Rural Residents for Responsible Agriculture
Rural Residents for Responsible Agriculture (RRRA) is a group of rural residents, family farmers, and concerned citizens who are committed to keeping our air clean, our water safe, and our communities vibrant in McDonough and Schuyler counties. We remain united in an effort to stop the construction of a large scale confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) proposed to house over 18,000 hogs. We also support community members who struggle with living and farming next to these corporate factories.
Shamrock Acres, a proposed factory farm housing over 18,000 hogs, will not be constructed in West Central Illinois anytime soon.
On June 10, 2012, the facility's application expired without approval by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA). According to Warren Goetsch, Bureau Chief of Environmeantal Programs, "Since initial approval for this project was not obtained and construction was not commenced within one year of that basedate [. . . ] the setback period has expired and the application for the Shamrock Acres, LLC project [. . . ] has been closed."
Shamrock Acres faced widespread opposition in the community, particularly from Rural Residents for Responsible Agriculture (RRRA). RRRA is, a non-profit group of local residents and farmers in McDonough, Schuyler and Fulton Counties committed to helping rural communities protect themselves from large scale Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
"Our research convinced us that this CAFO would have threatened our health, property values, businesses, local park, cemetery and ecosystem," said Ramona Cook, a member of RRRA who successfully sued the IDOA for withholding Shamrock Acres' constructions plans in violation of the Freedom of Information Act.
Cook said that a daycare, hunting outfitters, a writing business, cemetery, park, and over twenty residences are within one mile of the site, some as close as ½ mile. "We're not against agriculture," Cook explained. "We're farmers ourselves, some of us for five generations in this township. Yet we think factory farming is unsustainable because it causes too much long-term damage locally while profiting only a few, most of whom are from out of state."
Many thanks to the tremendous support from residents in McDonough, Fulton, and Schuyler Counties to stop this facility and keep Eldorado Township beautiful. Please visit our Background tab to learn more about the devastating impacts of CAFOs.
Write letters to each McDonough County board member yourself and let them know that you want them to pass a health ordinance that protects McDonough County communities from CAFOs. Tell them you want to keep McDonough County clean and beautiful!
Thank the McDonough County board members who voted not to recommend Shamrock Acres LLC be issued a construction permit:
DISTRICT 1:
| Linda Jani | Alice Henry | ||
| 2043 West Adams Road | 24 Grandview Road | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Macomb, IL 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 837-1367 | Phone Number: (309) 836-7231 | ||
| Charles Neblock | Paul Trimmer | ||
| 65 Arlington Drive | 111 North Quail Walk Road | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Macomb, IL 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 837-1757 | Phone Number (309) 837-9394 | ||
DISTRICT #2:
| John Lawson | |
| 931 North Crafford Street | |
| Bushnell, IL 61422 | |
| Phone Number: (309) 772-2572 |
DISTRICT #3:
| LeRoy Brown | Lee Trotter | ||
| P.O. Box 857, Rural Route #3 | 4485 E. 2000th Street | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Adair, IL 61411 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 836-8011 | Phone Number: (309) 653-2526 | ||
| Tony Coniglio | Glen Foster | ||
| 30 South Quail Walk Road | 118 Dove Avenue | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Colchester, IL 62326 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 333-0304 | Phone Number: (309) 776-4182 | ||
Some board members recommended that Shamrock Acres be constructed in McDonough County. These board members made this recommendation despite appeals from concerned citizens that they did not have the documents necessary to know whether the facility was abiding by the law. Even with the small amount of information available, it was clear the facility did not meet the eight citing criteria required by the law. These board members were given packets by the RRRA demonstrating point by point, how the facility did not meet the criteria. In fact, the courts upheld that RRRA was right.
