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The Urgent Case for a Moratorium on Mega-Dairies in Oregon
At full capacity, Lost Valley would have generated 187 million gal-
lons of wastewater and manure annually.19 Lost Valley’s violations
— which included the improper storage of manure, overflowing
lagoons and improper management of dead animals — put nearby
communities and 81 public drinking water systems at risk.20
records demonstrate that mega-dairies, despite discharge Tony Silveira Dairy released 190,000 gallons of untreated
permit requirements, do not always keep manure pollution manure into the Tillamook River during a manure tank
from reaching waterways.12 PDOIXQFWLRQFORVLQJ7LOODPRRN%D\WRFRPPHUFLDOVKHOOȴVK
harvesting for a week.26
2UHJRQ&$)2VW\SLFDOO\ȵXVKXQWUHDWHGZDVWHLQWRODUJH
cesspools called lagoons, where it is stored until it is applied
DVIHUWLOL]HURQȴHOGVΖQ2UHJRQȇVODUJHGDLU\&$)2V Groundwater shortages and
produced 5 billion pounds of manure — 42 times the waste pollution threaten the state
produced by the population of Portland.13 Mega-dairies are enormous water users, extracting mil-
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The sheer amount of manure that mega-dairies produce
barns, water cattle and run milking operations. When Lost
often exceeds what crops can absorb, resulting in over-
Valley was at one-third of its permitted size, it was using
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nearly 1 million gallons of water per day.27 What’s worse,
mer of 2018 there were warnings to stay out of the water
Lost Valley was getting water for its cows under a permit
at some of Oregon’s most popular beaches as a result of
loophole that allowed water to be pulled from an aquifer
elevated fecal bacteria, much of which can be attributed to
that had been closed to new withdrawals for decades.28
manure from nearby livestock operations.15
This immense water use is unsustainable, particularly
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FRQVLGHULQJWKDWQHDUO\HYHU\ULYHULQ2UHJRQVXHUVIURP
ecuted Volbeda Dairy for discharging pollutants into Truax
ORZȵRZVDQGZDUPLQJZDWHUZKLOHPRVWRI2UHJRQȇV
Creek, resulting in an $8,000 penalty.24 By October 2017,
surface water and much of the groundwater is already
the mega-dairy racked up enough additional water pol-
overallocated.29
lution violations to close the operation.25ΖQ$SULO
foodandwaterwatch.org 2
The Urgent Case for a Moratorium on Mega-Dairies in Oregon
Mega-dairy waste disposal also threatens to contaminate Livestock production is the dominant source of the green-
these scarce groundwater resources. Drinking water con- house gas methane in the United States, and manure
tamination from factory farms has been likened to rural management is the fastest growing major source of meth-
America’s “own private Flint,”30 and in Oregon CAFOs are a ane, increasing by more than 50 percent between 1990
primary source of dangerous nitrate contamination in the and 2008. 39ΖQ2UHJRQDJULFXOWXUHLVWKHOHDGLQJVRXUFHRI
Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area — methane emissions.40
where both Threemile Canyon Farms and Lost Valley Farm
are located.31 High nitrate levels threaten both aquatic spe- Animal welfare concerns
cies and public health.32
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FHUQV&RZVDUHKLJKO\FRQȴQHGRIWHQVWDQGLQJRUO\LQJDOO
Air quality and climate at risk day in their own manure, with little or no opportunity to
The large quantities of manure that mega-dairies produce JUD]HRXWGRRUV7KHVHFRQȴQHGFRQGLWLRQVSUHYHQWSK\VLFDO
creates air pollution that puts the environment and public movement, resulting in disease and infection, stress disor-
health at risk. Decomposing manure emits substantial ders, stunted growth and chronic lameness.41
amounts of toxic air pollutants — including ammonia,
K\GURJHQVXOȴGHDQGSDUWLFXODWHPDWWHUȃNQRZQWR Repeated reimpregnation, short calving intervals and high
cause respiratory symptoms and nuisance odors.33 A milk demand cause reproductive and fertility problems in
growing body of research shows that living near CAFOs female cows. Male calves are of “little to no value to the
increases childhood asthma rates and the need for dairy farmer,” and those that are not used for dairy cow
asthma treatment.34 breeding are often killed for veal.42
These emissions also harm Oregon’s environment. Accord- It’s time to stop the spread
ing to the Department of Environmental Quality, livestock
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of mega-dairies in Oregon
in the state, and contributes to regional haze.35 The haze Thousands of citizens across the state called on the state
resulting from mega-dairy ammonia emissions is harm- to deny approval to Lost Valley Farm, then again for its
ing the iconic Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.36 closure. But the problem in Oregon is far more complex
When the state was considering Lost Valley’s application, than just one badly managed operation. The state’s exist-
the U.S. Forest Service cited the mega-dairy as a threat to ing rules are not up to the task of protecting our water, air,
the Gorge and requested that the operators mitigate emis- public health, animal welfare and family farms from mega-
sions to prevent haze.37 dairies — particularly on the scale of those now moving
into the state. Oregonians deserve a time-out, and the
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change through methane and nitrous oxide emissions. 38 dairies in Oregon.
