Label
Council Member Komives
Title
In Support of Banning Factory “Farms”.
Summary
WHEREAS, Toledo citizens and public officials are well aware of the many ways in which we depend on Lake Erie for drinking water, recreation and commerce; and
WHEREAS, Toledo and surrounding cities that depend on Lake Erie for drinking water have witnessed a gradual poisoning of this Great Lake since the mid 1990’s when levels of Phosphorus and Nitrogen began to increase after two decades of steady decline; and
WHEREAS, before the mid 1990’s and the advent of factory “farms” in our watershed and rapid decline in water quality, no one had to stand in line at grocery meat counters or wait for the next shipment of eggs or milk, all of which were amply provided by traditional livestock farmers, most of whom are no longer in business; and
WHEREAS, this decline in water quality has resulted in higher water bills for residential, commercial and industrial ratepayers and reduced quality of life for thousands of plant and animal species that rely on it; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio EPA has consistently estimated that nearly 90% of the excess nutrients flowing into Western Lake Erie come from agriculture; and
WHEREAS, farmers who use commercial fertilizer have consistently reduced the amount they apply but manure use has increased greatly during that time as the number of factory “farms” has exploded to over 800 in our watershed; and
WHEREAS, the amount of Phosphorus excreted by the 25 million animals in these factory “farms” is equal to that generated by the human populations of Ohio, Indiana, Chicago and Atlanta, overwhelming Lake Erie’s ability to sustain itself; and
WHEREAS, efforts at regulating the factory “farm” industry have not and cannot deal with the flood of feces, urine and wastewater it creates; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That Toledo City Council supports the efforts of family farmers and conservationists calling for an end to factory “farms” and redirecting the public subsidies it receives to sustainable farming methods.
SECTION 2. That this Resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
Adopted: August 17, 2021: yeas 12, nays 0.
Attest:
Gerald E. Dendinger Matt Cherry
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: August 17, 2021
Wade Kapszukiewicz