Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Raise Your Paddle in Support of Protecting the Buffalo River!

What: A float to raise awareness about potential threats to the Buffalo

Where: Grinder's Ferry Access by the Hwy. 65 bridge just north of the entrance to Tyler Bend.

When: Saturday, July 5th (weather permitting) We hope to launch by 10 am- arrive early to take part in vehicle shuttles and boat decorating.

The Plan: If enough people come, we can divide into two groups, one going over to Baker Ford to float to Grinder's Ferry, and the other floating from Grinder's Ferry to Gilbert. A group of us plans to arrive early Friday to claim a camping area on the gravel bar at Grinder's Ferry and will make room if you want to join us either Friday or Saturday night. We had a great turnout for out for our first protest flotilla!

On Saturday, July 5th, a group of concerned AR paddlers, going by the name Ozark Water Stewards, will lead the 2nd protest float on the Buffalo River. The purpose is to call attention to, and help spread the word about, the danger of impairment posed by a hog factory farm that is operating in the watershed. Leaking lagoons and the spreading of tons on liquid waste on pastures along Big Creek, a major tributary of the Buffalo, constitute a clear threat to the beauty and safety of our first National River, yet many people who love the river remain unaware of the situation.

We will begin gathering at 8:00 am Saturday to decorate our boats with signs banners, balloons, pennants, and anything else we can think of to make us stand out from those who are just out for a day's paddle. We will have signs and decorations to share, but encourage people to be creative if they want to make their own decorations. Once on the river, we politely engage other paddlers to ask if they already know about the factory hog farm. We have packets with waterproof information cards and stickers to pass out to anyone who is interested in knowing more

To see photos from our first protest flotilla held over Memorial Day weekend, and to learn more about the Ozarks River Stewards, go to http://www.SavetheBuffaloRiver.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; For weather updates or for more information, email linwellford@gmail.com or call 870 480-8644.

What everyone needs to know: we are NOT against farmers. But CAFOs are not farms. They are indoor feedlots that produce millions of gallons of untreated waste. This kind of industrial production is not sustainable. The EPA estimates that more than 135,000 river miles have been degrading by CAFOs over the past three decades. Cargill and other huge corporations make the profits while Arkansas taxpayers will be stuck with the bill to clean up our shared resources.

What is CAFO?
CAFO stands for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation and it refers to a farming system that involves raising numerous animals in a relatively small space. From the term “concentrated”, a large number of animals is involved and subjected to a limited space. This concept of farming is said to be more efficient and cost-effective for the farm owners. Common animals that are raised through the CAFO system include pigs, chickens, and veal calves.

A typical CAFO involves a small land area intended for growing farm animals, along with the space for feeding and dumping of wastes like urine and manure. Most CAFO farms have buildings or structures that help confine the animals to a very limited space. Feeds for the animals are usually brought to them in their specific areas or cages, instead of having them eat at a particular part of a grazing field. Some CAFOs also have automated feeding systems where food may come out of different tubes and containers on the different cages. And since a large number of animals are confined to a limited space, much of the waste materials like urine and feces are also concentrated on the farming area. Most farms have sewage lagoons or small landfills to handle this concern.

Many people though do not approve of the CAFO system when it comes to raising farm animals. Some animal activists believe that CAFO system imposes cruelty on animals as they are subjected to a very limited space. Many also argue that the feeding programs and techniques involved in this farming system are not adequate to supply the nutritional needs of the farm animals. With automated feeding systems, the animals are fed with only generic food items which do not meet up with nutritional standards. Some also argue about the sanitation practices of CAFO farms, since the animals are living in confined spaces. Many of these animals are said to acquire illnesses easily because of inadequate nutrition on feeds and because of poor sanitation.

[I had to look it up, so thought I'd post.] :)

Thanks for your post, Charles. Another disturbing factor about this type of industrial scale 'farming' is that the waste produced is usually far more than mere land application can handle. The hog farm now operating in the BR watershed is estimated to generate as much raw waste as a city the size of Russellville. Imagine a small city deciding that rather than using a sewage treatment plant, they will simply spray sewage onto the surrounding fields. Beyond the odor, the pathogens involved in hog waste are similar to those that humans are vulnerable to. Remember, humans can accept replacement heart valves from hogs. Do we need to be exposing ourselves and our families to this kind of risk? In a karst area with minimal top soil, transmission of land-applied waste into the ground water, the springs and ultimately, the river, is inevitable.

Cargill and other multi-national conglomerates will tell you that they must operate these kinds of facilities to produce enough meat for growing demand. Fact: the demand for pork in the US has actually fallen over the past two decades. BUT the demand from China has grown exponentially. Cargill owns the pigs and most of the profit, but C&H is solely responsible for getting rid of the feces and urine. Ultimately, it is all of us who will end up paying to clean up the mess that is left behind- as we tax-payers did to clean up the Illinois River. It's a neat system for big agri: they privatize the profits and socialize the true costs of production. And we let them get away with it. That's why we are going to be out on the river this Saturday. People need to understand what is as stake.