The Chain
Page 28
Benjamin Duggar, a botanist who studied fungal infections in plants: For an outstanding overview of the work of Duggar and Jukes at the Lederle Laboratories, see Richard Conniff, “How did antibiotics become part of the food chain?” Cosmos, March 10, 2014, http://cosmosmagazine.com/features/antibiotics-become-part-food-chain/.
Duggar started by trying to solve an old farmyard mystery: Maureen Ogle, “Riots, Rage and Resistance: A Brief History of How Antibiotics Arrived on the Farm,” Scientific American, September 3, 2013, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/09/03/riots-rage-and-resistance-a-brief-history-of-how-antibiotics-arrived-on-the-farm/.
“the most important advancement in Swine Nutrition in the last 25 years”: See, for example, Sioux Center News, June 19, 1950, 11.
“given aureo in their feed survived and grew up into self-respecting hogs”: Sydney B. Self, “Hospital & Hogpen: Antibiotic Germ Killers Conquer New Fields as Pig, Poultry Feed,” Wall Street Journal, September 12, 1950, 1.
“brought to marketable weight more quickly”: “Antibiotics Used on Livestock by Hormel to Clear Bacteria for Full Effect of Fodder,” New York Times, December 13, 1951, 53.
“that aureomycin, administered either orally or by injection, is excreted in the feces of pigs”: Nora L. Larson and Lawrence E. Carpenter, “The Fecal Excretion of Aureomycin by the Pig,” Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 36 (1952): 239–240.
“a marked decrease in the coliform organisms in the feces of the pigs”: R. C. Wahlstrom, Eva M. Cohn, S. W. Terrill, and B. Connor Johnson, “Growth Effect of Various Antibiotics on Baby Pigs Fed Synthetic Rations,” Journal of Animal Science 11 (1952): 449–454.
“Although aureomycin has been in general use for only three years”: Harry F. Dowling, Mark H. Lepper, and George Gee Jackson, “Observations on the Epidemiological Spread of Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococci, with Measurements of the Changes in Sensitivity to Penicillin and Aureomycin,” American Journal of Public Health 43.7 (July 1953): 860–868, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1620328/.
published a joint report: “Iowa Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Air Quality Study: Final Report,” prepared by Iowa State University and the University of Iowa Study Group, February 2002, https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/ehsrc/CAFOstudy/CAFO_1.pdf.
Master Matrix Plan: The various versions of the Master Matrix Plan are available on the Iowa DNR’s website at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/LandStewardship/AnimalFeedingOperations/Confinements/ConstructionRequirements/Permitted/MasterMatrix.aspx.
“Whoever heard of passing a test with a score of fifty percent?”: Interview with Steve Roe was conducted near Jefferson, Iowa, at a potluck dinner hosted by the Greene County Farmers and Neighbors, April 2013.
David Goodner, a spokesman for the watchdog group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement: Interview with David Goodner was conducted via telephone in January 2014.
“nothing to worry about”: Andrew Schneider, “Potentially Fatal Bacteria Found in Pigs, Farmworkers,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 8, 2008, http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Potentially-fatal-bacteria-found-in-pigs-1275922.php.
first scientific test of hogs for MRSA in the United States: For an excellent overview and analysis of Smith’s research, see Maryn McKenna, “A New Strain of Drug-Resistant Staph Infection Found in U.S. Pigs,” Scientific American, January 23, 2009, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-drug-resistant-mrsa-in-pigs/.
Smith undertook another study: M. Carrel, M.L. Schweizer, M.V. Sarrazin, T.C. Smith, E.N. Perencevich, “Residential Proximity to Large Numbers of Swine in Feeding Operations Is Associated with Increased Risk of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization at Time of Hospital Admission in Rural Iowa Veterans,” Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 35.2 (February 2014): 190–3, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24442084.
“A lot of those antibiotics are broken down”: Interview with Brad Freking, Jay Moore, and Emily Erickson was conducted at New Fashion Pork, Jackson, Minnesota, September 2013.
14: Lay of the Land
Jay Lausen parked his pickup: Interview with Jay Lausen was conducted in Estherville, Iowa, November 2013.
New Fashion Pork has been a major player in the boom: Data on New Fashion Pork was supplied directly by the company.
the highest and second-highest nitrate loads: See You-Kuan Zhang and Keith Schilling, “Temporal Variations and Scaling of Streamflow and Baseflow and Their Nitrate-Nitrogen Concentrations and Loads,” Advances in Water Resources 28 (2005): 701–710.
