ohio’s water quality is as bad or worse as it was in 1972 when the Clean Water Act was introduced. Nutrient pollution containing nitrates and phosphorous fuel algal blooms that are harmful to human health, recreation, and aquatic wildlife.
Sustainable Agriculture
For more information see our:
Agriculture Committee Page
Ohio is a major food producer in the United States. Livestock agriculture has dramatically shifted away from traditional family farming. New and expanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), or factory farms, pose significant problems to public health, quality of life and the environment. CAFOs produce over ten million tons of manure per year, with some individual facilities creating more waste than medium-sized cities. These facilities significantly impact communities with foul odors, air pollution, water pollution and declining property values. We can reduce environmental and public health impacts of agricultural production by purchasing sustainable, local foods. Visit the Agriculture Committee page to learn more about our efforts and get involved.
Sustainable Agriculture - Latest News
Although the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is widely known, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still allowing the prevention of disease to be included in the definition as a therapeutic use of antibiotics.Ask them to take stronger action to control the widespread use of antibiotics in food animal production.
King Corn and Big River Double-Feature on March 22
March 19th, 2010
Photo: Lomo Corn by Kevin Dooley
Do you know where your food comes from, or the environmental impacts of putting that food on the table?
Join Sierra Club, Aveda Institute Columbus, Local Matters, and Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association at Studio 35 in Columbus for a movie screening of King Corn, paired with the follow-up film Big River.
Help Ohioans for Humane Farms With Ballot Issue Signature Collection
March 10th, 2010
Photo: "roosters", by Meaduva
The campaign has started! Ohioans for Humane Farms needs 600,000 signatures to get a measure on the Ohio November ballot. This initiative will end extreme confinement of livestock in tiny cages, stop downer cows from entering the human food chain, and stop inhumane methods of euthanasia.
Ohio Chapter Joins Ohioans for Humane Farms
February 15th, 2010
The Sierra Club Ohio Chapter recently endorsed a ballot measure to adopt minimum standards that will prevent the cruel and inhumane treatment of farm animals, enhance food safety, protect the environment and strengthen Ohio family farms. Read on to see the Ohioans for Humane Farms press release and help us gather signatures by contacting Laurel Hopwood.
Legislative update–Ohio Senate passes House Bill 363
December 8th, 2009
The Ohio Senate passed House Bill 363 on December 9, the very same day that the bill was voted out of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The bill would transfer water permitting authority of factory farms from the Ohio EPA to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The Ohio House passed House Bill 363 on Dec. 1, in favor of transferring Clean Water Act authority to an administrative body whose mission is aligned with the agricultural industry. It is an abdication of responsibility from Ohio EPA, which is legally mandated to protect public health and the environment. It is unprecedented for environmental permitting and enforcement authority to be handed over to an agency that is not charged with the goal of environmental protection.
In Ohio, CAFOs generate over 10.5 million tons of manure per year, with some individual facilities creating more waste than medium-sized cities. Concentrated livestock production leads to concentrated manure production. This can result in manure over-application, where it can easily run off into local rivers and streams, and leach into groundwater.
Our Legislators must consider ODA’s poor track record before handing over authority to regulate water pollution generated by CAFOs. A study by the Environmental Integrity Project reveals ODA’s weak enforcement record under the current regulatory program, and a failure to address air and water pollution created by factory farms. Ohioans will continue to suffer severe consequences from factory farm pollution without proper guidelines and enforcement. In light of Ohio Department of Agriculture’s weak track record, Ohioans deserve a better equipped agency to protect our drinking water, our quality of life and the state’s natural resources.
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Sierra Club Ohio Chapter131 N. High St. #605
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-461-0734
Fax: 614-461-0710
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