Feedlots Fueled by Ethanol
Byproducts from ethanol production, known as distillers grains, are widely used in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). This creates:
- 🏭 Massive feedlots that concentrate waste and bacteria
- 💉 Routine antibiotic use, accelerating drug resistance
- 🌬️ Airborne toxins and contaminated water near rural communities
Meat, Dairy & Chronic Disease
The ethanol-cattle pipeline results in overproduction of cheap meat and dairy. This promotes diets linked to:
- ❤️ Cardiovascular disease
- 🍩 Obesity and type 2 diabetes
- 🦠 Increased cancer risk from processed meat consumption
Communities at Risk
Rural residents and agricultural workers bear the brunt of this system. Health risks include:
- 🤧 Asthma and respiratory issues from manure lagoons and dust
- ☠️ Nitrate-contaminated drinking water
- 🧬 Zoonotic disease transmission (from animals to humans)