Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115, No. 4	January 23, 2008

To the Messenger:

On Nov. 8, 2007, I attended a public meeting at a little church outside Payneville, Ky. This was organized by several radical women for the sole purpose of depriving Mike Greenwell of his rights as a law-abiding citizen. The first speaker was Mitch Crump who told the people in attendance that Mike was in compliance with all federal and state regulations as far as he knew. Then, in my opinion, he displayed the height of simplemindedness when he promised these radicals that if one child became sick at school the school board would file a lawsuit. He made no mention of checking to see if, by federal or state regulations, there was any violation on the farmer’s part. Statistics prove that children raised in an environment clouded with secondhand smoke are more likely to have respiratory problems and be sick more. The percentages are even higher in children who already have respiratory problems. In this case a perfectly legal farmer would be in a lawsuit with the school when the actual problem lies with the parents. Several of the parents who were at this meeting are smokers. This means that quite a few children will become ill at school.

None of the chicken producers that I’ve talked to are willing to just close their doors and quit their business because of the school board. I call on some of the more levelheaded members of the school board to announce if this is going to be their policy or not. I believe a lot of federal school dollars could be involved here.

We have been raising chickens here for over 10 and 1/2 years. During this time we have had no fewer than 75 young people and adults working here and there has never been one inform me of them becoming sick from the odor here. My dog and I are in these houses every day. This tells me there is nothing harmful here for man or beast.

Edward A. Goodman

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