Sept. 7, 2023 www.investigatemidwest.org Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
Hog farms could contribute to unsafe drinking water
Platte Center, a small town in eastern Nebraska, recently dug a new municipal well for drinking water. Nitrate, which can cause cancer if ingested, had infiltrated the previous one.
Decades of applying fertilizer to cornfields around Platte Center might be responsible for the nitrate in the drinking water, but there could be another culprit. The area around the town is dotted with hog farms — including those owned by Pillen Family Farms, the company Jim Pillen, Nebraska’s governor, founded.
Across the state, wells near Pillen Family Farms’ hog operations have recorded high levels of nitrates. One had a reading so high, one expert said, the water was basically fertilizer.
This is the second story in our series with the Flatwater Free Press on Nebraska’s governor and the business he built.
— Sky Chadde, assistant editor/senior reporter
Pillen’s Water: High nitrate detected on hog farms owned by Nebraska’s governor
By Yanqi Xu, Flatwater Free Press
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s hog operations bring jobs and prosperity to the Platte Center area near his hometown. They also may bring risk to Platte Center’s drinking water.
The town had to dig a new municipal well three years ago, after another well recorded nitrate at nearly 12 parts per million. That’s higher than the level the federal government says is safe to drink.
Read more.
PART ONE: Pillen’s Rise: After building pork empire, Nebraska’s governor stands at intersection of state and ag power
PART TWO TAKEAWAYS: Pigs and Power, Story 2: What you need to know
4 DAYS AWAY: Join us Sunday in Iowa City for this event
MORE DETAILS: Read about the Sept. 10 Sunset on the Farm.
VIDEO: Check out past Sunsets on the Farm. We hope to see you.
GRAPHIC: Which states produce the most ‘cow burps’?
By Ben Felder, Investigate Midwest
Let's talk about enteric fermentation, aka, cow burps. Enteric fermentation is the methane released by livestock, most of it from cows belching, which accounts for about one-third of all agriculture-related greenhouse gases.
Search the graphic.
Opinion: Big Meat rooting for Triumph Foods to torpedo Massachusetts Question 3
By Dave Dickey, Columnist
Triumph Foods paid attention when the U.S. Supreme Court took on California's Proposition 12, Dave Dickey opines in his latest column. He writes: "Missouri-based pork producer Triumph Foods sells pork in lots of places, including Massachusetts, which is in the process of instituting its Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals (Question 3), a law similar to Prop 12." Read more.
MORE NEWS FROM CIRLE OF BLUE: Offering up advice for farmers, universities add to US water pollution
