A coalition of national and area environmental, religious and community groups are joining forces to challenge and question the social justice, environmental, and animal welfare impacts of factory farming in Minnesota. This event, "Factory Farming in Minnesota - Time for a Change?” — to be held from 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm CT on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at Minnesota State University, Mankato, is the third in a series. The first event was held in St. Paul in September 2016. The second event was held in Rochester on February 4, 2017. These events are open to the public and free to attend.
Join Sonja Trom Eayrs (lawyer and farmer's daughter), Jeff Johnson (Philosophy, St. Catherine University), Colleen Carpenter (Theology, Sister Mona Riley Endowed Chair of Humanities, St. Catherine University), Tim Culver (Attorney and Legal Fellow, The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy), and Chris Petersen (Family Pig Farmer, Social Responsible Agricultural Project Associate) for a panel discussion of the social justice, environmental and animal welfare impacts of factory farming in Minnesota.
The event is the brainchild of Dr. Jeff Johnson, Philosophy, St. Catherine University, a frequent lecturer on the topic of animal welfare. Following a tour of factory farms in southern Minnesota, Dr. Johnson joined forces with other faculty members at St. Catherine University and Sonja Trom Eayrs. Sonja's parents are currently involved in a pending appeal before the Minnesota Court of Appeals which challenges installation of the 11th swine factory farm within a three-mile radius of the Trom family farm in rural Dodge County.
