Hogs and the facilities in which they’re raised continue to take center stage at county board of supervisors meetings.
Reviewing the master matrix scoring for two more hog concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) was on the agenda for March 25, but board chair John Muir opened the meeting talking about hogs. Muir clarified comments he made at the March 18 meeting about involving the local Farm Bureau in writing a letter to the Iowa legislature about reviewing and possibly rewriting the master matrix.
He said he had considered Farm Bureau as an organization that includes all farmers, but he had “thrown everybody into the same basket and that was wrong.” He hadn’t mentioned the Pork Producers, the Cattlemen’s Association, and others, and noted there’s a list of 20 organizations to which farmers belong.
“I put Farm Bureau as sort of an umbrella. Maybe I was giving Farm Bureau more power than they have,” Muir said. “As we move forward trying to address an issue that needs to be addressed at a higher level, we need to listen to every voice that wants to be involved.”
Dale Hanaman, the de facto spokesperson for county residents interested in curtailing the unlimited expansion of CAFOs primarily for environmental reasons, suggested the supervisors are making a bigger issue out of writing a letter than is needed.
“What we’re asking the supervisors to do is to write a letter saying we think the matrix needs to be looked at, and sending it to the legislature…. I’m not asking you to do any more than that. You’re making it bigger saying we need to have all these people involved in writing a letter. I don’t think it takes all those people,” Hanaman said.
“Everyone sees the five of you as the ones who make those decisions and recommendations. A legislature would look at that and say ‘here’s another set of supervisors who say it’s now time to look at it.’ I’m asking you to act on behalf of Greene County and just send the letter off,” he continued.
Supervisors Muir, Dawn Rudolph and Peter Bardole are all on record saying it’s time to review the master matrix. However, they want to be sure local ag interests are in agreement.
Bardole is a past Farm Bureau board member and a partner in the CAFO that kicked off the current discussion. Muir tasked him with bringing together a group of people to draft a letter that would be discussed, possibly refined, then signed by the supervisors and sent to the Iowa legislature.
At Monday’s meeting Bardole said he doesn’t have time to gather a committee, but that he’ll draft a letter for the supervisors to review at their April 1 meeting. The board will listen to comments from the public then, “and whether or not we change it is up to us,” Bardole said.
Auditor Jane Heun put discussion of Bardole’s draft letter on the agenda for April 1 at 10 am.
The supervisors reviewed a master matrix and manure management plan for Brown Pork Site, proposed for Cedar Township, Section 20. Colin Brown will operate the two-building, 4,992-head facility. He was at the meeting along with his brother Jacob Brown, who already farms with their father, and Becky Sexton of Twin Lakes Environmental. Sexton prepared the documents for the site.
Colin Brown explained he’s working for a farmer down the road, but until his father retires there isn’t room for him there. He wants to build CAFOs as a way to build equity in the family farm operation. He said he considered turkey CAFOs but hog CAFOs are a better option.
He plans to feed for Seaboard Foods, which already has a CAFO a half-mile west of the site. All manure will be spread on family-owned ground. The closest resident is his grandmother’s sister; she is requiring Colin to plant trees at the site.
Brown Pork Site would be the 100th CAFO in the county. It scored 460 on the master matrix. Click here for documentation.
The supervisors then reviewed the master matrix and manure management plan for McCormick Pork Site #2 in Highland Township, Section 24. John McCormick plans to add a new 2,480-head finisher to his existing site along Highway 4.
He will also feed for Seaboard Foods. The matrix scored 515. Click here for documentation.
There will be public hearings on both construction applications next Monday, April 1. The hearing on Brown Pork Site is scheduled for 9 am, with McCormick Pork Site #2 at 9:30.
The supervisors will review the master matrix and manure management plan for Wenger Pork LLC, proposed for Paton Township, Section 36, at 8:45, preceding the two public hearings.