On September 12, a McDonough County Judge demanded the Illinois Department Of Agriculture release documents with the blueprints of the facility that the IDOA was refusing to release. And on September 7, the IDOA found that Shamrock Acres LLC did not have enough information on 5 out of the 8 criteria necessary to approve a its application to construct. Despite all of the information detailing how the facility was violating the law, these board members chose to approve the Shamrock Acres LLC application on July 20th:
DISTRICT 1:
| Larry Aurelio | Joe Kersting | ||
| 11 Indian Trail Road | 118 Dove Avenue | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Macomb, IL 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 837-4999 | Phone Number: (309)837-3214 | ||
DISTRICT #2:
| Chad Hensley | Clarke Kelso | ||
| 22120 North 1700 Road | 18660 N. 1300th Road | ||
| Bushnell, IL 61422 | Macomb, IL 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 772-2277 | Phone Number (309) 769-5480 | ||
| Scott Schwerer, Chairman | Bob Mahr | ||
| McDonough County Board | 249 N. Rile | ||
| 2120 N. 1500th Road | Bushnell, IL 61422 | ||
| Blandinsville, IL 61420 | Phone Number: (309) 772-2767 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 652-3830 | |||
DISTRICT #3:
| Bill Carle | Earl Sims | ||
| 833 South Lafayette Street | 10245 N. 800th Road | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | Macomb, IL 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 837-2578 | Phone Number: (309) 837-3750 | ||
| David E. Nissen | |||
| 4340 E. 1050th Street | |||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | |||
| Phone Number: (309) 254-3683 |
Those who abstained from voting:
| David Cortelyou | Rod McGrew | |||||
| 1407 North Jackson Street | 805 N. Sperry St. | |||||
| Bushnell, IL 61422 | Bushnell, IL 61422 | |||||
| Phone Number: (309) 772-2575 | Phone Number: (309) 772-2821 |
Board member who was absent:
| Earl W. Godt | |||
| 1719 West Adams Street | |||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | |||
| Phone Number: (309) 837-1851 |
Call or write letters to State Senator John Sullivan and State Representative Norine Hammond: Tell them you do not want this facility in McDonough Co., nor do you want any more of this size and scope to be built in Illinois!
| State Senator John Sullivan | State Representative Norine Hammond | ||
| 440 N Lafayette St # 100 | 311 N. Lafayette Street, P.O. Box 170 | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455-1509 | Macomb, Illinois 61455 | ||
| Phone Number: (309) 833-5526 | Phone Number: (309) 836-2707 or (217) 782-0416 |
If you have hunters on your ground or know of hunters who hunt around the area, have them write letters to the board, local representatives or local newspapers to voice their objection to this facility.
Send letters to the editor and let your voice be heard in media outlets across the state. Include your name, address, and phone number with letters. Usually they should be less than 400 words:
| McDonough County Voice | Illinois AgriNews | ||
| Letter to the Editor | James Henry: Letter to the Editor | ||
| 203 North Randolph | 420 Second St. | ||
| Macomb, IL 61455 | La Salle, IL 61301 | ||
| Email: editor@mcdonoughvoice.com | Email: jhenry@agrinews-pubs.com | ||
| The Chicago Tribune | Peoria Journal Star | ||
| Voice of the People | Forum, Journal Star | ||
| 435 N. Michigan Ave. | 1 News Plaza | ||
| Chicago, IL 60611 | Peoria, IL 61643 | ||
| Email: ctc-tribletter@tribunecom | Email: forum@pjstar.com | ||
| The Astoria South Fulton Argus | The Rushville Times | ||
| Attn: Editorial Dept. | Letters to the Editor | ||
| P.O. Box 590 | P.O. Box 226 | ||
| Astoria, IL 61501-0590 | Rushville, IL 62681 | ||
| Email: argus@kkspc.com | Or submit online: http://www.rushvilletimes.com/?page_id=6 | ||
| Hancock County Journal-Pilot | Quincy Herald-Whig | ||
| Letter to the Editor | Letter to the Editor: | ||
| 31 N. Washington St. | 130 S. 5 th Street | ||
| P.O. Box 478 | Quincy, IL 62301 | ||
| Carthage IL 62321 | Email: letters@whig.com | ||
| Email: editor@journalpilot.com | |||
| Daily Gate City | |||
| Letter to the Editor | |||
| 1016 Main Street | |||
| Keokuk, IA 52321 | |||
| Email: dgcbrian@dailygate.com |
Eat meat that you can buy from your local family farmer. If corporations have no one to purchase their meat, they will not have an incentive to build these factories. Click here to find out who you can buy local meat and vegetables from.