FDR signed the Soil Conservation Act: See John C. Culver and John Hyde, American Dreamer: A Life of Henry A. Wallace (New York: Norton, 2001), 160–62.
“ever-normal granary”: See Culver and Hyde, American Dreamer, 178–79.
whole system was dismantled when Earl Butz: See Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (New York: Penguin Press, 2006), 51–53.
“for his callous lack of concern about their welfare”: See Shea Dean, “Children of the Corn Syrup,” Believer, October 2003, http://www.believermag.com/issues/200310/?read=article_dean.
“People used to have an eighty-acre farm and raise a family”: Interview with Austin Genoways was conducted in Bayard, Nebraska, July 2012.
Carter convinced Congress to pass the Federal Crop Insurance Act of 1980: See “History of the Crop Insurance Program,” USDA Risk Management Agency, http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/what/history.html.
at least 7.5 billion gallons of renewable transportation fuels within seven years: The EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard targets are available at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/.
collectively import more than $3 billion worth: See the National Pork Producers Council, “Benefits of Expanding U.S. Pork Exports,” http://www.nppc.org/issues/international-trade/benefits-of-expanding-u-s-pork-exports/.
“animal units”: The DNR’s full calculation sheet for “animal units” is available at http://www.iowadnr.gov/portals/idnr/uploads/forms/5424021.pdf.
announced the elimination of one hundred positions at the DNR: See “Iowa DNR Eliminating More Than 100 Positions,” KCRG (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), May 11, 2011, http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Iowa-DNR-Eliminating-More-Than-100-Positions--121680249.html.
“If we could be on site on a more regular basis”: Kent Sievers, “Iowa DNR Cuts Mean Less Oversight,” Omaha World-Herald, June 6, 2011, http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011706069934&template=printart.
The governor also announced four appointments: For Branstad’s 2011 appointees to the EPC, see the official list at http://governor.iowa.gov/2011/03/gov-branstad-announces-appointees-to-iowas-boards-and-commissions/?wpmp_switcher=mobile.
was at that very moment under investigation: Laura Millsaps, “Branstad’s Brother Fined for Manure Spill in Winnebago River,” Ames Tribune, November 17, 2011, http://iowa.amestrib.com/articles/2011/11/19/ames_tribune/news/doc4ec523ede1db9521609183.txt.
nitrate levels in the Raccoon River and Des Moines River watershed: Raccoon River Watershed Water Quality Master Plan, November 2011, prepared by Agren Inc., Carroll, Iowa, http://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/water/watershed/files/raccoonmasterwmp13.PDF.
“We have invested in Emmet County”: Michael Tidemann, New Fashion Pork Finish Site Draws Strong Opposition,” Estherville Daily News, April 24, 2012, http://www.esthervilledailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/515555/New-Fashion-Pork-finish-site-draws-strong-opposition.html?nav=5003.
“Like we’re these big guys from out of state”: Information for this section comes from my interview with Freking, September 2013.
a public meeting at the Regional Wellness Center: Account of the public meeting in Estherville come from my interview with Freking, September 2013, and Michael Tidemann, “Over 100 Attend Emmet Concerned Citizens Meeting,” Estherville Daily News, May 15, 2013, http://www.esthervilledailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/515730/Over-100-attend-Emmet-Concerned-Citizens-meet
ing.html?nav=5003.
15: Water Works
Linda Kinman, the policy analyst and watershed advocate: Interview with Linda Kinman was conducted in Des Moines, Iowa, October 2013.
a scathing critique of the DNR’s handling of the state’s CAFOs: “Preliminary Results of an Informal Investigation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program For Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in the State of Iowa,” Region 7, United States Environmental Protection Agency, July 2012, http://www.epa.gov/region7/water/pdf/ia_cafo_preliminary_report.pdf.
“the ‘gotcha’ approach”: Branstad’s letter to Perciasepe is available at http://iowa.sierraclub.org/CAFOs/BranstadToEPA5-13.pdf.
“more trusting relationship”: See Gene Lucht, “EPA Chief Vows Cooperation,” Iowa Farmer Today, August 21, 2013, http://www.iowafarmertoday.com/news/regional/epa-chief-vows-cooperation/article_0aee6e44-0a97-11e3-b2a5-0019bb2963f4.html.
“hog manure overall contributes about 63 percent”: Raccoon River Watershed Water Quality Master Plan, November 2011.
