News

CAFO issues prompt county moratorium, committee study

Officials in a western Wisconsin’s Dunn county have voted for a six-month moratorium on expanding CAFO’s, and a special committee is being appointed to study the issues involved.

County Board Chairman Steven Rasmussen tells Brownfield neighbors of Cranberry Creek Dairy came to the board with their concerns about

possible environmental impacts of an expansion.  He says, “It’s an unzoned township for one thing, so the county wasn’t sure as to what role we would play, hence we felt that we had some work to do and one thing we should probably do is to create a moratorium for a short period of time until we can sort out what the issues are.”

The planned expansion to bring Cranberry Creek from around 2,100 animals to more than 7,200 isn’t the only expansion the moratorium delays.

Cheryl Ullom from Squires Farm Inc. of rural Menominee says four generations of her family are working their farm, and the moratorium affects them.  “We’re in need of an expansion to cover everyone, and with the financial thing, it takes more cows, so we’re at that point where we have to do something for manure storage and just facilities overall.”

The Ullom’s have about 500 milk cows now, and operate about 1,300 acres of owned and rented land to raise their own feed. They are in the planning stage to build a new manure handling system.  She says they are concerned the county may try to regulate what the state already takes care of.

Rasmussen says the moratorium is not anti-agriculture or anti-CAFO, but says the board wanted to see what the issues are and perhaps update its manure management ordinance so farms can be successful and the resources are protected.

Ullom believes some speakers at last week’s board meeting don’t have all of the facts.  She tells Brownfield, “There was a lot of people that, to us, looked like they’re very anti-animal agriculture.  They use the excuse of water pollution and manure is a toxin, and just really, really seemed to be saying a lot of half-truths.”

Rasmussen says he will appoint the special committee to examine the agricultural expansion issues, which will include the Planning and Zoning and Health Committee chairs, a representative from UW Extension, the Zoning Administrator, and six citizen members.  He says three of the members have to be livestock farmers.

The Chairman believes the committee can complete its mission in the six months of the moratorium, but it could be extended if necessary.  He says they did extend a moratorium on non-metallic mining for frac sand from six to nine months.

Rasmussen tells Brownfield they’re not looking to mirror other county ordinances, saying they looked at Jackson and Bayfield counties moratoriums, and that Kewaunee County has its own unique problems with CAFO’s and widespread water quality issues.

Neighboring St. Croix County, along the Minnesota border, is also considering a moratorium on CAFO expansions. Their proposal passed through committee last week and will likely be on the November 1^st county board agenda.  Earlier this year, Bayfield County passed a one-year moratorium on CAFO’s.