In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Jake Borg

Subclaim 1: Factory farms have the biggest impact on poor and nonwhite communities. “Several studies have shown that a disproportionate number of swine concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are located in low-income and nonwhite areas and near low-income and nonwhite schools. These facilities and the hazardous agents associated with them are generally unwanted in local communities and are often thrust upon those sectors with the lowest levels of political influence” (Donham 318). “ Low-income communities and populations that experience institutional discrimination based on race have higher susceptibilities to CAFO impacts due to poor housing, low income, poor health status, and lack of access to medical care” (Donham 318). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Factory farms are placed in areas heavily affected by institutional discrimination because the people living there have little power to do anything about it.

Subclaim 1: Factory farms have the biggest impact on poor and nonwhite communities. “We examined the locations of 67 industrial hog operations in relation to race and poverty in neighboring census block groups in Mississippi. We found that the majority of the Mississippi’s industrial hog operations are located in areas with high percentages of African Americans and persons in poverty. This evidence supports the idea that industrial pollution sources are disproportionately located in proximity to non-White and low income communities” (Wilson 199). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Non-white and low income communities surrounding industrialized farming operations are more susceptible to negative health and environmental issues due to discriminatory polluting practices.

Working in factory farms cause adverse physical health effects. Subclaim 2: Working in factory farms cause adverse physical health effects. “ …workers suffer from respiratory diseases including bronchitis, mucus membrane irritation, asthma like syndrome, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Recent findings substantiate anecdotal observations that a small proportion of workers experience acute respiratory symptoms early in their work history that may be sufficiently severe to cause immediate withdrawal from the work place” (Donham 318). “Environmental assessments of air quality inside livestock buildings reveal unhealthful concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, inhalable particulate matter, and endotoxin” (Wing 234). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Corporate interests are of greater importance than the health of workers.

Factory farms cause psychological stress on nearby residents. Subclaim 3: Factory farms cause psychological stress on nearby residents. “Researches found no associations between nearby residence and either anxiety or depression with a sample of 18 respondents, Schiffman et al. (1995) found significant effects of odor on the mental health of nearby residents. In Schiffman et al.’s study, residents reported significantly more tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion than control subjects” (Bullers 6). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Due to their unpleasant smell, factory farms cause significant mental stress to nearby residents.

Factory farms cause psychological stress on nearby residents. Subclaim 3: Factory farms cause psychological stress on nearby residents. “Greater self-reported depression and anxiety were found among North Carolina residents living near CAFOs” (Donham 319). “Greater CAFO-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cognitions have been reported among Iowans living in an area of CAFO concentration compared with Iowans living in an area of a low concentration of livestock production” (Donham 319). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? Self reporting on mental health affects lead to inconsistencies from study to study. However, all studies reported some sort of mental stress with varying degrees of severity.

Factory farms hurt local economies. Subclaim 4: Factory farms hurt local economies. “Economic concentration of agricultural operations tends to remove a higher percentage of money from rural communities than when the industry is dominated by smaller farm operations, which tend to circulate money within the community” (Donham 320). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? In areas with large industrial agriculture operations, corporations keep the money, not the farmers and communities.

Factory farms hurt local economies. Subclaim 4: Factory farms hurt local economies. ”…studies found that the local spending decline was related to enlargement in scale of individual livestock operations rather than crop production. These findings consistently show that the social and economic well- being of local rural communities benefits from increasing the number of farmers, not simply increasing the volume of commodity produced” (Kolbe 420). In what ways do factory farms affect the wellbeing of those living in the communities surrounding them? With the number of farmers decreasing, local communities are seeing less money coming in, leading to less spending.

What’s Next? Find more varied sources. Tie in environment with wellbeing and public health. More environmental effects. Find more sources involving mental illness. More specificity in regards to economies.