Massachusetts' first and only factory style hog farm

Massachusetts largest hog facility

In Suburban Boston

It is well known that facilities like this are a serious concern. Enormous amounts of feces and urine are stored and spread and composted on fields in this suburban neighborhood. If it can happen in this neighborhood yours can be next.

This is not a typical farm. We believe it is Massachusetts' largest hog operation and first Factory Style Hog Operation. Yes, the odors have been reduced somewhat this past year.** We applaud Krochmal Farm for installing a system that seems to abate the odors somewhat.

**While we seemed to have relief from the terrible odors over the winter of 2009-2010 the odors have made a terrible comeback this spring and summer particularly in Wilmington. It is our understanding the Odor Control machine installed at the farm had broken down late spring for a while. It is also our understanding that the handling of hog waste and compost at the Wilmington portion of the farm continues to cause serious odors for the residents of Wilmington and parts of Tewksbury.

The question has been raised: How can an odor control machine in the waste tank reduce odors from the hog waste composting/handling/spreading nearly a mile away?

This question has never been answered.

And odors are not the only concern.

There is more to this than odors, there are real environmental concerns regarding such an enormous amount of waste - feces and urine - that are stored and spread on field here. If this was a half-million gallon septic tank that was emptied on fields it would be considered a disaster. There are sizeable fines for allowing septic leaks. Why is this okay?

Officials at some level need to make meaningful regulation now that ensures this waste is managed properly. It's not asking anything more than we ask other businesses.

This operation was changed into a factory farm when this operation built a finishing building without building permits or notification. We believe most farmers don't think this what a normal farm really is. Our elected officials should draw a distinction between traditional farming and this form of farming where hogs are confined, don't graze and live every day inside over an enormous open tank of their own waste.

This operation has adversely affected three towns and damages the quality of life of residents, workers and students at a school. Those that want to promote this factory style of farming are fighting hard against us and misleading you as to what we are about. This neighborhood has existed as long as the farm. This is not a case of a lone farm suddenly surrounded by new homes.

According to Building Dept. records (submitted almost three years after the fact) a 1500 capacity finisher building was installed at Krochmal Farms, LLC without permits (see violation notice here) and apparently no one in the Town or neighborhood was notified. The construction of this factory hog facility coincides with a large increase of noxious odors and neighbor complaints. This finisher building's tank holds almost a half-million gallons of hog waste. It has numerous enormous fans that eject poisonous gases out of the building and into the air of neighborhood. The Mass. Dept. of Agricultural Resources says this building is "not prevalent in Massachusetts where pig farms are generally smaller". This building has 50 inch fans which force the gases that emanate from the pigs' waste into the air of our neighborhood that grew along with this farm. This is a suburban residential neighborhood in a town with almost 30,000 people. This waste is kept directly below the pigs in a large, storage tank that can hold almost a HALF MILLION GALLONS OF WASTE near wetlands and only a matter of feet from homes. The fans keep the pigs from being asphyxiated and poisoned by these gases. This building was constructed without building permits, without oversight from the Conservation Commission or Board of Health and without notifying abutters.

Our Goal:

We demand breathable air and clean water in our neighborhood.

1. Factory Farm Definitions
2. Ch 5 ABC Boston: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/17550544/index.html
3. EPA: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/8b160ae5c647980585256bba0066f907/9e8b35342f6e54b085256b4200603804!OpenDocument

Home | Health | Law & Regulations | News & Press | Testimonials | Odor Control | Officials | Join | Track the Odor | Contact

!