|By DOUG SCHMITZ OGDEN, Iowa — A Pork Checkoff-funded study
revealed that the locations of hog farms had no adverse affect
on air quality at nearby rural residences, but actually showed
an increased odor concentration inside these neighboring homes
under various conditions. “It shows that pork producers are
doing the right thing,” said Craig Christensen, an Odgen, Iowa
pork producer and past president of the National Pork Board in
Clive, Iowa, about the importance of the Iowa State University
(ISU) report on the U.S. pork industry. “We know that hogs have
an odor but we do everything we can to be good neighbors and
stewards of the land,” he said. “This report shows that the size
of the operation doesn’t matter. Pork producers take many steps
to improve the environment and protect the surrounding area of
our operations.” Conducted between 2004 and 2005 by Steve Hoff,
ISU professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering, the
16-month study measured concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen
sulfide on farms and