Close the Stockwatering Loophole for Factory Farms As Tracy Loew, Statesman Journal reporter, wrote in a March 24, 2018 article, “Water is a finite natural resource.” Yet, a stockwatering loophole in Oregon law has allowed mega-dairies in Eastern Oregon to use water from an endangered aquifer that has otherwise been off limits to new wells since 1976. (And for those who don’t know, stockwatering is literally the water given to “stock”, in this case cows, to drink.) In 1976, the critical groundwater areas were designated to address groundwater level declines near Boardman. The designations closed the areas to new permits to use groundwater, but they specifically allowed for new exempt uses, which do not require a water appropriation permit, such as stockwatering. However, much has changed in animal agriculture, especially the dairy industry, since this time. In 1974, Morrow county had 38,258 total cows and calves. By 2017, the county had 149,340 total cows and calves. Instead of many small farms with animals dispersed on pasture, Oregon is now home to large mega-dairies with tens of thousands of cows confined to produce milk--much of which is now exported abroad--a trend that began in the late 1990s. It is hard to imagine that policy makers concerned with critical groundwater levels envisioned dairy operations using the stockwatering exemption to water over 100,000 confined cows, a sentiment also alluded to in the Statesman Journal article, which states “it’s time to slam this loophole shut.” The Stand Up to Factory Farms coalition, of which FoFF is a member, strongly agrees and on October 5th, filed a legal petition urging the Oregon Water Resources Commission to restrict new mega-dairy’s use of groundwater in eastern Oregon where special protections are needed. Read the full petition here. In response to the coalition’s petition, the Oregon Water Resources Department issued a Notice of Petition for Rule Amendment or Rulemaking and Invitation for Public Comment. Comments are due by 5pm on Thursday, November 12th. This is a great opportunity to support FoFF’s actions and take a stand against industrial agriculture in Oregon. |