Hill asked me to simply consider the numbers: Interview with Dennis R. Hill was conducted in Des Moines, Iowa, October 2013.
according to a study conducted by Mark D. Sobsey: “Detecting Fecal Contamination and Its Sources in Water and Watersheds” was conducted with an EPA grant (R824782) from October 1, 1995, to October 31, 1998. Details of the grant, including reports, are available at http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/index.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/abstract/607/report/0.
Gordon Brand, senior chemist at the DMWW: Interview with Gordon Brand was conducted in Des Moines, Iowa, October 2013.
In 2012, researchers from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium: Kelly Slivka, “Big Drought Makes for a Small ‘Dead Zone,’” nytimes.com, August 2, 2012, http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/02/big-drought-makes-for-a-small-dead-zone/.
banded together to create Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance: See Tom Philpott, “House Republicans Aim Pitchfork at Food-System Reform,” motherjones.com, June 23, 2011, http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott?page=40.
In April 2013, Jay Moore appeared again: This account of the county supervisors meeting comes from Dan Voigt, “Permit Applications Raise Questions,” Emmetsburg News, April 4, 2013, http://www.emmetsburgnews.com/page/content.detail/id/511367/Permit-Applications-Raise-Questions.html?nav=5004.
“Teddy Roosevelt broke up all those corporations and packing plants”: See transcript of interview with Linus Solberg for the film PRICELE$$, available at http://www.pricelessmovie.org/interview-transcripts/farmers/linus-solberg/.
“Primarily we’re looking for the integrity of the concrete”: Interview with Don Cunningham was conducted in Estherville, Iowa, and via telephone, November 2013.
PART VI
16: The City of No
Kristin invited me to sit: Interview with Kristin Ostrom, March 2012.
“I’ve always said this is Nebraska-style”: Transcript of the Public Hearing of on LB48, Judiciary Committee, Nebraska Legislature, State Capitol, Lincoln, Nebraska, March 2, 2011.
“such scant evidence and conjecture”: Art Hovey, “Immigration Ruling a Mixed Outcome,” Columbus (Nebraska) Telegram, February 21, 2012, http://columbustelegram.com/news/local/state-and-regional/fremont-immigration-ruling-a-mixed-outcome/article_e56a4d06-5c95-11e1-beef-0019bb2963f4.html.
April and Rafael stood outside with me: Interviews with April Wadleigh and Rafael del Jesus conducted in Fremont, Nebraska, throughout 2012 and 2013.
as the city council in Fremont convened: I covered this meeting for harpers .org. All details come from my notes and audio recording of the meeting.
the school’s former principal: Interview with Mike Aerni was conducted in Fremont, Nebraska, May 2012.
uninsured Hispanics actually pay up at a higher rate: Quoted in Tammy Real-McKeighan, “Hospital Can’t Tell Who’s Illegal,” Fremont Tribune, June 12, 2010, http://fremonttribune.com/article_90b670e6-75dd-11df-943f-001cc4c002e0.html.
“I’m here to tell you that you need to act”: Chris Zavadil, “Fair Housing Expert Says HUD Could Threaten Funding,” Fremont Tribune, October 16, 2013, http://fremonttribune.com/news/local/fair-housing-expert-says-hud-could-threaten-funding/article_d71d546a-eed2-50ed-8e76-2b94ab325712.html.
A month later, the Fremont City Council met: I covered this meeting for harpers .org. All details come from my notes and audio recording of the meeting.
By the day of the special election: I covered the special election for harpers.org. All details come from my notes and audio recordings made that evening.
“It is pretty rocking inside”: Nicholas Bergin, “Fremont Voters Overwhelmingly Affirm Anti-illegal Immigration Ordinance,” Lincoln Journal-Star, February 11, 2014, http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/fremont-voters-overwhelmingly-affirm-anti-illegal-immigration-ordinance/article_91d84a16-e66b-5b30-8acc-bf741705f2b4.html.
Jonathan Chavez, one of Harper’s renters: Interview with Jonathan Chavez and Kayla Jacquart was conducted in Fremont, Nebraska, February 2014.
“It’s final now, and Fremont’s victory is complete”: Joe Duggan, “U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Weigh In on Fremont’s Immigration Rules, but City Isn’t Relaxing,” Omaha World-Herald, May 5, 2014.
“bright green light”: Grant Schulte, “Court decision could open door to immigrant rules,” Associated Press, May 5, 2014.
