To the editor:

Rep. Sharon Steckman (D-Mason City) has introduced a bill calling for a moratorium on factory farms in Iowa. As an Iowan concerned about the health and future of our children we need a timeout. I am asking fellow Iowans to join with me to provide a means for study and planning, i.e. a moratorium. This is a move most Iowans could support.

The over 10,000 factory farms in the state are destroying our water quality. We have over 750 impaired waterways in Iowa as a result of over 22 million gallons of manure being spread on fields and leeching into our waterways each year. Factory farms hurt our air quality by producing ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter leading to respiratory problems, particularly in young children. The horrendous odors hurt our tourism industry and lower the quality of life for neighbors who are assaulted by flies, cannot open their windows, or hang their laundry out to dry. The feed trucks tear up our roads, leaving tax payers to fix their damage.

If we want a prosperous, healthy state for our children and grandchildren, we must say enough is enough! Join Iowa CCI, Food and Water Watch, and the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture members on at the Capitol on Thursday, February 21, as they push for our legislators to determine a safe path to our future.

Linda Luhring

Lake City