But supporters, including many producers, don't want more government involvement in production. Some of the questions involved in making these decisions relate to economies of scale and are inherently political on the community and state levels. About eighty individual ACES research projects are under way on all aspects of swine production and marketing. While not the only research goal, finding ways to quantify and control odor is receiving important attention. Researchers are anticipating steps the state's swine industry can take to compete in a rapidly evolving international market.
Research addresses access to capital, odor control, and information and decision systems.
The initiative has given birth to a comprehensive project for four of Illinois's major agricultural products - corn, soybeans, cattle, and swine. Representatives from all links in the pork-value chain will be included in the process of envisioning the future and how to get there, explains Westgren. The project is expected to be completed in 1998. If there is a flash point over large-scale swine operations, it is literally perceived at the tip of one's nose. Part of the problem is defining what constitutes an odor problem.