STATE...Ways You Can HelpIllinois has some of the most lax restrictions on corporate animal operations in the country. Contact your public officials and tell them you want these Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations regulated to protect family farmers and rural residents.
Write to Governor Pat Quinn thanking him for his continued support of clean water and family farmers and asking him to continue to protect Illinois from corporate pollution.
| Governor Pat Quinn | |
| 207 State House | |
| Springfield, IL 62706 | |
| Phone: 217-782-0244 or 312-814-2121 | |
| www.StandingUpForIllinois.org/contact |
Write to Attorney General Lisa Madigan and ask her to support community groups like RRRA and our rights to clean air and water.
| Attorney General Lisa Madigan | |
| 500 S. Second St | |
| Springfield, IL 62706 | |
| Phone: (217) 782-1090 |
Write to Lt. Governor Sheila Simon and ask her to support our opposition to this facility and our right to clean air and water.
| Sheila Simon, Lt. Governor | |
| 214 State House | |
| Springfield, IL 62706 | |
| Phone: 217-558-3085 | |
| Fax: 217-558-3094 |
Spread the word to all of your family and friends that CAFOs are not the answer for our food and rural future. It may seem small, but many voices can become a roar.
Background1. Who is building this operation?
This facility is proposed by Professional Swine Management LLC and the mega-farm facility Shamrock Acres LLC. Professional Swine Management owns facilities in Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Out-of-state owners are registered as managers of the Shamrock Acres Facility:1.
2. Does Professional Swine Management LLC facilities have a history of polluting rural communities?
Yes. Professional Swine Management (PSM) was sued by Attorney General Lisa Madigan for violating environmental law at a McDonough Co. facility with 3,400 hogs. The facility was openly burning medical waste and dead hog carcasses without any barriers and discharging waste illegally into Troublesome Creek. They were fined $27,000 and ordered to implement corrective measures including an on-site incinerator2.
Currently, PSM is also being sued by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan for pollution in four other counties: Adams, Fulton, McDonough, Schuyler and Hancock (http://www.ipcb.state.il.us/documents/dsweb/Get/Document-68481 . The types of pollution in these lawsuits include:
- Openly burning medical waste and dead hog carcasses
- A manure stream approximately 2 feet wide and 200 yards long flowing into a state waters
- Waterbodies colored purple from waste stocks of dead hogs
- Discolored lakes smelling like swine waste
- 90,000 gallons of waste leaking into a local creek
Local citizens are also suing the corporation's Hilltop View facility in Schuyler Co. for nuisance: Ward, et al. v. Professional Swine Management, Inc., et al., Schuyler County, Illinois Circuit Court, 08 L 02.
3. What will the size of this facility be?
This facility is designated as a large Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). According to the Intent to Construct forms from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the buildings will house 18,220 hogs (8,200 hogs over 55 lbs and 10,020 hogs under 55 lbs). It will consist of the following buildings: Farrowing; Breeding and Gestation; Gilt Developer; Iso Nursery; and Office.
4. What are the human health impacts of these facilities?
Rural farm children traditionally have been less likely to develop asthma. Large CAFOS change that. In a study conducted in Keokuk Co. Iowa of 644 children, 55.8% of children who lived by large swine farms had asthma symptoms. Children who lived on farms without large swine facilities had significantly lower rates of asthma.
The odor is not only offensive, but makes people sick. How often are people exposed to these emissions? Within 2 miles of CAFOS, both resident self-reports and air quality measurement show that on 50 percent of the days randomly tested there was odor detected3. Those exposed to CAFO emissions are 4 more times more likely to report headaches, 6 times more likely to report eye irritation, and 7.8 times more likely to report nausea than those not expose to these emissions4.
