Beef giant's partnership with Amish farmers sparks pollution crisis
State investigations reveal that industrial farming partnerships in the Amish community are polluting water sources in three Midwest states with mismanaged cattle manure.
Keith Schneider reports for Circle of Blue.
In short:
- Amish farmers in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana partnered with JBS Foods to establish large-scale cattle operations producing 7 million pounds of manure daily, causing widespread water contamination.
- State agencies cited multiple farms for violations, including uncontained manure runoff polluting streams and wetlands with harmful nitrates and ammonia.
- Local communities, unprepared for industrial farming's environmental fallout, are voicing concerns over the long-term impact on water quality and public health.
Key quote:
“How is it possible to let 100,000 animals, and all the nitrates and phosphorus that they produce, come into the watershed that we’re investing millions and millions, if not billions of dollars, to protect?”
— Sandy Bihn, executive director of Lake Erie Waterkeeper.
Why this matters:
What’s unfolding is a collision of industrial agriculture and rural tradition, with Amish farmers navigating partnerships that bring in big money but leave behind big environmental problems. For the surrounding communities, the question remains: Can small towns stand up to corporate giants when their water—and their health—is on the line?
Read our full series: Peak Pig: The fight for the soul of rural America.
