Crawford Stewardship Project Update

May 2008

In this update:

  • Action Plan
  • Summary of the first eight months progress
  • Mission Statement
  • Vision Statement

We really need your help to sustain this long term effort. Please look over this action plan to see where you can fit in. Contact CSP via phone (608-735-4277) or email csp.county@gmail.com to volunteer to serve on one of the above listed Action Teams. You will be contacted by the appropriate chairperson to enlist your skills.

ACTION PLAN
  • Educate the public on CAFO issues
    • Continue the series of public educational events
    • Continue PR campaign to keep the issue in front of the public
  • Resist CAFO permit applications in Crawford County
    • Continue to support neighbors of the first CAFO in their legal initiatives
    • Research legalities surrounding all applications
    • Pursue all legal avenues open to CSP to regulate the first CAFO
  • Monitor CAFO environmental effects in Crawford County
    • Collect air and water quality data near proposed CAFO
  • Promote sound land use planning decision in Crawford County
    • Research zoning options to limit CAFO's
    • Initiate Karst geological and soils study of Crawford County to determine vulnerability to groundwater contamination
    • Monitor County and Town planning surveys and publish results
  • Form state/ regional coalition to initiate public policy change
    • Lobby environmental groups to address the CAFO issue
    • Amend the rules of the Livestock Siting Law
    • Pursue federal enforcement of the Clean Air and Water Act
    • Promote sustainable alternatives to CAFO production
  • Improve communications to our membership on all current issues
    • Create website and list serve
    • Regular newsletters
    • Enlist the help of more members in action teams
  • Strengthen CSP as an organization
    • Develop fundraising plan
    • Grow the membership

Crawford Stewardship Project - the first eight months progress

Crawford Stewardship Project formed in July 2007 in response to a permit application for the first CAFO in Crawford County. Thirty three concerned citizens attended the first organizational meeting in July and formed committees to:

  • Research
  • Educate
  • Network
  • Investigate and monitor the first CAFO application
  • Develop CSP as a viable organization

Research

There are volumes on the social, environmental, economic and human health hazards of CAFO's. The problem was in condensing information into easily accessible format for education and in choosing the best information for challenging the county permit. Our presentation to the county board of this information was over 2000 pages of expert testimony from engineers, nutrient management specialists, and soil scientists on the Roth application and peer reviewed articles from prestigious scientific journals on the threats of similar operations to public health and safety.

Education

We stimulated a public discussion with informational meetings and regular letters to the editor. Realizing the potential for polarization from confrontational tactics, we strove to listen to all opinions and to keep the debate civil.

We mailed out 2,200 letters to absentee landowners of Crawford County apprising them of the situation and asking for support. Hundreds of individuals responded by writing letters to the county board and local papers and by contributing money to help with our expenses.

CSP and Valley Stewardship Network co-sponsored two presentations by a hydrogeologist and a soil scientist on the effects of livestock operations on groundwater quality focusing on the karst geological formations common in Crawford County. The presentations were attended by over 150 people.

The next presentation in May will bring farmers to speak on their successful alternatives to large scale livestock operations.

Networking

CSP benefited greatly from the experience, data and encouragement of Valley Stewardship Network, Russ Tooley of Centerville Cares and Toni Ends of the Town of Magnolia. Legal assistance and advice from Garvey McNeil & McGillivray, S.C. and Midwest Environmental Advocates was invaluable.

By January, we were receiving phone calls for our help from individuals in other parts of the state threatened by CAFO's. We attended by invitation the April 5 Environmental Impacts of Large Livestock Operation in Wisconsin conference in Madison to share our expertise.

Environmental monitoring

We are assisting Valley Stewardship Network in monitoring surface and ground water quality around the proposed CAFO site.

Permit Application

Our experts in soil and manure management, hydrogeology, engineering, and medicine reviewed the applicant's plan and its potential health effects on residents of the County. Their objections caused the Land Conservation Committee to require the applicant to slightly amend his plan, but most of the concerns were not addressed.

Although we objected to the WI Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the County, and the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) that no County or WDNR permits were obtained and that there are no documented engineering inspections being done as the buildings are being built, the applicant continued construction.

The November public hearing held by Crawford County was attended by nearly 200 people the majority of whom spoke eloquently against the application.

In January, the Land Conservation Committee voted to approve the license for the CAFO in Crawford County. The next step for AV Roth, the applicant, is to submit an application to the WI DNR for a discharge permit. To date, this has not been done in spite of the fact that we believe the facility is nearing completion. We are concerned that recent developments at the state level may eliminate the individual DNR permitting process and public hearing for CAFOs, but are still hopeful that we will have an opportunity to express our concerns both in written and oral comments to the DNR.

A challenge to the County's decision to issue a CAFO license to the Roth facility was brought by Midwest Environmental Advocates on behalf of twenty-eight affected neighbors within two miles of the facility. In April the State Livestock Facility Siting Review Board unanimously voted to reverse the Crawford County decision. The Board found portions of the application to be internally inconsistent, and expressed concerns with regard to the nutrient management data submitted by Roth. Stay tuned!

Organization

The Coordinating Committee of 8-10 dedicated volunteers met weekly from August through December to plan and coordinate the activities of CSP. The organization is physically decentralized, with each of us working from our homes. Crawford Stewardship Project is now incorporated, with the Coordinating Committee becoming the board of directors. We are looking into non-profit organization status.

Board of Directors
Chair-Emile Smith
Vice Chairs-Jennifer Nelson/Edie Ehlert
Secretary-Gloria Derksen
Treasurer-Lamar Janes
Administrative Affairs -Ellen Brooks
Governmental/Legal Affairs-Jennifer Nelson
Public Relations-Jane Holzhauer and Emile Smith
Research-Maggie Jones and Rob Horwich

Mission

It is the mission of the Crawford Stewardship Project to protect the environment of Crawford County by confining CAFOs in the County to areas where they will do no harm, and to promote methods of agriculture that are safe, humane, profitable, and environmentally sustainable, while preserving economic opportunities for all citizens.

Vision Statement

The Crawford Stewardship Project, judged by any standard, is widely and consistently regarded as a model of outstanding public participation, and as a provider of clear channels for citizens to positively protect the natural resources of their County.

This vision will be realized when:

  • Crawford County protects the interests of its citizens by assuring that no CAFOs are located in the County which would adversely impact the health, welfare or quality of life of its residents.
  • The County ensures the economic well being of all landowners through the use of zoning which protects property values and economic opportunity for all citizens.
  • The need for local communities to determine their own future course is protected and encouraged by laws of the State
  • CSP is a model of effective influence on State and local government.
  • Our well informed citizens are able to make clear choices on issues that involve the heath and safety of citizens of the County and are able to democratically influence decision making on these issues by their elected officials.
  • A positive working relationship has been forged between CSP and other groups with similar missions throughout the state.
  • Sustainable types of farming are increasing in the County.
  • The DNR and Crawford Conservationist enforce the standards of the State and Federal environmental laws as they pertain to CAFOs within the County
  • Representatives maintain high ethical standards in their day-to-day activities.
  • CSP members are satisfied with communications, participation opportunities, the quality of leadership and the outcomes of their initiatives.

CRAWFORD STEWARDSHIP PROJECT
csp.county@gmail.com
608-735-4277
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631

"While CAFOs clearly are profitable, they are only profitable because so much of the cost and damage is externalized onto the environment, neighbors and wildlife. The monitoring, supervision, clean-up, restitution, fines are not happening, thus the true cost of CAFOs never find the way onto the balance books." Talking point from the CAFO Conference.