These odors affected residents’ ability to sleep, be outside or entertain guests at their home. Studies also show residents who live nearby CAFOs experience increased psychological distress and decreased perceptions of control over their health and well-being5.
5. How do these facilities impact property values?
In a Missouri study, the residential value property loss near a CAFO is estimated at 88.3%6. Other studies show that some farms, including horse and vegetable farms, dropped in value 50-100%7. Residential properties further away from these CAFOs - up to three miles away - experienced a value loss of about 6.6%8.
6. What tax benefits will this facility bring to McDonough Co. and the local Eldorado township?
The tax benefits to the county are negligible. After paying federal, state, and property taxes to the Schuyler-Industry School District, the township will only receive $6,000 yearly. The township will be responsible for maintaining the roads around the facilities, which will rapidly consume this money due to deterioration of roads by truck traffic hauling hogs from these facilities.
7. How much manure will the facility produce?
Using a conservative estimate of eight gallons of waste per day per animal unit9, the CAFO is projected to produce almost 10.5 million gallons of waste per year. This means that estimated waste from the facility alone will be produce over twice the amount of solid waste that is currently produced by humans living in McDonough and Schuyler Counties every single day. We will not know the facility’s waste management plan until 60 days after the CAFO is operating.
In Illinois, this facility will not even be required to have a water permit once it is operating, even though it produces more waste than the residents living in both of the nearby counties.
8. If a CAFO does pollute, are farmers who do not own or operate the CAFO, but agree to put the waste on their fields, also liable?
Yes. Liability for environmental harm from a CAFO can extend to anyone or any entity that has exercised some level of control over the waste when the environmental harm occured. Liability will vary from case to case, but it could extend to the owner of the operation, the owner of the animals, contract operators, and manure handlers. If someone owns land and is accepting the waste from a CAFO, land applying it and a discharge occurs, the landowner could potentially be liable if they were in some way exercising control over the land application.
9. After these facilities leave, who’s left to clean them up?
Local, state, and federal tax payers. Once these CAFOs leave the area, the community and state are left with the costs. The costs of cleaning up US hog and dairy CAFOs nationally could approach $4.1 billion10.
10. How is the water quality near the proposed facility?
The proposed facility will feed into Sugar Creek via Tolan’s Branch. Sugar Creek is already on the EPAs high priority list of polluted waterbodies for fecal cloriform, and has been since 2004 (http://www.epa.state.il.us/water/tmdl/303-appendix/2010/appendix-a2-303d-list-alphabetized-draft-3-26-10.pdf). Fecal cloriform pollution usually comes from the fecal material from humans or animals, and sometimes pulp or paper mills. PSM's former Timberview facility in Schuyler County is currently being sued by Lisa Madigan for discharging waste and purple compounds from decomposing dead hogs into tributaries of Sugar Creek.
11. How can I help?
Please help us stop the permitting of this facility. Currently, the Department of Agriculture is reviewing
the facility’s construction permit. If this gets approved, there’s little we can do to stop the facility from
coming in. Please contact your local and state representatives and your county board officials, and tell them that you do not want these facilities in your county.
- http://www.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/CorporateLlcController?command=mms&fileNbr=03545806&type=MGR ?
- Illinois Attorney General Press Release. "Madigan: Proposed Settlement with McDonough County Swine Operation Addresses Problems." http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/pressroom/2007_01/20070130b.html. ?
- Wing, S., R. A. Horton, S. W. marshall, K. Thu, M. Tajik, L. Schinasi, and S. S. Schiffman. "Air Pollution and Odor in Communities Near Industrial Swine Operations." Environmental Health Perspectives. 116(10): 1362-1368. (2008) ?
- Schiffman, S.S., C. E. Studwell, L.R. Landerman, K. Berman, and J.S. Sundy. "Symptomatic Efforts of Exposure to Diluted Air Sampled from a Swine Confinement Atmosphere on Healthy Human Subjects." Environmental Health Perspectives. 113(5): 567-576. (2005)?
- Bullers, S. "Environmental Stressors, Perceived Control, and Health: The Case of Residents NearLarge-Scale Hog Farms in Eastern North Carolina." Human Ecology. 33(1): 567-76. (2005)?
