A public hearing to rezone county agricultural (AG) land, about 88,000 acres, to permit the slaughter, processing and manufacture of products from animal remains is scheduled for July 23, 2013, at 7PM in the Whatcom County Council chambers.  

Industrial operations allowed under the rezone have expanded beyond slaughter facilities to include meat processing and the manufacture of meat products. Noteworthy, but not otherwise mentioned, is the fact that impacts from meat processing and manufacturing are so heavy that the county has prohibited these activities in the light industrial zone. They are even less appropriate in the zone where we grow food.

Based on their past votes, Kershner, Knutzen and Crawford are dead set on passing this thing, and they are not receptive to public comment. Brenner, Mann, Kremen and Weimer support the concept of a “value added” farm product rezone, but, to varying degrees, are open to concerns regarding environmental impacts.

A large turn-out by citizens opposed to the ordinance is important. This may be the last chance for the public to speak.  Please attend the hearing, and if you can not attend, please send an email to council@co.whatcom.wa.us.

Inadequate Environmental Protection

Currently, the proposal provides only limited protection against development of heavy-impact industry in critical areas and shorelines.  It fails to protect wetlands, habitat conservation areas, aquifer recharge areas of less than high susceptibility, or wellhead zones.

The Growth Management Hearings Board recently determined that the county was failing to protect water quality and water quantity on rural land. This increases the county’s GMA noncompliance. It creates new, competing water demands from an industry notable for high water usage, ignoring the fact that most farmers lack water rights to irrigate crops.  And the county still has no water analysis and supply plan to guide appropriate development.

Meat packinghouses create large volumes of waste remains, particularly blood, which must be collected and taken off site for safe treatment.  There have already been problems with inappropriate disposal of waste products by a local slaughterhouse.  And digesters are not the complete answer because they are limited in the percentage of slaughter waste that they are permitted to process.  

AG operations are a primary source of current county water quality problems.  Allowing heavy-impact industrial development in the AG zone before the existing problems with AG operations are resolved will increase water quality problems and noncompliance with the Clean Water Act.  

Slaughter facilities and meat processing and manufacturing plants belong in rural industrial zones established for high-impact industry.  The county already has such an area near Portal Way, close to I-5.  There are approximately 35-45 acres available in this zone that would allow development of additional slaughter facilities and meat packing plants.  Land is also available at Cherry Point, which is zoned for high intensity industrial use.  

Contrary to what has been asserted, this ordinance is not needed to provide land for a shortage of county facilities, and it does not provide added value for local farm products. The real intent is to create an upzone that will increase AG property values, and to provide a less expensive source of land for industrial development (land zoned for industrial use is generally more expensive than farm land.)   That is why the rezone allows anyone, whether or not a farmer, to purchase property, whether or not associated with a farm, to construct a packinghouse.

Failure to Protect Viablity of AG Industry

Land use policies for farm land should protect the long term viability of our AG economy and the safety of our food supply, rather than the property interests of a few.  This proposal is contrary to the long term interests of a healthy AG industry.

This ordinance will fragment our AG land base, which is another issue not being discussed. Fragmenting farm land makes it vulnerable to greater amounts of non-farm related development.  For this reason, the county has taken action that it claims will consolidate AG land, which, ironically, is scheduled on the same evening as the rezone hearing that will increase AG land fragmentation. If a rezone is authorized, it should be restricted in size and location.  

High quality food can not be grown anywhere in the county. It can only be grown in areas that have good (“prime”) soil.  Soil ratings are a primary determinant for zoning AG land.  This ordinance allows prime AG soil to be converted to an industrial use.  Not only is this contrary to GMA guidelines, it is a senseless waste of one of our county’s most important resources. Industrial operations should be prohibited on land that contains prime soil.

Meat packing houses pose a threat to the county’s small, organic farmers. Many organic farmers have spoken out against this ordinance, noting concerns with chemicals and contaminants infiltrating the ground water supply, or being spread through air borne particulates onto nearby soils.This would undermine the ability of organic farmers to obtain certification, which is the basis of their livelihood.  Proponents of the ordinance incorrectly assert that this ordinance supports sustainable food and small farmers.

Consumers do not want slaughter facilities and meat packing plants to be operated on or near the land used to grow food.  This is unwise land management. Whatcom County crops will suffer if they are no longer perceived as being safe and of high quality. It is important for the County Council to consider community values and public opinion.  Almost 225 citizens (multiple commenters were only counted once) have written the council or signed a petition to oppose the AG rezone.  Of those, 95% were opposed, with only 5% in favor.

Given these statistics, whose interests are being served by this ordinance? This is a question for everyone on the council, as well as council candidate Ben Elenbaas, who drafted the (barely comprehensible) packinghouse proposal.  Farmer Ben has a day job at an industrial plant, but could probably be reached at one of the upcoming candidate forums, a Tea Party meeting, or some other local property rights event.

If you want to protect the safety and long term viability of Whatcom County AG products, please join me, and many others, in opposing this ordinance.