Elsie Herring grew up in Duplin County, a place now saturated with more than a few thousand CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations.) Her family's property, had been in their hands for nearly a century, before nearby swine plants started spraying liquefied waste into the air just yards from her house. Horrified at what it was doing to her health and to her community, Elsie struck back. It was in a petition that gained over 92,000 signatures that she called on the EPA to investigate what she and many others saw as environmental racism. She became a prominent member of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, organizing her neighbors and bringing national spotlight attention to the CAFO crisis. (Right to Harm, 2019)

Elsie was calling on the agency to formally acknowledge that the state had failed to protect communities of color from the hazards of industrialized agriculture. Her story was the stepping stone and ultimate catalyst for national awareness. But, this did not come easy, legislators often dismissed Elsie due to not only her racial background, but for simply speaking up. (Right to Harm, 2019) (The Smell of Money, 2022)

To the west of Duplin lies Sampson County, facing similar issues due to CAFOs. The same tactics used in Duplin, including zoning manipulation, political lobbying, and environmental neglect, are mirrored here. The conditions persist despite years of outcry.

One of the only legal tools residents of Sampson and Duplin can use against big corps like Smithfield are nuisance claims, which do little in the face of what blatantly looks like environmental degradation in already marginalized areas/populations. These charges and legal battles have been going on for years, often with little to no avail due to political lobbying and corprate influence. Legislature also reserves he right to roll these nuisance claims back, stripping these communities of any legal protections for their land and families.

This processing plant functions as a crossroads in a broader battle for workers' rights, environmental justice, and rural community health. For decades, the factory workers (largely immigrants and people of color) have been complaining of abusive working conditions, intimidation during unionization efforts, and dangerous processing speeds. Simultaneously, the plant is inextricably linked with the surrounding web of hog CAFOs, generating enormous amounts of waste that are typically inadequately managed, polluting surrounding air, water, and land.

Historically marginalized populations and people of color have not only worked in these kinds of plants because of a lack of other employment opportunities in their area, but suffer long term with the health consequences that affect them from working and living near these facilities. CAFOs and processing plants not only exacerbate existing issues that affect certain groups disproportionately, but ultimately contribute to the longevity of these vicious cycles.

The capital, Raleigh, and its role in being the hub that processes many of the legal proceedings involving companies, small farm owners and nearby community has been uncanny int he outcomes that have come about. Farm bills that allow residents of areas near CAFOs or other farming operations to file nuisance claims or the shift of some companies to find ways to treat the manure and produced by their livestock showcases a shift towards a brighter future.

Places where action and reaction are present, allow voices to be heard and they are also places where these same voices can be shut down and turned away. Many voices that have called for legislative action against unsustainable hog farming techniques have also gone unnoticed in the decades past and with little to no government involvement, it becomes harder to fix the issue from its root.

Living near industrial meat facilities in North Carolina comes with serious environmental and health consequences. Communities close to these hog concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) often contend with polluted air, water, and soil. Studies have also linked proximity to these sites with increased respiratory issues and higher risks of life-threatening illnesses. (Graddy et al., 2020)

In a 2018 study conducted by Duke University, researchers found that residents in areas with a high concentration of industrial swine farms faced elevated death rates from conditions such as anemia, kidney disease, sepsis, and tuberculosis. These areas also reported higher overall mortality and infant death rates than other parts of the state. An earlier investigation revealed that children attending schools near livestock farms experienced more frequent asthma symptoms and wheezing. (Graddy et al., 2020)

Institutions like universities and local governments function as the backbone of some resistance efforts, however it is also important to recognize that these institutions can do a lot to manipulate and censor resistance.

In fact, many documentaries like 'The Smell of Money' have been screened on various occasions to provide a platform to uplift these voices on. This is vital in the continued challenges people in marginalized communities have in having their voices be heard.

This ultimately makes the burden of living in places where plants and operations are, almost too big to carry. “To have a Chinese food company controlling a major U.S. meat supplier, without shareholder accountability, is a bit concerning,” said Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. “A safe and sustainable food supply is critical to national security. How might this deal impact our national security?”