After Florence, Farm Animal Death Toll Could Be in Millions
*By Max Godnick*
Florence may be over, but floodwaters from the hurricane are still wreaking havoc in North Carolina ー and not in just the usual ways.
The state's hog-waste lagoons, some of which are larger than Olympic swimming pools, are now either overflowing or in real danger of being breached. That poses an immediate danger to the surrounding communities ー and the planet as a whole.
"The potential for groundwater contamination is massive," said Zoë Schlanger, an environmental reporter at Quartz.
The storm, which was eventually downgraded to a tropical depression, caused [at least 110](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/19/climate/florence-hog-farms.html) "reservoirs" to release their contents into the environment.
North Carolina is the second-largest hog-farming state in the country, with close to 10 million pigs producing about 10 billion gallons of manure each year. In the counties where most of the state's pork production takes place, hogs outnumber humans, each one producing two to five times more waste than people do each day.
Rain and floodwaters have rendered many of the affected facilities unreachable for the farmers eager to check on their livestock and assess the damage.
Schlanger said some areas still expect more flooding, which could worsen the already-rampant contamination.
"In certain places, it's going to get better. In certain places it's going to get worse," she said.
While there's nothing that can be done to contain the waste that's already been released, Schlanger said officials can prepare for the future by rethinking the industry's infrastructure.
After all, Schlanger said hog-waste has been a "daily health issue" for people in the state long before Florence.
One of the most-vulnerable counties is Duplin, where most of the farms in the state are located.
"They say even without the storm, the smell is horrendous," Schlanger said.
It's one of North Carolina's poorest counties and has a predominately black and Latino community, which she said poses a "very specific environmental justice issue."
But the problem isn't just with contamination ー there's also a significant economic impact.
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, over 3 million chickens and turkeys and 5,500 hogs drowned during Florenceー a significant loss in inventory for the thousands of farmers who rely on the animals for their livelihoods.
"This will be devastating mostly for the small family farmers who are contracted by much larger companies," Schlanger said. "Those farmers often take on a lot of debt to run these operations."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/pig-manure-lagoons-flood-after-florence).
Dr. Felippe Marcondes, physician and research fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses why diabetes is more prevalent in minority communities and the technology being used to manage the disease.
Beatriz Acevedo, CEO of Suma Wealth, discusses the challenges in building financial habits among Hispanic youths and talks about how the company will be prioritizing funds from its recent $2 million raise.
If you haven't heard of the popular father and son dynamic duo now is your time to get into some cuteness overload. Jeff and Jordan of the "CrunchBros" can be found on TikTok and Youtube filling up their bellies with some tasty foods. To spice things up a bit the duo uses an ASMR with a mukbang approach which keeps you glued to the screen. TikTok content creators Jeff and Jordan of the "CrunchBros", joined Cheddar to discuss more.
One graphic designer has now captured the eye of several top brands for her unique and witty redesigns on iconic logos. TikTok content creator Emily Zugay joined Cheddar to discuss more and to share her redesign of Cheddar's own logo.
Many are celebrating Marvel's 'Eternals,' the most diverse film the company has ever made. CAPE has teamed up with other nonprofits to launch the #oneopen campaign, tied to the Eternals, which aims to support and amplify films led by diverse talent. Michelle Sugihara, the Executive Director of CAPE, joined Cheddar to discuss.
'The Good Liars' are Jason Selvig and Davram Stiefler, a comedy duo that's been shaking up the political world for years. They're out with a new mockumentary, 'The Supporters,' following the 2020 election. Jason Selvig & Davram Stiefler, Stunt Comedians and creators of 'The Good Liars' joined Cheddar News to discuss.
Yahoo has officially pulled out of China after its two-decade relationship with the mainland. This comes as a result of China's tech crackdown which has been impacting several sectors. As of November 1st, the country has also implemented one of the strictest data privacy laws. Tech Reporter at MarketWatch Jon Swartz joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A recent token called 'SQUID' which was developed after the Netflix series Squid Games has now cost several investors to lose their investments. According to Gizmodo, the developers have now walked off with $3.3 Million thanks to them not allowing buyers to sell any of their coins. The question now is: How can one protect themselves from being caught up in any crypto scams? The Host of the O Show Wendy O, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A CDC advisory committee as unanimously voted to recommend the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11. Dr. Amesh Adalja, Infectious Disease Specialist and Senior Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
On this episode of ChedHER: Author of 'JUMP: Dare to Do What Scares You in Business and Life,' breaks down the different types of career 'jumps' out there, and keys to making a career change a success; Head of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs at JPMorgan Chase discusses how she's forging a path forward for the API community; CEO and Founder of Diversability explains how she's building up a global movement to rebrand disability through the power of community.
