In these days of bashing for self-interest and self-profit — it’s time for some old-school bashing of those who profit at the expense of others. Cornithaca County has more corruption than you can shake a stick at . . . but give it a shot; you’ll feel better.
In this CAFO version of the sing-a-long, the number keeps on increasing. 40,000 cow CAFOs already exist. Where will it end? 80,000 . . . 100,000?
Locally; the few remaining traditional farms and factory farms alike are being ploughed under as the biggest CAFO in New York State is continuing to spread like a shit stain across the rural landscape. It’s only a mile away.
This follow-up blog to Part 8b lists the recipients and posts their responses to the issues detailed in “Non-Disclosure Agreement?” concerning the New York State Agricultural District Disclosure Form and Notice.
The letter and its enclosures were sent to the following via USPS Express Mail envelopes by Certified Mail to ensure their tracking and receipt:
NYS Attorney General Letitia James
NYS Dept. of Health Howard A. Zucker, M.D., J.D.
NYS Senator Pamela Helming
Tompkins County Health Dept. Elizabeth Cameron
NYS Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton
The County and State Health Departments refused involvement. None of the others even acknowledged the receipt of the letter.
Three months later on August 25, 2019, I emailed the text of the same letter [with copies of that letter and the Agricultural Disclosure form attached] to the members of the Tompkins County Legislature.
After an initial positive response and an indication of willingness to at least add a supplemental County disclosure statement, everything went silent.
On November 19, 2019, I received an email stating that the matter had been handed over to the Ithaca Board of Realtors and the county Ag and Farm Protection Committee, and that they had “passed on” my “concerns and suggestions.” It referred to those parties as the “stakeholders.”
Just as in the Deadly Drift herbicide complaint, the decision to take any action was left to the same people who were accused of the misconduct [and had the most to lose if any action on the complaint was taken.] No “conflict of interest” concerns were ever expressed.
The rights of prospective buyers of property in an Agricultural District to receive a clear and understandable disclosure of modern agricultural practices and agricultural laws was never admitted.
Factory farmers are continuing to put the blame on new residents for “misconceptions about what activities occur on farms and in rural areas.”
In Rural America the biggest threat to the health and well-being of the community is the same activity that once strengthened and nurtured it — farming. Industrial farming is rolling the dice against a dystopian future of environmental meltdown, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and genetically modified organisms in a race to quickly amass wealth. Using a simple picture-book style, and the buoyancy of humor, this book navigates the flood of destructive farming practices that have already engulfed the rural community, and are spreading.
Print and eBook available at
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Amazon.com |
Barnes and Noble.com |
eBook available at
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Kobo |
Apple |
And other retailers worldwide
A preview of the second book in the Factory Farm series:
Over a hundred pages of jokes, riddles, games and activities, mazes, poems, sing-a-longs, connect-the dots, humorous stories and more!
New group of ten pages from the book:
New group of ten pages from the book:
New group of four pages from the book:
Third group of five pages from the book:
Another five pages from the book:
Five pages from the book:
More pages will be posted in future blogs.