Supported by:
foodandwaterwatch.org 3
The Urgent Case for a Moratorium on Mega-Dairies in Oregon
Endnotes
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CAFOs, Medium CAFO, and Small CAFOs.” Available at www3.epa.gov/npdes/ mit, sale pending.” Statesman Journal (OR). December 5, 2017.
pubs/sector_table.pdf. Accessed December 2018.
26 Loew, Tracy. “Massive manure spill closes Tillamook Bay.” Statesman Journal
2 Plaven, George. “Groups call for ‘mega-dairy’ moratorium.” Capital Press (OR). (OR). April 19, 2017.
December 13, 2018.
/RHZ7UDF\Ȋ6WDWHRɝFLDOVOHWPHJDGDLU\XVHORRSKROHWRWDSHQGDQJHUHG
3 Food & Water Watch. “Air Pollution From Oregon’s Large Dairies.” March 2017 Oregon aquifer.” Statesman Journal (OR). March 22, 2018.
at 1; Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). “OR AFO Spreadsheet 2018.”
28 Ibid.
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29 Montesano, Nicole. “Agriculture use strains limited water resources.” Yamhill
4 Food & Water Watch (2017) at 2.
Valley News Register (OR). August 21, 2015 at 4 and 9.
5 Food & Water Watch calculation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
+HDO\-DFNȊ5XUDO$PHULFDȇVRZQSULYDWH)OLQW3ROOXWHGZDWHUWRRGDQJHURXVWR
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). 2002 Census of Agriculture State
drink.” New York Times. November 3, 2018.
'DWDȃ2UHJRQ7DEOH&DWWOHDQG&DOYHVȃΖQYHQWRU\DQG86'$
NASS. 2012 Census of Agriculture State Data — Oregon. Table 12. Cattle and 31 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). “Estimation of Nitrogen
&DOYHVȃΖQYHQWRU\DQG Sources, Nitrogen Applied, and Nitrogen Leached to Groundwater in the Lower
Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area.” June 13, 2011 at ii and 1;
6 Plaven, George. “Waste permit revoked for controversial Oregon dairy.” Capital
Oregon DEQ. “Analysis of Groundwater Nitrate Concentrations in the Lower
Press (OR). June 27, 2018; Food & Water Watch (2017) at 2.
Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area.” February 23, 2012 at Table
%DXHU.DWKOHHQȊ%LJPLON%LJLVVXHVIRUORFDOFRPPXQLWLHVȋEdible Portland. 5-1, Table 5-2 and Figure 1-1; Oregon DEQ and ODA. “Lost Valley Farm CAFO
November 1, 2017 at 2. Permit — Frequently asked questions.” At 1.
8 Fridley, Dallas. “Oregon dairy production stalls as milk prices fall.” State of 32 Royte, Elizabeth. “The simple river-cleaning tactics that big farms ignore.”
Oregon Employment Department. August 30, 2018 at 12. National Geographic. December 7, 2017 at 2 to 3.
:HOVKDQV.ULVVDȊ86GDLU\H[SRUWVUHDFKUHFRUGKLJKOHYHOVGXULQJȴUVWKDOIȋ 33 National Academies of Science. (2003). Air Emissions From Animal Feeding Opera-
)HHGVWXV. September 5, 2018. tions: Current Knowledge, Future Needs:DVKLQJWRQ'&1DWLRQDO$FDGHPLHV
Press at 54 and 67; Hribar, Carrie. National Association of Local Boards of
10 U.S. EPA. Water quality assessment and TMDL information, national summary
Health. “Understanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Their
WDEOHVDQGFKDUWV$YDLODEOHDWKWWSVRIPSXEHSDJRYZDWHUVDWWDLQVBLQ-
ΖPSDFWRQ&RPPXQLWLHVȋDWWR0LFKLJDQ'HSDUWPHQWRI(QYLURQPHQ-
dex.home. Accessed February 2018.
tal Quality. CAFO subcommittee of the Toxics Steering Group. “Concentrated
11 Pew Environment Group. [Fact sheet]. “Animal Agriculture and the Clean Water Animal Feedlot Operations (CAFOs) Chemicals Associated With Air Emissions.”
