LOCAL

Animal feedlots: A threat to drinking water in Minnesota

Minnesota's rivers, lakes, and drinking water are at risk for increased nitrate and phosphorus levels from runoff from millions of tons of manure from 23,000 animal feedlots across the state, according to Environmental Working Group (EWG). The new report showed that the water quality across the state is declining at an alarming rate. The problem arises from the extraordinary expansion and intensification of both livestock and crop production in the state.

Since 1991, the number of Concentrated Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs) in Minnesota has increased, with about 80 million pigs, cows, and poultry now held in feedlots. Fertilizer sales have tripled in the same period due to corn crops—nearly 1.5 million additional acres have been devoted to corn. 

“For the first time, we can clearly see the extent to which farmers are overloading land in Minnesota’s farm country with animal manure and fertilizer, and where the problem is the worst,” said Sarah Porter, senior GIS analyst with the Environmental Working Group and co-author of the report, in an article by the EWG. An earlier EWG investigation found that 63% of Minnesota public water utilities with elevated levels of nitrate saw the contamination worsen between 1995 and 2018.

A comprehensive assessment of the capacity of Minnesota’s landscape to handle its manure and fertilizer load is strongly recommended to ensure current and future residents have clean water. That assessment must drive decisions about where to site new or expanded feedlots and set standards for fertilizer and manure management, especially in areas with dense livestock.

The Guardian
Water Quality Products 
Environmental Working Group

NATIONAL

More meatpacking workers contract COVID-19

In the United States, more than 3,000 meatpacking workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and at least 44 workers have died. A large union representing meatpacking workers disclosed the estimated numbers last week. Meat processing plants have become hot spots for infections in communities across the country, but most have stayed open since President Donald Trump’s executive order a month ago declaring them critical infrastructure. 

“Too many workers are being sent back into meatpacking plants without adequate protections in place, reigniting more outbreaks in the plants and our communities,” said Nick Nemec, a South Dakota farmer, in an interview with The Mercury News. Consequently, in Iowa State, for example, 555 employees at a Tyson Foods pork plant in Storm Lake tested positive for the new coronavirus, about 22% of the facility’s workforce.

The United Food and Commercial Workers union said 30 meatpacking plants have closed at some point since March, resulting in an estimated 40% reduction in pork production and a 25% reduction in beef. Production remains lower than normal because of increased absenteeism and social distancing among employees.

As plants reopen and scale up production, many have installed physical barriers between workstations and put up hand-sanitizing stations, following guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But most of the guidelines meant to keep workers safe are unenforceable. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union also called on the Trump administration and meat companies to do more to protect workers.

Mercury News
The New York Post

INTERNATIONAL

Outrageous death of bats in India

More than 200 bats were found dead near the city of Ara in the Bhojpur District in northeastern India on May 26, according to the animal husbandry department of Bihar. The bizarre incident has generated even more curiosity as it comes amidst the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic which has been linked to bats. The panic among the locals and the scale of the deaths of the nocturnal creatures forced authorities to spring into action and conduct sample tests on carcasses and swabs of the dead mammals.

On the same day as the incident in the Bhojpur district, the deaths of a large number of bats with no physical signs of trauma was reported in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on May 26. The locals stated that as many as 52 bats dropped dead within an hour in one area sending the villagers into panic. Samples were sent to the Institute of Animal Health and Production situated in Patna for testing.

Pesticides used on mango trees and excessive heat emerged as a reason for suspicion amongst the investigating authorities. But the post-mortem report of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute on May 29 revealed that the bats died due to brain hemorrhage, caused by excessive heat. No traces of coronavirus or rabies was found in the dead bats.

Mass die-offs of bats and other animals are early warnings of serious environmental stress. In fact, bats are especially relevant indicators. They form the largest, most vulnerable aggregations of any mammal except Homo sapiens, have similarly wide distribution, complex biotic and abiotic requirements, and traditional ecosystem dominance. Many are exceptionally long-lived and occupy high trophic levels. 

The dead bats have been buried five to six feet deep in the ground following all the medical procedures. The incident site and all the nearby places were also sanitized.

Sputnik News
Tribune India
Hindustan Times