17: Inspection
USDA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report: The full text of USDA Office of the Inspector General, “Food Safety and Inspection Service—Inspection and Enforcement Activities at Swine Slaughter Plants,” Audit Report 34601-0001-41, May 2013, is available at http://www.usda.gov/oig/webdocs/24601-0001-41.pdf.
“Yeah, that’s us”: Interview with Dan Hoppes was conducted in Omaha, Nebraska, November 2013.
noncompliance records for 2012: These documents were supplied to me via email by Tony Corbo at Food & Water Watch.
“Given the fact that we’re looking at it a lot more intensely”: Interview with Philip Derfler and Hany Sidrak, from the FSIS Office of Field Operations, was conducted via telephone, November 2013.
Hormel plant in Fremont has tracked at or below: Numbers supplied by Nicky Coolberth, Assistant Director of Communications at UFCW.
that Hispanic workers are almost half as likely to report an injury: Kenneth Culp, Mary Brooks, Kerri Rupe, and Craig Zwerling, “Traumatic Injury Rates in Meatpacking Plant Workers,” Journal of Agromedicine 13, no. 1 (February 2008): 7–16. All authors of the study work in Occupational Health Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Iowa.
“make tens of thousands of repetitive motions”: Interview with Darcy Tromanhauser was conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska, and via email in November 2013.
“It’s not so much the speed”: Interview with Mark Lauritsen was conducted in Omaha, Nebraska, November 2013.
“In such an incident, FSIS will deal with it as a sanitary issue”: Interview with Philip Derfler and Hany Sidrak, November 2013.
Hormel announced that the company would be shifting production of its bacon bits: Ben Jacobson, “Hormel Picks Dubuque Plant for Expansion,” Dubuque Telegraph Herald, January 14, 2014, http://www.thonline.com/news/breaking/article_8cf5bc66-7d52-11e3-b776-001a4bcf6878.html.
at the plant’s grand opening in 2010: See Kevin T. Higgins, “Fabulous Food Plant: Hormel’s Progressive Processing Plant Is Built for the Long Haul,” Food Engineering, December 6, 2011, http://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/88936-fabulous-food-plant-hormels-progressive-processing-plant-is-built-for-the-long-haul-.
“two new production lines sought for the plant”: Jacobson, “Hormel Picks Dubuque Plant for Expansion.”
a reporter for the Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Ben Jacobson, “Spam Production Coming to Hormel Plant in Dubuque,” Dubuque Telegraph Herald, February 13, 2014, http://www.thonline.com/news/breaking/article_19a77b28-9508-11e3-8f05-0017a43b2370.html.
Mark Zelle, the
plant manager: “Hormel Foods Celebrates Grand Opening of State-of-the-Art Production Facility in Dubuque, Iowa,” Hormel Foods Corporation press release, March 30, 2010, http://www.hormelfoods.com/Newsroom/Press-Releases/2010/03/20100330.
“By separating operations”: Higgins, “Fabulous Food Plant.”
“The timing for the Spam operation is still in process”: Jacobson, “Spam Production Coming to Hormel Plant in Dubuque.”
INDEX
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ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), 76, 165, 166
Fremont ordinance challenged, 169–72, 240–42, 246, 247, 251, 253–54
AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act), 125–26
agribusiness, 107–10, 214, 230. See also Iowa
animal abuse, 124 (see also MowMar Farms)
Butz and, 212–23
CAFOs (factory farms), 101–2, 103, 104, 106, 108, 110–11, 117, 193–97, 209–23, 227, 231–35
environmental safety, 202, 207–23
exemptions from laws, 219, 230, 231
Federal Crop Insurance Act, 213–14
MRSA in humans and, 204–5
nitrates, E. Coli, and, 201, 203, 205, 210, 217, 220, 225–31
Agriprocessors, Postville, Iowa, 75, 173, 189
AIG (American International Group), 71–74, 78, 79, 143, 147–50
Albert Lea, Minnesota, 42, 85, 174, 176–79
Select Foods, 35, 179, 180–81, 183
Wilson Foods, 42, 177–78
ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), 125
Amalgamated Meat Cutters, 62, 63
Amazi, Terese, 85
American Association of Swine Veterinarians, 119
American Can, 28
AMI (American Meat Institute), 26–27, 29, 30
AMVC (Audubon-Manning Veterinary Clinic), 109, 112, 114, 119, 135