TOWN OF SYLVESTER - In its meeting Wednesday night, the Sylvester town board approved a submitted ordinance for licensing livestock facilities, in addition to an ordinance prohibiting the aerial application of fertilizer, but not before experiencing consternation during the Large-Scale Livestock Study Committee meeting.
The committee was formed after a large-scale dairy farm called Pinnacle applied to acquire land for a full-scale operation along Decatur-Sylvester and County FF. The proposal includes 5,800 cattle over 130 total acres of farmland in the area. It was noted during discussion in the meeting that in other towns and counties of Wisconsin, once the area allowed one big dairy operation build, then a number of others followed. A notable example being in Kewaunee County, which had one before the addition of 14 more, resulting in the loss of 30 percent of their wells due to contamination. This concerned local citizens, who pushed for a temporary halt on any forward progress of Pinnacle and other potential farms like it in order to conduct further study on operations such as these.
During the committee meeting, the group of individuals appointed to the committee and public residents reviewed a presentation made by Jen Riemer, a member of the Green County Defending our Farmland group. The organization proposed the moratorium set in place as a way to evaluate the effect the addition of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation would have on the porous soil located in the township area. Riemer is also a member of the committee put in place to research those effects. Committee members decided how often they were to meet, acknowledged there were four months given for the moratorium to be set in place and expressed the need for a basic understanding of the current state law, which Riemer cited as "heavily biased in favor of the expansion of CAFOs" while reading from her accompanying notes on a computer display. Talk also centered on the burden to provide a number of scientific and credible sources to prove any CAFO may need to be limited or rejected in its application within the township. Once they have compiled a confident case, they will turn it over to the township board, which will make the final decision regarding the future of the applicant.
As the meeting played out and members discussed the effect heavy amounts of fertilizer, namely manure, would have on the land given its high level of susceptibility and the small area over which the application plan designates it be spread, a few local farmers voiced their disapproval with heavy regulation on a large farm while smaller facilities could apply as much fertilizer to the ground as they would like.
Mike Malkow, a farmer in the area, was joined by others when he raised his voice and admonished regulation simply because the proposed farm is larger than the ones currently in place. He also pointed to laws which could affect him personally, and said "we gotta eat, too," when questioned about actions which could lead to future negative effects on the area. Riemer pointed to the need for overall healthier living as the ultimate goal of the committee and said CAFOs specifically cover a small area of ground relative to the amount of manure spread, which has been their main concern.
"We're looking at best practices to make the community better," she said.
Currently, there has been confusion on the amount of land Pinnacle will utilize. Because lawyers for owner Todd Tulls wanted to bypass the Smart Growth Committee of the township and instead apply with state parameters to purchase their land, the unknown includes either a 5-mile radius or a 20-mile radius, though Pinnacle does not yet own the land straddling two parcels, causing more issues with their driveway permits - also an item on the agenda but not evaluated due to issues with the road width of the proposed site. If it were to include 20 miles, it would cover five separate townships.
The licensing ordinance approved by the town board specifies the authority and purpose of the need to establish standards which will protect public health and safety within the township. After a lawyer employed by the township evaluated the proposed ordinance, the board was ready to approve the measure with only a limited number of word choice changes applied to the proposal.
Agreement was met among LISLE Committee members to meet bi-monthly, with dates and locations to be determined, and the option to pair with township meetings favored when possible.
The committee was formed after a large-scale dairy farm called Pinnacle applied to acquire land for a full-scale operation along Decatur-Sylvester and County FF. The proposal includes 5,800 cattle over 130 total acres of farmland in the area. It was noted during discussion in the meeting that in other towns and counties of Wisconsin, once the area allowed one big dairy operation build, then a number of others followed. A notable example being in Kewaunee County, which had one before the addition of 14 more, resulting in the loss of 30 percent of their wells due to contamination. This concerned local citizens, who pushed for a temporary halt on any forward progress of Pinnacle and other potential farms like it in order to conduct further study on operations such as these.
During the committee meeting, the group of individuals appointed to the committee and public residents reviewed a presentation made by Jen Riemer, a member of the Green County Defending our Farmland group. The organization proposed the moratorium set in place as a way to evaluate the effect the addition of a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation would have on the porous soil located in the township area. Riemer is also a member of the committee put in place to research those effects. Committee members decided how often they were to meet, acknowledged there were four months given for the moratorium to be set in place and expressed the need for a basic understanding of the current state law, which Riemer cited as "heavily biased in favor of the expansion of CAFOs" while reading from her accompanying notes on a computer display. Talk also centered on the burden to provide a number of scientific and credible sources to prove any CAFO may need to be limited or rejected in its application within the township. Once they have compiled a confident case, they will turn it over to the township board, which will make the final decision regarding the future of the applicant.
As the meeting played out and members discussed the effect heavy amounts of fertilizer, namely manure, would have on the land given its high level of susceptibility and the small area over which the application plan designates it be spread, a few local farmers voiced their disapproval with heavy regulation on a large farm while smaller facilities could apply as much fertilizer to the ground as they would like.
Mike Malkow, a farmer in the area, was joined by others when he raised his voice and admonished regulation simply because the proposed farm is larger than the ones currently in place. He also pointed to laws which could affect him personally, and said "we gotta eat, too," when questioned about actions which could lead to future negative effects on the area. Riemer pointed to the need for overall healthier living as the ultimate goal of the committee and said CAFOs specifically cover a small area of ground relative to the amount of manure spread, which has been their main concern.
"We're looking at best practices to make the community better," she said.
Currently, there has been confusion on the amount of land Pinnacle will utilize. Because lawyers for owner Todd Tulls wanted to bypass the Smart Growth Committee of the township and instead apply with state parameters to purchase their land, the unknown includes either a 5-mile radius or a 20-mile radius, though Pinnacle does not yet own the land straddling two parcels, causing more issues with their driveway permits - also an item on the agenda but not evaluated due to issues with the road width of the proposed site. If it were to include 20 miles, it would cover five separate townships.
The licensing ordinance approved by the town board specifies the authority and purpose of the need to establish standards which will protect public health and safety within the township. After a lawyer employed by the township evaluated the proposed ordinance, the board was ready to approve the measure with only a limited number of word choice changes applied to the proposal.
Agreement was met among LISLE Committee members to meet bi-monthly, with dates and locations to be determined, and the option to pair with township meetings favored when possible.