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EPA declares Hay a pollutant....???

vintagelover229

vintagelover229

Ideal_Rock
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Jan 23, 2008
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Can some one PLEASE explain this to me because I'm really NOT understanding why, am I missing something here?

More importantly, what impact will this have on our farmers and our agriculture? Not sure if you guys realize that between the massive rain shortage we've had in areas of the mid-west/Texas as well as the flooding that happened in Nebraska/Iowa that there will probably be shortages of corn because of the major damage to crops (btw the US doesn't store any thing from year to year any more in preparation for shortages anymore, so we'll have to rely on imported goods to make up for the loss that our crops saw, and corn is HUGE because it feeds our cattle, chickens, gets ground up for food, used in fuel/etc)


http://www.northernag.net/AGNews/tabid/171/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4708/R-CALF-EPA-Declares-Hay-a-Pollutant.aspx
 
Interesting - not sure what to make of it either!
 
This. Is. Stupid.
 
vintagelover229|1315323315|3010721 said:
Vitamin B-6 is also declared a "drug" and banned by the FDA. Figure that one out :nono:

http://www.ironmagazine.com/blog/2009/fda-is-declaring-vitamin-b-6-a-drug/
http://www.naturalnews.com/025606.html


I think the FDA is on a bit of a power trip if you ask me and needs to be put back in their place.
Click to expand...


I agree 100%.


I wonder how they plan to enforce control on every horse owner, cattle owner, anyone who feeds hay to livestock.

Hay breaks down, it decomposes back into the soil. I'm not quite sure how they can call it a pollutant. Any pesticides used on it would also eventually break down. They can't deny livestock a way of eating. That's animal cruelty. Would make an interesting law suit.
 
Edited. Question was answered.
 
If you're interested in understanding regulatory issues I would suggest reading the regulations themselves as well as using actual news sources to get information, vs. reading niche publications devoid of facts. :rolleyes:

This is the problem with the internet.
 
This article is grossly exaggerated. The real issue is contamination of ground water. When farmers make silage they wrap round bales with a thick plastic. During decomposition, the fermentation process releases dangerous gases. If the plastic is punctured and that gas escapes and gets into the ground water, it could be a problem. However, farmers are more aware of their water supply than anyone else. Farmers know they have to keep these storage areas far from the house, kids, animals, etc. There's really nothing that will change for the most part. Some more record keeping, perhaps, but no one is taking hay away from anyone.
 
somethingshiny said:
This article is grossly exaggerated. The real issue is contamination of ground water. When farmers make silage they wrap round bales with a thick plastic. During decomposition, the fermentation process releases dangerous gases. If the plastic is punctured and that gas escapes and gets into the ground water, it could be a problem. However, farmers are more aware of their water supply than anyone else. Farmers know they have to keep these storage areas far from the house, kids, animals, etc. There's really nothing that will change for the most part. Some more record keeping, perhaps, but no one is taking hay away from anyone.
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Thanks you somethingshiny: THIS is what I needed to know, hence the ????? mark in the topic.


ETA: Just a question really quick: If this is the case, why don't they come up with a more safe way to store it? Instead of the FDA regulating it isn't there a better way and more eco friendly instead of plastic to use?
 
Vintage - For round bales it is something of a challenge. Farmers will have to find a way of keeping round bales tight without having the wrap rot or break down if it gets in any kind of elements. They also have to find something that won't transfer mold spores to the hay. Moldy hay = dead livestock. Square bales are generally kept with baling twine, but they are smaller and get used quicker. They also don't necessarily go through as much transport.

I do see where the wrapping could be an issue. It's important that it is disposed of properly once the bale is deposited into a field for feeding. I'm actually a bit surprised that they aren't trying to find a way to recycle it.
 
vintagelover229|1315323315|3010721 said:
Vitamin B-6 is also declared a "drug" and banned by the FDA. Figure that one out :nono:

http://www.ironmagazine.com/blog/2009/fda-is-declaring-vitamin-b-6-a-drug/
http://www.naturalnews.com/025606.html


I think the FDA is on a bit of a power trip if you ask me and needs to be put back in their place.
Click to expand...

Really?!? I'm a big fan of food being inspected and drugs being tested. I wish that the FDA was given more funding so that more drugs could be tested for a wider variety of diseases and so that food coming into our country and being shipped from place to place was more regularly inspected. I can't imagine why anyone would want to go back to a free for all, the cheapest way is the best way, who cares if some people die scenario. Yes, I read the Jungle in 7th grade and never forgot it. Plus those photos of dead babies in China whose formula was full of poison because "industry would never hurt the people."

Two seconds of googling cleared up why B-6 is now being regulated, not banned, and for very good reason.
 
I have spent the past several months working on water quality regulation and our research is highlighting the ways agricultural and industrial processes contaminate drinking water, often risking the public health. When it comes to environmental regulations, actions that facially sound absurd turn out to make a lot of sense when you look a little closer. Maybe government agencies need better PR people.
 
There are a few places that are figuring out how to recycle the plastics used. There is another method in which the hay (or whatever is being used) is put into silos. Although plastics are not necessary then, the fermentation process releases a nitric acid liquid which is far worse than it is in the plastics.
Silage is more easily digestible since it's basically already chewed. That means the animals don't have to use as much energy (and heat) to eat or digest. That's why farmers like it for the winter months.

Also, in addition to df's mention of moldy hay being deadly, there are animals such as possums that will defecate in hay. They carry disease that kills equine livestock. So, silaging is a way to protect the livestock that we (non-veggies) depend on for our food. I'm in an area where silage is everywhere and I am unconcerned with this "pollution" issue.
 
SS - Good post, and points. I wish there was more silage here. Unfortunately there isn't. There are alfalfa cubes which can be added to feed, but horses and cattle are grazing animals. They need to have consistent forage. Many people no longer have the large amounts of and needed to support grazing animals on natural grazing only. In winter, it is more economical to get round bales than it is to get square. It reduces cost, and any hay they don't eat, neighboring goat and cattle owners will purchase, or it can be used for bedding for other outdoor animals.

I didn't know that about opossums. :shock: Fortunately we haven't ever had any around our house.
 
Thanks for following up, eyes. That puts it all in perspective!
 
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