The reopening of a hog farm in Dillon County is upsetting residents who worry odor and waste from the farm will harm the environment, specifically the Little Pee Dee River. But the farm's owner says he's just trying to make an honest living.
Bobby Chavis has lived in the Little Rock community of Dillon County all of his life. He takes pride in it, and that's why he is so strongly against a hog farm reopening in the small community. "In the past on rainy days, humidity just right winds blowing been outside in our yards just trying to enjoy the outside with our family and it's a challenge cause of the odor coming from the hog farm."
Besides the odor, Bobby believes waste from the farm could contaminate the Little Pee Dee River, which flows through the community. "All the ditches and draining actually in this area drains toward the Pee Dee River. It's actually recognized as a scenic river now but we are standing on the edge of it all falling apart again," Bobby said.
Mitchell Price owns the hog farm. He didn't want to talk on camera, but did take us out to his farm to show us how he disposes of waste from the farm. He uses an irrigation system to spread the waste over 60 acres of his property. Price says the waste contains nutrients that act as a natural fertilizer for his soybean and coastal hay crops.
He says the crops absorb the waste or fertilizer, preventing any erosion or runoff into the river.
Bobby Chavis says he has nothing personal against Price, but is still concerned about waste created on the hog farm.
A Department of Health and Environmental Control hearing about the hog farm will be scheduled in the coming weeks.
