Very interesting analyses, both on fecal inputs & the ‘family farm.’ We were discussing the latter yesterday — something both sides of political aisle pay homage to, whereas my feeling is it is a myth where corporate farming prevails, protected from regulation by the myth
Once again you have pulled back the curtain of the Ag industrial pollution complex. It’s hard to be old and see how long people and politicians have ignored the unsustainable trajectory of food, fiber, & fuel (ACK!) production.
My first non political job after Law School was as a consultant for the Iowa Department of Soil Conservation tasked with draft ing the State’s first 5 year Strategic Plan for soil conservation in 1979. BTW it was Gov. Braindead who first started weakening Iowa leadership in soil conservation by consolidating the single focus agency into the pro-production Ag Department. Note: that same reorganization combined the environmental and natural resources agencies where I was working, and in the musical chairs game of reallocating senior positions, I lost my Missouri/Mississippi Rivers position and got assigned to the legal shop. BTW soon I left to run the Iowa Nature Conservancy where I was able to help enact both the Groundwater Protection Act and the Resources Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP). I could go on, but this should be about You and current Iowa
This is really GOOD stuff!! Thanks for doing the work! And, sharing the results. I’m looking forward to seeing the ongoing research. So much so that I’m finally “pulling the trigger” and upgrading to “paid”. Keep at it!
So many billions served at drive thrus, so many SHUs (sacrificial hydrologic units). Not much truth in advertising about the true costs of food. Not much chance of Trump dictating these maps be printed on whopper wrappers for the public to peruse. The gulf (as in big gap of understanding) of big gulps in America will not be replaced. No negotiation on the big American ways of waste. Open wide America, we got big SHUs to fill.
I'm an undergrad student at Macalester College and writing a capstone paper about farmers perceptions of climate change in which I'm currently working on a chapter defining farm systems and the agriculture landscape throughout different counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Your deep dive into census data is extremely helpful for thinking about how to describe the agriculture landscape!
Just like with Big Pharma, Big Ag has been getting the lion’s share of the money. But with this new administration, perhaps they will be open to looking at things differently.
Well, I moved from Iowa to Minnesota and “frozen wasteland” has already been taken . “Dystopian hellscape” it is then! I would also suggest changing Iowa’s name to Diowa.
What’s limiting expansion of hog confinements in some areas of Iowa is not their areal footprint but rather crop land available to apply the manure. I can’t say I’m sure I understand your question completely so feel free to clarify if I didn’t answer adequately
could easily have 2-2400 hd custom, for example for a neighbor, finishing barns on 10A classifies as a farm generating a gross of maybe $200K/yr. the buildings costing around $1.75 to $2 million to build plus interest, taxes, ins, maintenance, repairs and labor and give manure to neighbors. Take many years to pay it off.
It's rare indeed to have skills in both math and writing. So greatful that you are using your skills in both to open our eyes to whats going on in our ecosystems.
The EPA just issued a plan for Total Maximum Daily Load for phosphorus for Cayuga Lake. It is the lowest of the Finger Lakes and effectively the source of the Seneca River, which you note has the biggest land manure load in the Great Lakes Basin. That plan indicates that the P input from agriculture needs to be cut about in half. Cornell Cooperative Extension has many programs that make that goal possible.
Great reporting as usual. The Mango Menace and his Trumpanzees ( yes, I know its childish) are getting a literal death grip on US environmental policy, and I predict will try and shut down or completely neuter the EPA. Covid Kim and nearly the entire state legislature are lobbyists for the Corn/CAFO mafia, will follow suit and will continue keeping the Iowa DNR as neutered as a rescue dog, while the Corn Miners will continue to blather about how much they are " voluntarily" keeping out of the watershed, but somehow magically Iowa waters are in worse shape.
Very interesting analyses, both on fecal inputs & the ‘family farm.’ We were discussing the latter yesterday — something both sides of political aisle pay homage to, whereas my feeling is it is a myth where corporate farming prevails, protected from regulation by the myth
Once again you have pulled back the curtain of the Ag industrial pollution complex. It’s hard to be old and see how long people and politicians have ignored the unsustainable trajectory of food, fiber, & fuel (ACK!) production.
