When Misinformation Threatens the Right to Farm
URBAN SPRAWLERS ATTEMPT TO STOP LOCAL FAMILY FARM
Across the United States, small farms are being suffocated—not by drought, not by market crashes, but by something far more preventable: misinformation.
In Wonder Lake, Illinois, a Ukrainian-American family operating a modest farm is facing organized protests over their plan to install a small chicken processing facility on their land. At just 100 by 50 feet, with a 20x30-foot kill floor, this building is hardly a “slaughterhouse.” Yet that’s exactly what it's being called.
The backlash is a product of a growing disconnect between modern society and agriculture—a gap exploited by activist groups who weaponize ignorance against farmers.
A Crisis Rooted in Misunderstanding
Activists claim the facility will pollute the environment and harm the community. But according to public reports, all wastewater would be safely stored and professionally removed by licensed contractors—a cleaner solution than many rural homes operating on septic systems.
This facility is designed to process just 2,000 to 4,000 chickens a year—a fraction of the 250,000 chickens a dayprocessed at commercial plants (Source: USDA). It's not a factory farm. It's not corporate agriculture. It’s a small family business trying to grow sustainably and legally—just like the local food systems many consumers claim to support.
And yet, people who moved into the countryside for its serenity now want to dictate what farmers can and can't do on their land. Sound familiar? Similar battles have already played out in North Carolina, where well-funded lawsuits—often backed by outside organizations—nearly crippled the pork industry until new laws were passed to protect farms (Source: NPR).
This Is Why We Fight for Education
At Meet My Neighbor Productions, we exist to tell the real stories of agriculture—the quiet sacrifices, the hard-won progress, and the community connections many have forgotten.
Our work isn’t theoretical. It’s boots-on-the-ground. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, we’ve delivered over 1,000 cubic yards of compost, hay, grain, chicken tractors, feed, and more to struggling farmers in western North Carolina.
We're educating the public through documentaries like our upcoming Native: The Prodigies of an Icon, spotlighting conservation efforts and land stewards across North America—from Maine to British Columbia.
We're equipping youth through the Rural Youth Development Fund, and we’re fighting misinformation—one film, one farm, one voice at a time.
The Fight for Food Sovereignty
Here’s the truth: You can’t say you support local food and then block local farms from scaling up. You can’t demand traceable, clean, pasture-raised meat while protesting the very infrastructure that makes it possible.
Farmers need the freedom to adapt, grow, and serve their communities. And they need protection from misinformation-driven opposition.
The team at Subbury Farm isn't building a megafarm. They're building food security. They’re doing what so many say they want: bringing fresh, ethically raised meat directly to your table.
Take Action
Support Meet My Neighbor Productions and help defend the right to farm through storytelling, outreach, and education:
👉 Donate to Meet My Neighbor Productions or buy a “Defend the Right to Farm” hat at YanasaTrading.com
👉 Watch our work and subscribe on YouTube
👉 Follow the deeper story on Substack
Let’s not allow fear to overpower facts. Let’s not let neighborhoods erase the farms that made them beautiful in the first place.
Let’s tell the truth—and protect the hands that feed us.