Food & Water Watch and the Stand Up to Factory Farms Coalition have successfully pressured the Department of Agriculture to shut down Lost Valley Farms, one of Oregon’s most notorious mega-dairy polluters. The operation, which failed to provide workers with clean water or maintain proper waste management, caused over 200 environmental violations in just 18 months. The site was later sold to the Easterday family, who also faced scandal and water quality violations.
Despite these victories, the threat of another entity reopening the problematic site looms large. Located in Morrow County, home to much of the state’s Latinx population, residents have long raised concerns over dangerously high nitrate contamination from factory farms. Oregonians deserve better environmental protections.
In response, the Stand Up to Factory Farms Coalition helped pass Senate Bill 85, a law that increases local control over factory farm siting and requires stronger protections for water quality near these operations. Linn County has already enacted property setbacks to limit mega-poultry farms near residential areas.
Communities in Morrow and Umatilla Counties continue to battle high nitrate levels, while incidents like a mega-dairy spill in Tillamook Bay and avian flu outbreaks show the negative impact of factory farms. The decline of family farms further emphasizes the need to hold Big Ag accountable.
Food & Water Watch and allies are calling on legislators to stop the expansion of factory farms and prioritize a sustainable, safe, and fair food system. The fight against industrialized agriculture in Oregon continues, with a focus on protecting communities, family farmers, and the environment.
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