The Susquehanna Chapter of the Sierra Club meets at 7:30 p.m. on Tues., December 17 at
Central United Methodist Church, 17 Nanticoke Ave., Endicott
The topic is: “Relaxing of NYS Regulations on Dairy Farms – Threats to Our Water So We Can Have More Greek Yogurt,” with speaker Erin Riddle.
Recent media attention highlighted Gov. Cuomo’s attempt to change the regulations for CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), raising the threshold requirement for a permit from 199 animal units to 299. As a result, the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter filed a lawsuit challenging NYS’s decision as a violation of the Clean Water Act.
But what are CAFOs, how adequately are they regulated, and what impact do they have on public health, local democracy, local food systems, rural economies, and animals? Riddle will offer some observations in response to these questions and some potential solutions.
Riddle was born on a small dairy farm in Salamanca, Cattaraugus County, NY, and has since lived in several cities across the state. She chairs the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter (SCAC) Farm & Food Committee, serves on the SCAC Executive Committee and the Susquehanna Group Executive Committee. In addition, she is coordinator of the SCAC campaign to pass a mandatory GMO labeling law in NYS. Currently she is finishing up a Ph.D. program at Binghamton University and teaches at Elmira College.
The public is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Scott Lauffer at: lauffer.scott@gmail.com.