As President Barack Obama proposes his federal budget for the 2017 fiscal year, our nation’s water infrastructure is in the forefront of many Americans’ minds. With the Flint, Mich., water crisis still making headlines, it is clear that clean water is scarcer than many of us would like to imagine.
In order to properly address this issue, we must first recognize the source of our dirty water.
Minnesota’s water is threatened every day by corporate agri-businesses and the irresponsible practices of their factory farms.
Unlike the traditional farms we see in movies, factory farms represent an era of industrialized farming that overpopulates its feedlots and over-fertilizes its land. By cramming too many animals in too little space, these farms are left with more waste than they can properly handle.
This excess manure, full of bacteria and toxic chemicals, sits on top of the land, only to get washed away into our rivers and streams.
It is important to allocate money to rescue people whose water is poisoned, but wouldn’t it be better to stop this poisoning from ever occurring in the first place? Corporate agri-businesses must adopt more responsible practices so that our water can stay clean and safe.
Colin Supple
University student