You might be surprised to learn in some towns, residents, even townleaders don't know where farms are located or how big they are. That'swhy Edgecombe county is now conducting a hog farm census.
You may know your local health department as a provider of low cost medicalservice, but in Edgecombe County, the department is taking on an additionaljob.
Health Director Jim Balass and his staff are in the process of puttingtogether a map and a directory of local operations. He says it's thefirst time this information has been available in one place for easypublic inspection. If a problem comes up, or if someone complains, theinformation will be easy to get."
County Manager Joe Durham believes the census will give Edgecombe County astep or two up in terms of already having an inventory of the farms orstate plan showing the actual location of the facility.
But the information is designed to be useful for everyone, not just thegovernment. Realtor Randy Davis says he can use it to more accuratelyinform potential homebuyers about their new neighborhood.
"We have to disclose material facts that affect any property that we buyand sell," says realtor, Randy Davis. "We often have people coming inasking about such operations and the impact on the property."
The health department has been compiling this hog farm census since May.It should be complete sometime this fall.
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