Huge factory pig farm near Limavady 'could contaminate area with pathogens'

Opponents of a gigantic pig farm on the outskirts of Limavady warn it would pose serious risks to the health and wellbeing of local residents.

Friends of the Earth has teamed up with Farms Not Factories and the Soil Association to lodge their opposition to the 40,000-pig farm at Moys Road in the town.

They have warned that the huge farm could contaminate the local area with pathogens such as salmonella and E coli and could help to fuel the rise of superbugs.

The unit would house more than 2,200 breeding sows and their piglets and the planning application is under consideration by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Consultees had asked for more information after reading the Environmental Statement that accompanied the application and this additional information was submitted in April in the form of an Environmental Statement Addendum.

Thousands of people have signed petitions opposing the pig breeding units after an online campaign warned that they would destroy the community.

The pig farm has been opposed by animal welfare charity PETA and Downton Abbey star and animal welfare campaigner Peter Egan.

A new letter to the council by Friends of the Earth, Farms Not Factories and the Soil Association says their objections are based on research findings from the Netherlands on the health and environmental impact of the siting of intensive pig farms and a report from the University of Cambridge on the links between antibiotics used to dose intensively farmed animals and superbugs in human health.

They say research shows there is considerable risk of contamination of the area with pathogens such as salmonella, clostridium, campylobacter and E coli, along with harmful emissions such as ammonia and bio-aerosols.

“There is, it is submitted, sufficient scientific evidence to suggest that the siting of a facility such as that which is the subject of this application poses a significant risk to the health of nearby residents as well as an interference with their private and home life,” the letter said.

The team also cited a study that showed antibiotic resistant E coli was found in pork and chicken from seven of the UK’s largest supermarkets.

“Routine dosing with antibiotics in intensive farming where the risk of disease is high is undermining the treatment of dangerous E coli infections in humans,” they said.

“E coli is by far the most common cause of urinary tract and dangerous blood poisoning in humans and can also cause meningitis. This systematic overuse of antibiotics in intensive farming, where often healthy pigs are treated (with no suspected infection) is fuelling the emergence of resistant bacteria.

“As pointed out by a recent international review article, antibiotic resistance can spread from farm animals to humans, not only on food, but through the environment.”

The group warned that the proposed development would carry serious risks to the health and wellbeing of local residents and the planners could be well advised to consider the human rights of those affected as the threat to those rights could be avoided by refusing planning permission.