Spain has witnessed a stark shift as large-scale pig farming expands into rural towns, fueled by promises of economic revival that frequently accompany industrial agriculture. A notable case is a town in Albacete, Balsa de Ves, where a sizeable pig operation sits at the heart of recent changes, illustrating a broader trend across the peninsula.
Under the headline We have been invaded by pigs, the story notes that the town’s school closed four decades ago and the hotel ceased operations in 2008. The population is shrinking, yet there has been a period of overpopulation in the last 15 years. Pigs fill vast industrial facilities built within the municipality.
The facilities now house about 3,900 animals, producing roughly 100,000 piglets each year. The mayor, Natividad Pérez García, notes that the town has a per-capita pig count exceeding 800 for its 130 residents.
Protest signs against macro farms in Toledo have become part of the public record.
This example highlights a broader transformation in rural Spain, where roughly half of the pork industry operates in municipalities with populations under 5,000. In 2021, Spain slaughtered 58 million pigs, a 40% increase from the prior decade, and it remains the top pork exporter in Europe.
The report points out that the promised revival of Spain’s rural communities through pork production did not materialize for Balsa de Ves.
unkept promises
Pérez García recalls a town hall meeting in 2006 when an industry representative predicted that the town would be the envy of nearby areas. He spoke of a reopening of the town school and the emergence of green spaces, a vision that failed to materialize for most locals.
The speech, supported by most legislators, offered a glimmer of hope amid alarming statistics. Over the last decade, most Spanish cities with fewer than 1,000 residents saw population declines. Balsa de Ves chose intensive pig farming, selling off land to prevent abandonment while hoping for economic renewal.
But the reality diverged from promises. Pérez García describes the start of a nightmare, noting a persistent odor year-round from a hamlet about three kilometers from the farm and a constant stream of heavy trucks that damaged local roads.
Tests conducted by Greenpeace in May showed nitrate levels reaching 120 milligrams per liter in one of the town’s water sources, well above the EU limit of 50 mg/L. Residents were advised not to use water from that spring. The nitrate presence has been linked to farm fertilizer practices, a pattern observed across Spain. In Aragon, a region with high per-capita pig numbers, a study found that nearly 50 municipalities reported dangerously high nitrate levels in drinking water between 2016 and 2020.
Employment at the Balsa de Ves farm remains limited, but the most troubling aspect is the town’s population decline, which has fallen by about 40% since the farm opened.
What matters most to Pérez García is the choice people face: the scent of pine and rosemary or the smell of waste. The question lingers for residents as the town navigates an uncertain future.
Reference article: Guardian environment report on the pigs-spain pork revolution backlash (attribution: Guardian, 2023).
…