8 Disgusting Facts About Hog Poop

It’s not just the stink: Those who live near factory hog farms report headaches, coughing, wheezing, and diarrhea.


Manure isn’t supposed to smell good. But people living near hog farms complain of unbearable stenches that affect their health and essentially keep them prisoners in their own homes. The Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate manure odor, and neither do most states. In the May/June 2014 issue of Mother Jones, Bridget Huber writes about two attorneys bringing odor nuisance suits against Big Pork—and winning their hog stink-affected clients at least $32 million to date.

So just how much poop are we talking about here? And what’s it really like to be neighbors with a factory hog farm? A few facts to keep in mind:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more Mother Jones coverage of mysterious exploding poop foam.

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And we need your support like never before to vigorously fight back against the existential threats American democracy and journalism face. We’re running behind our online fundraising targets and urgently need all hands on deck right now. We can’t afford to come up short—we have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

Please help with a donation today if you can—even just a few bucks helps. Not ready to donate but interested in our work? Sign up for our Daily newsletter to stay well-informed—and see what makes our people-powered, not profit-driven, journalism special.

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