My first non political job after Law School was as a consultant for the Iowa Department of Soil Conservation tasked with draft ing the State’s first 5 year Strategic Plan for soil conservation in 1979. BTW it was Gov. Braindead who first started weakening Iowa leadership in soil conservation by consolidating the single focus agency into the pro-production Ag Department. Note: that same reorganization combined the environmental and natural resources agencies where I was working, and in the musical chairs game of reallocating senior positions, I lost my Missouri/Mississippi Rivers position and got assigned to the legal shop. BTW soon I left to run the Iowa Nature Conservancy where I was able to help enact both the Groundwater Protection Act and the Resources Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP). I could go on, but this should be about You and current Iowa
Thank you for speaking/writing Truth to Power!!
This is really GOOD stuff!! Thanks for doing the work! And, sharing the results. I’m looking forward to seeing the ongoing research. So much so that I’m finally “pulling the trigger” and upgrading to “paid”. Keep at it!
THANK YOU!
So many billions served at drive thrus, so many SHUs (sacrificial hydrologic units). Not much truth in advertising about the true costs of food. Not much chance of Trump dictating these maps be printed on whopper wrappers for the public to peruse. The gulf (as in big gap of understanding) of big gulps in America will not be replaced. No negotiation on the big American ways of waste. Open wide America, we got big SHUs to fill.
Thanks Lou! Very well said!
I'm an undergrad student at Macalester College and writing a capstone paper about farmers perceptions of climate change in which I'm currently working on a chapter defining farm systems and the agriculture landscape throughout different counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Your deep dive into census data is extremely helpful for thinking about how to describe the agriculture landscape!
If it's possible to love analyses, then may I say I love this. When can we start saying that Iowa does NOT feed the world?
Now?
It would be good I think to send this article to Brooke Rollins, the new agriculture secretary under President Trump.
Here is her X address:
https://x.com/brookelrollins?lang=en
You need to be a premium member to contact her. For any premium members out there, please send her a link to this article. Thank you.
Just like with Big Pharma, Big Ag has been getting the lion’s share of the money. But with this new administration, perhaps they will be open to looking at things differently.
Excellent research. Looking forward to subsequent articles.
Chris Jones ROCKS! Another fine column about the degeneration of Iowa into a dystopian hellscape!
Wow, I’m glad you weren’t consulted when they came up for the slogan on the Welcome to Iowa highway signs. “Welcome to Iowa, A Dystopian Hellscape!”
How would you describe a state with a burgeoning cancer rate? https://khak.com/iowa-is-the-only-state-with-rising-cases-of-cancer/
Well, I moved from Iowa to Minnesota and “frozen wasteland” has already been taken . “Dystopian hellscape” it is then! I would also suggest changing Iowa’s name to Diowa.
Keep on digging and writing Dr Chris Jones!
I suggest mandatory reading for Iowa‘s Governor and Legislators along with Farm Bureau , Corn and Soybean Growers associations!
I love this write up. Very useful analysis and put in a way that makes it more understandable.
"Waste not Want not"
Good luck on that one.
How would hog confinement figure into this if the buildings might sit on fewer acres while generating income.
What’s limiting expansion of hog confinements in some areas of Iowa is not their areal footprint but rather crop land available to apply the manure. I can’t say I’m sure I understand your question completely so feel free to clarify if I didn’t answer adequately
I wasn’t sure how to ask it but you did answer it. Thank you.
could easily have 2-2400 hd custom, for example for a neighbor, finishing barns on 10A classifies as a farm generating a gross of maybe $200K/yr. the buildings costing around $1.75 to $2 million to build plus interest, taxes, ins, maintenance, repairs and labor and give manure to neighbors. Take many years to pay it off.
It's rare indeed to have skills in both math and writing. So greatful that you are using your skills in both to open our eyes to whats going on in our ecosystems.
The EPA just issued a plan for Total Maximum Daily Load for phosphorus for Cayuga Lake. It is the lowest of the Finger Lakes and effectively the source of the Seneca River, which you note has the biggest land manure load in the Great Lakes Basin. That plan indicates that the P input from agriculture needs to be cut about in half. Cornell Cooperative Extension has many programs that make that goal possible.
Great reporting as usual. The Mango Menace and his Trumpanzees ( yes, I know its childish) are getting a literal death grip on US environmental policy, and I predict will try and shut down or completely neuter the EPA. Covid Kim and nearly the entire state legislature are lobbyists for the Corn/CAFO mafia, will follow suit and will continue keeping the Iowa DNR as neutered as a rescue dog, while the Corn Miners will continue to blather about how much they are " voluntarily" keeping out of the watershed, but somehow magically Iowa waters are in worse shape.