I hope my letter will wake up the people of Illinois to see what is really happening here in Williamsfield, where we have a hog factory going into operation at this very moment. We have no meaningful regulations on how to control lagoons. Sure, they can set up a "state of the art" swine farrowing and nursery facility, have an open house and impress everybody, but the lagoons are the problem. We know how efficient the building are operated. We know the hogs will have it made, but what about the neighbors and community? With no strong regulations on spills, leaks, and odor from the lagoons, can we believe the owners or operators will volunteer to spend the money to do so?

Our lawmakers have sided against rational restrictions on mega hog factories so far and it is obvious to me why. Money talks, but people's right to clean air and water doesn't--expecially when it involves no more votes than eastern Knox County can provide.

As I read the papers and watched the TV coverage last weekend, I realized that there are those in our area that have sided with the mega hog farm, hoping to make a profit from it. I agree, a man has the right to do what he wants on his own land, but he does not have the right to poison my air or my water in doing so. Wake up people, owners of limited lability corporations have the resources in this day and age to dwindle your property values, ruin your favorite fishin' hole, pollute your well, discourage taxpayers from moving into your school district, and force you to move from your home.

Mega hog factories are taking pork production away from the independent family farmers. That is one less option a young farmer has to try to make it in the farming business. Leave the farming up to the independent family farmers, not millionaire out-of-state investors.