Newspapers around Iowa in recent years continually report huge fish kills and now "superbug'' antibiotic-resistant bacteria in many of our lakes and waterways.
The Department of Natural Resources reported in 1994 that no river or stream supports all of its designated potential use. Why then, do so many agricultural groups suggest and insist more scientific data is needed?
The truth is they are stalling for time to build more livestock and poultry confinements combined with the fear of any meaningful regulation that would make them less powerful and profitable.
Do not believe for one second that our legislators have a grip on this problem. The only agreements we got have very little to do with water quality because of a strong lobbying effort by the likes of Iowa Farm Bureau.
We cannot assume that manure management plans are actually followed, or that when they are they avoid manure runoff and leaching into the aquifer.
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The same reasoning goes to those seeking public office who distastefully accept questionable campaign contributions. Can they honestly take care of the people's interests?
A few thousand concerned citizens will not stop the arrogance of the powerful -- it will take the informed urban voter and those willing to cross party lines to vote for legislators who have a true passion and knowledge for responsible and socially acceptable agriculture.
Many talk the talk, but are muzzled by the influence of Farm Bureau and others. We must demand a statewide building moratorium to force politicians to act promptly for clean water, extensive manure management plans, social justice and overall stricter enforcement in the future.
-- Bobby Wolfram, Ventura, Iowa