- Mubarek Hamed, Thomas Johnson, and Kathleen Miller, "The Impacts of Animal Feeding Operations on Rural Land Values," University of Missouri- Columbia Community Policy Analysis Center Report R-99-02 (May, 1999).?
- Kilpatrick, J. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Proximate Property Values. The Appraisal Journal: 301-306. (2001)?
- Mubarek Hamed, Thomas Johnson, and Kathleen Miller, "The Impacts of Animal Feeding Operations on Rural Land Values," University of Missouri- Columbia Community Policy Analysis Center Report R-99-02 (May, 1999).?
- The facility will have 3,580.6 animal units. Swine weighing over 55 pounds are multiplied by .4, and swine weighing less than 55 pounds are multiplied by .03.Field bordering McDonough and Schuyler Counties nearby the proposed mega hog factory.?
- Union of Concerned Scientists. "CAFOs Uncovered - The Untold Costs of Confined Animal Feeding Operations." (2008)?
RRRA In the News
RRRA and Prairie Rivers Network Pleased With Department of Agriculture Ruling
State Department Wants More Details on Proposed Hog Confinement
RRRA Member Wins Lawsuit Against Department of Agriculture
No Permit Issued For Shamrock Acres
Hog Confinement Opposition Have Lived In Area For Generations
McDonough County Board Split on Hog Confinement Recommendation
Judge Will Decide Whether or Not to Release Hog Farm Designs
Ag Lobbyist Nic Anderson Turns Reader 'Off' Pork
Anthropologist Warns of CAFO Impacts on Rural Communities
Judge Denies IDOA's Move to DIsmiss Case
RRRA Member Sues Illinois Department of Agriculture for Documents
Proposed Hog Farm Creates Ruckus
Review of Public Meeting on Shamrock Acres LLC
Purchase Meat Responsibly or Cut Back
Macomb Residents Stand Side By Side With Rural McDonough County
WGEM: Hundreds Attend Hearing on Controversial Hog Farm
McDonough County Voice: Opinion Opportunity
KHQA: Two Sides Butt Heads Over Proposed Industrial-Scale Hog Farm
PJ Star: Landowner CLAIMS Ownership Change at Hearing
WIUM: Raising a Stink About McDonough County Hog Farm
Macomb Residents Stand Together With Rural Residents
Hog Corporation Invaders Invoke Image of British Colonizers
Is This What You Want for Your Country?
The Voice of Personal Loss at the Hand of CAFOs
Impacts of Hog Confinement Odor on Future Generation
Mr. Hollis's Assertions Simply Are Not True
Professional Swine Management's Propaganda
Correcting Mr. Hollis, Vice President of Professional Swine Management
McDonough Co. Voice Covers Proposed Shamrock Acres Facility
Radio Show Covers local RRRA Farmer and Professional Swine Management Pollution
McDonough County Board Votes for Public Meeting
In the Spotlight: Using Symbol of Irish Freedom On This Farm Is Insulting
In the Spotlight: It's Time To Hold CAFOs Accountable
Shamrock Acres: An Irish Perspective
Hunter talks about property loses from hog factory
McDonough County Citizens Expect an Answer from Sullivan and Hammond
McDonough County Board Votes for Public Meeting
Proposed Hog Farm Will be Subject of Hearing
In the Spotlight: Huge Hog Farms Are Hostile Incursion
Public Broadcasting: Proposed Hog Farm will be Subject of Hearing
A Response to 12-year-old's letter
12-year-old has questions for proposed hog farm
Proposed McDonough County hog confinement threatens 'Angel Lane'
Stop the Hog Factory Proliferation in Schuyler County:
RRRA refutes PSM's misinformation
Another huge hog confinement for Professional Swine Management
Families Fight Plans for Large Hog Farm
Contact Us
We want to share our stories with you of how this facility threatens our community’s future. Below are pictures that many of our group members have taken of the homes and farms that they love.
Email: RRRAgriculture@gmail.com
Phone: (309) 254-3228