MONROE - A county-wide moratorium on incoming dairy facilities with greater than 729 cows has officially begun after a unanimous 27-0 vote from the Green County Board on Tuesday.
Oscar Olson, who serves as the chair of the Green County Land and Water Conservation Committee, outlined the intention behind the request for a 270-day temporary halt on the application process of new facilities. Namely, for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, defined by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a large-scale dairy operation with 1,000 animal units or more.
"We're just trying to protect the environment and the health of everybody," Olson said. "If (a CAFO) chosen location isn't suitable, then we would deny that and they would have to choose a more environmentally friendly spot."
The board can extend the moratorium by majority vote.
Discussion of moratoriums and CAFOs began in August 2015, when a proposed large-scale facility called Pinnacle Dairy applied to build on 127 acres of land owned by Friedly Bader Farm LLC along County FF and Decatur-Sylvester Road in Sylvester Township. The facility would house 5,800 dairy cattle. It was approved conditionally by the county on April 6, though Green County Conservationist Todd Jenson said the facility has so far only met the first condition.
Supervisor Russ Torkelson, who also serves on the committee and spent his life farming, emphasized his reluctance to restrict local farmers but added that the increasing cost of $45,000 to Green County because of Pinnacle Dairy needs to be made up in another way if other operations apply in the future.
"We weren't budgeted for that much," Torkelson said. "Somehow we have to (recuperate) some of our costs for doing all the checking on them."
He added that he feels Pinnacle is not being built on a good site, and that with a committee and the use of a water study due to be completed by the end of the year, the county could hope to guide incoming CAFOs to the best possible location for its use.
County Corporation Counsel Brian Bucholtz noted to county board members that the state government has not given specific authority regarding whether municipalities and county governments are allowed to pass code instituting a moratorium. It has not yet been brought to a legal case, though some communities throughout Wisconsin have instituted the measure. Dunn, Ashland, Bayfield and Douglas County have passed moratoriums. St. Croix County has put a study in place.
The moratorium ordinance will allow for the Livestock Facility Study Group to be created. Members will include Olson, as chair of the conservation committee, the chair of the county health committee, the chair of the agriculture and extension committee, an at-large supervisor elected by county board chair Art Carter and four residents and landowners of Green County, ideally at least one large farm owner and one small farm owner.
Group members will make it a point to study the possible impact the inclusion of a CAFO could have on the health of residents, such as danger posed through groundwater contamination or decreased air quality.
Supervisor Ted Fahey, who serves as the chairperson of the Board of Adjustment, was not present for the meeting. Fahey became the target of disapproval from critics of Pinnacle after a public hearing in which the board approved a variance which would allow the corporation farm to be issued zoning permits from the county.
Fahey did not allow public comment during the hearing on July 26, instead limiting discussion to Sylvester Township Board members and Pinnacle lawyers. In an effort to explain the events to fellow supervisors, Fahey wrote a letter dated Aug. 8.
He explained the board vote of 4-0 was unanimous because "it appeared the Town Board did not act in a fair and reasonable amount of time even after requested to do so by the Zoning Department back in December 2016," and that "this whole issue/hearing should never have come before the BOA. The Town had the ample opportunity to simply approve or deny the request in a reasonable amount of time. The BOA members should never have been put in this position!"
Sylvester Township Chairwoman Anna Anderson said the reason the board had tabled the permit application was due to a lack of adherence by Pinnacle, which did not submit a livestock siting application or meet with the Smart Growth Committee as required.
Fahey added that he chose to deny public comment because "any testimony from a third party would be considered second-hand or hearsay and also open up the real possibility of a heated debate on CAFOs in general."
Supervisors Kristi Leonard, Ron Wolter and Jerry Guth also were absent.
Oscar Olson, who serves as the chair of the Green County Land and Water Conservation Committee, outlined the intention behind the request for a 270-day temporary halt on the application process of new facilities. Namely, for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, defined by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a large-scale dairy operation with 1,000 animal units or more.
"We're just trying to protect the environment and the health of everybody," Olson said. "If (a CAFO) chosen location isn't suitable, then we would deny that and they would have to choose a more environmentally friendly spot."
The board can extend the moratorium by majority vote.
Discussion of moratoriums and CAFOs began in August 2015, when a proposed large-scale facility called Pinnacle Dairy applied to build on 127 acres of land owned by Friedly Bader Farm LLC along County FF and Decatur-Sylvester Road in Sylvester Township. The facility would house 5,800 dairy cattle. It was approved conditionally by the county on April 6, though Green County Conservationist Todd Jenson said the facility has so far only met the first condition.
Supervisor Russ Torkelson, who also serves on the committee and spent his life farming, emphasized his reluctance to restrict local farmers but added that the increasing cost of $45,000 to Green County because of Pinnacle Dairy needs to be made up in another way if other operations apply in the future.
"We weren't budgeted for that much," Torkelson said. "Somehow we have to (recuperate) some of our costs for doing all the checking on them."
He added that he feels Pinnacle is not being built on a good site, and that with a committee and the use of a water study due to be completed by the end of the year, the county could hope to guide incoming CAFOs to the best possible location for its use.
County Corporation Counsel Brian Bucholtz noted to county board members that the state government has not given specific authority regarding whether municipalities and county governments are allowed to pass code instituting a moratorium. It has not yet been brought to a legal case, though some communities throughout Wisconsin have instituted the measure. Dunn, Ashland, Bayfield and Douglas County have passed moratoriums. St. Croix County has put a study in place.
The moratorium ordinance will allow for the Livestock Facility Study Group to be created. Members will include Olson, as chair of the conservation committee, the chair of the county health committee, the chair of the agriculture and extension committee, an at-large supervisor elected by county board chair Art Carter and four residents and landowners of Green County, ideally at least one large farm owner and one small farm owner.
Group members will make it a point to study the possible impact the inclusion of a CAFO could have on the health of residents, such as danger posed through groundwater contamination or decreased air quality.
Supervisor Ted Fahey, who serves as the chairperson of the Board of Adjustment, was not present for the meeting. Fahey became the target of disapproval from critics of Pinnacle after a public hearing in which the board approved a variance which would allow the corporation farm to be issued zoning permits from the county.
Fahey did not allow public comment during the hearing on July 26, instead limiting discussion to Sylvester Township Board members and Pinnacle lawyers. In an effort to explain the events to fellow supervisors, Fahey wrote a letter dated Aug. 8.
He explained the board vote of 4-0 was unanimous because "it appeared the Town Board did not act in a fair and reasonable amount of time even after requested to do so by the Zoning Department back in December 2016," and that "this whole issue/hearing should never have come before the BOA. The Town had the ample opportunity to simply approve or deny the request in a reasonable amount of time. The BOA members should never have been put in this position!"
Sylvester Township Chairwoman Anna Anderson said the reason the board had tabled the permit application was due to a lack of adherence by Pinnacle, which did not submit a livestock siting application or meet with the Smart Growth Committee as required.
Fahey added that he chose to deny public comment because "any testimony from a third party would be considered second-hand or hearsay and also open up the real possibility of a heated debate on CAFOs in general."
Supervisors Kristi Leonard, Ron Wolter and Jerry Guth also were absent.