MEET THE COUNTY WAGING WAR AGAINST BIG PORK
MEET THE COUNTY WAGING WAR AGAINST BIG PORK
Battleground, a short film from The Humane League, tells the story of one Wisconsin county’s fight to protect land, water, people, and animals.
“Skin sores. Vomiting. Muscle aches. Chemical burns to the respiratory tract, skin and eyes. Chronic lung disease. Chronic bronchitis. Lockjaw. Difficulty breathing. Death.”
These are some of the health risks associated with the raw manure and wastewater that come churning out of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. And these are some of the health risks Polk County residents uncovered in their desperate fight to stop a CAFO from destroying the place they call home.
“I never call them farms,” says Lisa Doerr, a local farmer who has lived in Wisconsin for decades and is helping to lead the fight against Big Pork. “Because they aren’t farms. They’re factories.”
In neighboring Iowa, pigs outnumber people seven to one. CAFOs have contaminated the water and polluted the air. Now, hog operations have their eye on a new target: the as-yet-uncontaminated areas of Wisconsin. Polk County residents have been waging a David v. Goliath battle to stop them.
Their goal? Protecting their people, their land, and their water—by regulating livestock factories and forcing them to account for the millions of gallons of dangerous pollution they create.
Inside CAFOs, corporations create hell on earth for animals. Mother pigs are immobilized in crates so small, they can’t even turn around. Piglets are subjected to horrific mutilations on a daily basis. Says one resident: "It’s
Hundreds of people have been turning out for the county meeting every month. Despite every lawsuit Big Pork throws their way, surrounding towns have been united in protecting their area from the livestock industry.
Grassroots fights like these are unfolding all across the United States—and the world. Communities like Polk County are proving that people can win out over profits. Compassion can win out over cruelty. And you can join the fight to take back our food system from the iron grip of money-hungry corporations.
Sign up to watch Battleground—and join the movement to end factory farming for good. Are you with us?
SIGN UP TO WATCH THE FILM
If you believe Big Meat shouldn’t be allowed to profit off the suffering of people and animals, sign up to watch Battleground—and get updates on how to join The Humane League in fighting back against the harms of factory farming.
