Cornell Study Finds Cattle Deaths Tied to Hydrofracking

January 11, 2012

IMG 2313 Cornell Study Finds Cattle Deaths Tied to HydrofrackingA new study by Cornell University (PDF LINK) has found a link between hyrdofracking and cattle deaths and stillbirths. The Cornell university study focused on the impact that hydrofracking had on humans and livestock raised in close proximity to fracking wells. This is particularly important because many New York State gas leases are on working farms with cattle and dairy cows. Alarmingly, in the second case study, 20% percent of the cows died on a farm with hyrdrofracking wells with 21 of 60 animals who drank from a contaminated creek dying. Almost 50% percent of the cows still alive after the mass deaths experienced fertility issues and still births. With similar symptoms and occurrences in each case study it is pretty clear that fracking can have a devastating impact on livestock health and farming profitability.

Farmer Ken Jaffe, has written more about the study here.

This study paints an ugly picture of the impact fracking could have on New York’s grasslands. I am stunned by the results. Shouldn’t we be conducting more studies that can provide scientific evidence whether fracking poses a threat to our food supply and fragile local food system?  Do you want to eat food that has been raised on land that is fracked?

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January 11, 2012 | Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL. Posted in: Food Advocacy, Food System, Uncategorized

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  • Sdfrac
  • Trapp

    Only a matter of time. Best to not let this happen. Hello DEC? More evidence.

  • http://twitter.com/Idaho_RAGE ID RAGE

    It’s official– the cow will no longer be sacred in Idaho– it will be dead!

  • Ghostof Garcia

    Silly girl.  You find fault with a technology that pollutes wells and surface waters, kills livestock, endangers humans, produces radioactive wastes and causes EARTHQUAKES?  Where are your priorities?  Don’t you know that some folks actually get rich and move away due to the gas leases (well, not the fraudulent ones).  And even if only some of the leases from Halliburton and Chesapeake are good, those companies are making a killing.  What could be more important?  Remember they need the money to keep paying the Bush/Cheney folks for exempting fracking from regulation under the Clean Water Act.  (Cheney, when working for Halliburton submitted the legislation then once he moved his energy industry promotion offices to Washington had Bush approve it…..not without help from some toads in Congress). 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Cerullo/100000712050672 John Cerullo

    I heard on the radio last week that fracking is safe – and those nice gas companies would NEVER lie right on the radio!

  • Rick Campanella

    Suspiciously, the article didn’t provide a link to the actual study… not very scientific of the author.  That doesn’t exactly strengthen her argument.

    • Anonymous

      Hi Rick, I provided a link to Ken Jaffe’s blog and just updated it with a PDF link. Thanks for commenting.