Pure Farms, Pure Waters

How can we reduce pollution from industrial animal agriculture while supporting local farmers, healthy waterways, and the communities that depend on them?

Pure Farms, Pure Waters is an ongoing Coastal Carolina Riverwatch program that brings together water quality research, support for local farms, Farm Friday outreach, community education, field investigations, and advocacy. The program is broader than any one grant or research study. Each project adds another piece to CCRW’s long term work to protect the quality of water and quality of life throughout the White Oak River Basin.

Through Pure Farms, Pure Waters, CCRW works to document and reduce pollution associated with industrial animal agriculture, improve public understanding of how pollution moves through the watershed, support independent farms that use practices that protect soil and water, and help residents connect local food choices with healthy communities and healthy coastal waters.

Latest Research: 2025 to 2026

The newest Pure Farms, Pure Waters research project builds on CCRW’s earlier New River work with the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences. From September 2025 through April 2026, CCRW monitored six locations across the New River watershed in partnership with Dr. Rachel Noble’s laboratory. Water samples were analyzed for fecal indicator bacteria, basic water quality conditions, and DNA markers associated with human, swine, and poultry fecal sources.

What the newest results show

Fecal indicator bacteria remained a concern during the 2025 to 2026 sampling period. Site NR3 on Squires Run repeatedly showed elevated E. coli and Enterococcus compared with other monitoring locations. The study also detected human associated and swine associated molecular markers at all six sampling sites. Poultry associated markers were detected at NR2 and NR3.

The DNA results show that multiple fecal sources are present within the study area, but they do not establish what proportion of total pollution comes from humans, swine, poultry, or any individual facility. Additional source characterization and continued monitoring are needed to improve source attribution.

How the research works

CCRW field teams collect water samples and use a YSI instrument to measure pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, and conductivity. Samples are transported to UNC IMS for laboratory processing. E. coli, Enterococcus, and total coliform bacteria are measured using IDEXX methods, while filtered samples are used for microbial source tracking analysis. The Noble Lab supports DNA analysis and interpretation.

This research is paired with field observations, aerial investigations, site visits, mapping, and community knowledge. No single sample or photograph can explain an entire watershed. The strength of Pure Farms, Pure Waters comes from combining several types of evidence over time.

Farm Friday and Local Farm Support

Supporting local and independent farms is an ongoing part of Pure Farms, Pure Waters. CCRW’s work distinguishes small farms and water quality friendly practices from the environmental concerns associated with large industrial animal operations. Through Farm Friday, farm visits, surveys, community events, and direct outreach, CCRW helps residents learn where local food comes from and highlights farmers who are working to protect land, water, and community well being.

Recent Pure Farms, Pure Waters farm outreach included Southern Sheep Company, Ocean Natural Farm, Shenk Family Farm, and GiGi’s Farm. Those visits were designed to learn directly from producers about environmental stewardship, operating challenges, resource needs, and the ways community members can better support local agriculture.

The 2025 to 2026 public survey received 39 responses. Among those respondents, 97 percent said buying from local farmers was important, while only 13 percent reported purchasing directly from farmers every week. Common barriers included convenience, price, limited knowledge about where to buy, uncertain availability, and limited selection. Four farmers completed the producer survey. Because that number is small, those findings are treated as preliminary. Farmer responses highlighted interest in conservation as well as practical barriers involving cost, financial support, time, and labor.

Explore Farm Friday and local farm features

Community Outreach and Education

Pure Farms, Pure Waters brings research into the community through newsletters, social media, tabling, farmer visits, public and farmer surveys, educational materials, and presentations. Outreach is designed both to explain the science and to listen to residents, farmers, fishers, and other people who experience watershed conditions firsthand.

During the 2025 to 2026 project, CCRW participated in community events including Oysterpalooza, Sturgeon City Earth Day, Ocean Fest, the Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market, the Onslow County Farmers’ Market, Southern Sheep Company’s Shearing Day, and the Water Quality for Fisheries Symposium. These events created opportunities to talk about nutrient pollution, agricultural runoff, local food systems, and the connection between upstream land use and downstream fisheries.

At the 2025 Water Quality for Fisheries Symposium, PFPW intern Jocelyn Perry presented the project’s research during the poster session, helping connect the monitoring work with fishermen, farmers, researchers, students, agency representatives, and community advocates.

Aerial Monitoring and Site Investigations

Water sampling is only one part of the program. Through CCRW’s partnership with SouthWings, aerial investigations provide a broader view of animal operations, development, wastewater infrastructure, land clearing, and other activities that may affect nearby waters. Site investigations by kayak and from public access points help document drainage pathways, outfalls, shoreline conditions, and possible pollution sources that may be difficult to see from roads or from the air.

During the 2025 to 2026 reporting period, CCRW submitted ten monthly aerial monitoring reports to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Reports included GPS-tagged photographs and written observations. Quarterly reports also compiled observations to support regulatory review and follow-up.

In December 2025, CCRW also completed a kayak investigation near monitoring sites NR4 and NR5. The field team documented stormwater pipes and outfalls, shoreline debris, discarded fishing line, an orange bacterial mat, deteriorating structures, and areas with limited shoreline buffers. Observations and GPS points were recorded for mapping and follow-up.

Why Industrial Animal Agriculture Remains a Water Quality Concern

North Carolina remains one of the nation’s largest animal production states. USDA reported 7.2 million hogs and pigs in North Carolina as of June 1, 2026, the third-largest state inventory in the country. USDA also reported 984.7 million broilers produced in North Carolina during 2025. The scale of production makes responsible waste storage, handling, land application, and pollution prevention especially important.

Animal waste can carry nutrients, fecal bacteria, pathogens, ammonia, and other contaminants. When waste leaves the intended management area through runoff, leakage, flooding, improper storage, or land application problems, pollutants can reach ditches, streams, groundwater, estuaries, and downstream fisheries.

Local Quality of Life

Pure Farms, Pure Waters has always considered more than water chemistry. Communities living near large animal operations have raised concerns about odor, air quality, flooding, water pollution, health, property use, and quality of life. Research in eastern North Carolina has also documented the disproportionate concentration of intensive hog operations in lower-income and nonwhite communities.

This history remains important to CCRW’s approach. Water quality protection should include the people who live closest to pollution sources and should consider cumulative impacts on communities as well as impacts on rivers, fisheries, and ecosystems.

Program History and Earlier Work

Pure Farms, Pure Waters has developed over several years through research, outreach, advocacy, and partnerships. The newest study should be understood as the latest chapter in that longer program history.

Waterkeepers who helped build the program

Photo: Christina Boxberger, Saisha Neilsen, Dr. Rolf Wallin.

Reports, Project Resources, and Partners

Pure Farms, Pure Waters is an ongoing Coastal Carolina Riverwatch program. Research methods, outreach activities, partnerships, and project resources will continue to evolve as new work is completed.