Act.” December 1, 2010 at 1 to 2. May 10, 2006 at 9; Von Essen, Susanna G. and Brent W. Auvermann. “Health
2'$Ȋ&RQȴQHG$QLPDO)HHGLQJ2SHUDWLRQ&$)23URJUDP$QQXDO5H- HHFWVIURPEUHDWKLQJDLUQHDU&$)2VIRUIHHGHUFDWWOHRUKRJVȋJournal of
port.” 2017 at 16 and 17. Agromedicine. Vol. 10, No. 4. 2005 at 56 and 60.
13 ODA (2018); U.S. EPA. “Risk Assessment Evaluation for Concentrated Animal 34 Pavilonis, Brian T. “Relative exposure to swine animal feeding operations
Feeding Operations.” EPA/600/R-04/042. May 2004 at 9; World Population and childhood asthma prevalence in an agricultural cohort.” Environmental
Review. “Portland, Oregon Population 2018.” 2018 at 2. Research. Vol. 122. April 2013 at 75 and 77; Sigurdarson, S.T., and J.N. Kline.
“School proximity to concentrated animal feeding operations and prevalence
)RRG :DWHU:DWFKȊ)DFWRU\)DUP1DWLRQ(GLWLRQȋDW
of asthma in students.” Chest Journal. Vol. 129, No. 6. June 2006 at 1487 to 1489.
:LOOLDPV.DOHȊ:DWHUXQVDIHDWWKHVHSRSXODU2UHJRQEHDFKHVKHDOWKRɝFLDOV
2UHJRQ'(4Ȋ2UHJRQ5HJLRQDO+D]H3ODQ<HDU3URJUHVV5HSRUWDQG8SGDWHȋ
say.” The Oregonian. August 29, 2018.
February 2016 at i and 21.
16 Loew, Tracy. “Troubled Oregon megadairy Lost Valley farm to be shut down
36 Flatt, Courtney. “Mega-dairy air pollution threat puts environmentalists on
and sold.” Statesman Journal (OR). October 24, 2018.
alert.” Oregon Public Broadcasting. EarthFix. April 11, 2017 at 2.
17 Plaven (June 27, 2018).
37 Burditt, Lynn, Area Manager, USDA Forest Service Columbia River Gorge
/RHZ7UDF\Ȋ2UHJRQPHJDGDLU\/RVW9DOOH\)DUPȴQHGIRUHQYL- 1DWLRQDO6FHQLF$UHD/HWWHURI3XEOLF&RPPHQWUH'UDIW13'(63HUPLWIRU/RVW
ronmental violations.” Statesman Journal (OR). October 16, 2018. Valley Ranch CAFO to Wym Matthews, ODA CAFO Program. August 4, 2016.
19 Plaven, George. “Lost Valley Farm heading to auction.” Capital Press (OR). De- 86(3$Ȋ*UHHQKRXVH*DV(PLVVLRQV2YHUYLHZRI*UHHQKRXVH*DVHVȋ$YDLO-
cember 21, 2018. DEOHDWKWWSVZZZHSDJRYJKJHPLVVLRQVRYHUYLHZJUHHQKRXVHJDVHVDQG
RQȴOHDW)RRG :DWHU:DWFK$FFHVVHG)HEUXDU\
20 Flatt, Courtney. “A year’s worth of controversy hasn’t put this Oregon dairy
under… yet.” Oregon Public Broadcasting. EarthFix. May 31, 2018; Loew, Tracy. 86(3$ȊΖQYHQWRU\RI86*UHHQKRXVH*DV(PLVVLRQVDQG6LQNVȋ
“Oregon sues to shut down new mega-dairy, citing repeated manure spills.” Table 2-1. April 15, 2010 at 2 to 4.
Statesman Journal (OR). February 28, 2018.
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21 Plaven (June 27, 2018). For the 2019 Legislative Session.” 2018 at 37.
22 Loew, Tracy. “Troubled Oregon megadairy Lost Valley Farm sold to lone bidder, 7KH+XPDQH6RFLHW\RIWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVȊ$Q+6865HSRUW7KH:HOIDUHRI
cows auctioned.” Statesman Journal (OR). February 19, 2019. &RZVLQWKH'DLU\ΖQGXVWU\ȋDWDQG
23 Ibid. 42 Ibid. at 1 and 2.
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