EMF Myth versus Fact from a lineman...

I'd like to reach out to the expertise of the lineman forum with the following question.

Concept: Utilize the large swaths of land, that are 'rights of way', under electricity transmissions lines (high voltage) for farming.
A rolling stock of pigs, turkeys, chickens, and cows that follow one another to regenerate the landscape and make use of what is 'waste land'.
Think of a nomadic herd, fenced off within the 'right of way', but moved forward each day 1/4 acre, removing the scrub, saplings and helping lush grass grow that they eat down as they pass over it.
Similar to right of way clearance crews, but using animals instead of large, heavy, machinery for the main floor of the right of way.

Set aside for the moment - regulatory compliance, insurance, willingness for a power company to engage on.

Question number 1: Are the Electro magnetic fields too dangerous to have people and animals operate under for long periods of time. Ie Limited research (Myth) shows that it may be Cancer inducing?
Animals and humans would be eating/working directly under high voltage transmission lines and as such, the goal is to ensure that they are not exposed, detrimentally, to high levels or radiation/electro magnetic fields.

Is the myth greater than the reality?

thanks for your insights.

Sjm.

I've been out of it for a while[retired in 2010. worked for Northeast Utilities now Eversource] did 20 years in transmission mostly maintenance 115& 345 and another 20 in the district doing distribution. I believe the main reason that type of ROW clearance isn't used it's cost, most ROW are the cheapest roughest property available lot of swamp or rocky terrain so getting there and securing it with a fence is troublesome and expensive, Because it is rough country you have to worry about wolves coyotes bobcats fisher cats any number of critters that will impact the animals. I remember in the 70s on a ROW in New Hampshire they had a herd of goats that cleaned a ROW but it was only used a couple of years. As far as EMF I do know that we never allowed any buildings or sheds under our lines I know it was in case the line fell but I also know that there was a lawsuit from a farmer whose cows stopped producing because of stray voltage on a water pipe feeding a water trough.

Thanks Bluestreak for taking the time out to give me some feedback on this. Much appreciated.

The idea I had was to utilize a herd, with no stationary buildings, permanent fences or equipment that would be onsite at one location for more than 1-5 days max. More like migrating bison on the plains than today's cow herds stuck in a barn with small paddocks. Mobile, small electric fences and guardian dogs could mitigate some risks, but perhaps create others.

Interestingly based on your response I took a moment to investigate/review some of the legal cases. There appears to be a number in very different locations.
As per your comments there were examples where electrical signals on water troughs, etc prevented animals from maintaining the sustenance for good health and production (not drinking water, etc), but there were also other cases where the animals experienced irregular metabolism and breeding issues. Its difficult to correlate the later, but it would seem to be a significant risk to warrant not going down that path. Animals, even in constant movement but under a pole line/near power lines with significant EMF dispersion seems to have a long term effect, potentially.

I recognize this question was rather off the beaten path from the usual :), but until there's a way to clearly measure the EMF wave dispersion over a section of land, (section-ally under each pole/line) and the health tolerances associated in order to make a good use of discarded land, it would not be economical to dress each animla/cow in its own Faraday suit and try this type of farming :)

I'm glad linemen have this facility and can use it to protect themselves. Stay safe all and thanks once again Bluestreak.