NC Pork Council challenges hog farm statements; sought OK to test water

Fayetteville Observer | Letter to the Editor

September 23, 2024

To the Editor:

A Sept. 18 column from Rev. Jimmy Melvin at Mt. Zion AME Zion Church raised concerns about potential pollution from nearby farms — but he isn’t telling the full story.

When church leaders first began talking about a contaminated well, the pork industry reached out to Rev. Melvin. If a pig farm was responsible, we wanted to make the situation right and reimburse the church for the cost of constructing its new well. 

We agreed to pay for a study of the groundwater flow in and around the church, including laboratory testing of the water from the former well. This would help identify the true source of the contamination.

Unfortunately, neither Rev. Melvin nor the church responded. 

While we cannot fully examine the situation without the church’s cooperation, an initial review leads us to believe it is unlikely that a pig farm is the cause of the well’s contamination. The nearby farm is located at a much lower elevation than the church — meaning any waste from the farm would have to travel uphill to reach the church. Also, the land application fields are all located more than 1,500 feet from the church’s property line. 

Testing would allow us to know for sure — one way or the other — if the farm is responsible. 

We want to be a good neighbor. As North Carolina pig farmers, we take pride in supporting the rural communities where we live and work. 

We do not understand Rev. Melvin’s reluctance to talk with us, but our offer still stands. 

Roy Lee Lindsey

CEO, NC Pork Council