Large scale farms qualify as environmental pollution sources
02 July 2018
According to Sacoby Wilson, Professor at University of Maryland, the activities of large scale farms in the US should be more regulated. Large scale farms have been defined as sources of pollution under the Clean Water Act. This means they should have to obtain permits to discharge waste into rivers, streams or surface waters. But, due to industry pushback and lobbying, only 33 % of large farms in the US operate with such permits. In order for large farms and communities to coexist harmoniously, the governmental regulations on factory farm emissions and discharges should be strengthened. Additionally, the regulators should provide incentives for large farms to invest in sustainable technologies and alternative waste management systems and to publicly report quality and safety data and expected impacts on nearby communities.