Myth vs. Reality

The following are beliefs and statements made by some who
misunderstand, or possibly mean to deceive you about our situation.

	Myth:	Reality:
	The farm was there first...	According to a Tewksbury Selectman who testified at the Massachusetts Statehouse, Krochmal Farm began operating circa 1958-1959. Numerous homes were built here before that time and many people have resided here longer than the people who own the farm. Most of the residents were here before the farm changed into a factory in virtual secrecy.
	It's just a farm...	It is a confined animal feeding operation. Often referred to as a factory farm. It wasn't before 2004-2005. Some of the media portray it as a regular farm because there is a petting zoo and recreational area hundreds of yards away from where the hog factory was constructed without building permits, and surrounded by woods.
	It's just a smell...	Odor is particulate matter of whatever it is a person is smelling. Residents here breathe particles of hog waste
	The smells aren't harmful...	According to results from the study “Viability of Bioaerosols from a Swine Facility"¹ published at www.FarmWeb.org: "Bioaerosol measurements were taken at a 500 sow farrow-to-finish operation" (Krochmal Farm has a 1500-head finishing building) "Results of this study confirmed that airborne microorganisms are still viable after traveling considerable distances."
	The neighborhood activists don't appreciate farmers.	Ridiculous. Every person eating a meal today should appreciate hard working farmers. We're simply concerned with one farm that recently changed into an industrial, factory style hog operation that is damaging the quality of life of people in two towns. Many farmers and well-known farm organizations reject this style of raising animals.
	You shouldn't have moved there if you don't like farm odors...	The severity and occurrence rate of odors from a factory style hog operation, with a half-million gallon waste storage tank, are not comparable to those of a typical family farm. The "finisher building" was recently built without building permits in a densely populated suburb of Boston behind a wooded area. For years prospective homebuyers were unable obtain any records showing what really existed there because they didn't exist...
	The few complainers are just tree-hugging zealots...	Over 350 people, of various ages, races, incomes, political persuasion, etc. signed a petition demanding action from the Board of Health. This petition was taken only to streets near the farm. A similar number filled a local school auditorium at a meeting regarding the extreme odors.
	The complainers are "Yuppies in McMansions"...	This kind of disparaging and insulting remark is usually made by people who haven't been here, or maybe by those who would like to deceive you. This is a long established neighborhood. The vast majority of the homes in this neighborhood are older and a small percentage are newer. The people here are of varying incomes. But, that is all irrelevant... All of the homes in this neighborhood pre-date the not-permitted construction of the finishing building.

1. Controlling Odor and Gaseous Emission Problems from Industrial Swine Facilities
http://www.farmweb.org/Articles/Controlling%20Odor%20and%20Gaseous%20Emission%20Problems%20from%20Industrial%20Swine%20Facilities.pdf