Source: The Pulse
The NC Department of Environmental Quality is investigating the discharge of an estimated 30,000 gallons of hog waste recently released from Smithfield subsidiary, Murphy-Brown Farm into a nearby creek.
Workers at the farm pumped waste from the creek throughout the weekend, starting Friday night and finishing Monday morning, according to Josh Kastrinsky, a DEQ spokesman.
This incident is just one in a long history of incidents where hog waste has invaded residents’ air or water. It continues to highlight the need for better safety regulations and stricter enforcement of environmental laws.
Sadly, the Republican majority in the General Assembly has decided that these deplorable practices are just fine. In 2017, the legislature passed a bill that tramples on the property rights of families in Northeastern North Carolina by capping the amount of damages a family can receive in lawsuits brought against corporate farms like Smithfield.
According to the General Assembly, the profits of this huge Chinese-owned hog producer are more important than its neighbors’ health and property.
