Where Farming Harms: Mapping Environmental Justice with Maria & Michael Payan Artwork

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Where Farming Harms: Mapping Environmental Justice with Maria & Michael Payan

January 30, 2026 • NorthStar of GIS • Season 3 • Episode 2

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In this episode of North Star Gaze, Erica Phillips and guest host Dr. Adrienne Hollis are joined by Maria and Michael Payan of the Sussex Health and Environmental Network (SHEN) and Sentinels of Eastern Shore Health (SESH). Through deeply personal stories and groundbreaking community-led research, the Payans reveal how industrial poultry farming has transformed rural life on the Delmarva Peninsula. From asthma attacks and water contamination to DNA-based testing that uncovers animal waste inside homes, this conversation exposes the human cost of CAFOs—and the power of mapping, data, and community science to demand accountability.

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