Contact: Leah Call
608-634-4261
lcall@mwt.net
For Immediate Release
On May 13 eighteen people from Vernon, Crawford and Taylor Counties, attended the Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Board meeting in Madison to express concerns about serious flaws in the Livestock Siting Law (ATCP 51) in siting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), particularly a 3, 500-head dairy CAFO proposed by Petry Trust in Vernon County; a 3,000-Sow Farrowing CAFO in Crawford County; and a 4,000-head dairy CAFO in Taylor County.
"Citizens need to have a place at the table for the 2010 review of the Law," according to Edie Ehlert, Crawford Stewardship Project coordinator.
The citizen input that took place at the DATCP Board meeting may be a step toward that goal.
Westby resident Ryan Call held up petitions containing 2,000 signatures and stated, “I understand the intent of the Livestock Siting Law, to streamline and standardize livestock siting across the state. In theory, that sounds reasonable. In practice, it is deeply flawed and simply does not work. The fact that a 3,200-head dairy operation has the legal right to locate ¼ mile from the city limits of the 2nd largest city in Vernon County, despite the opposition of 2,000 people, exposes a flaw in the Livestock Siting Law.”
“This CAFO will forever change the landscape of our community. It will change the way our community looks and will limit how our community can grow. The state has determined that the community that has most at stake – our community - has nothing to say about it’s future.”
Another resident near a second proposed site in Vernon County, Emily Sytsma, stressed her concerns for the Petry CAFO’s impact on several neighboring residents with serious health issues. “I am deeply concerned about the direction of our state being taken toward industrialized or factory farming. Bigger is not always better. Efficiency and cost cannot be the only considerations when it comes to farming.”
Matt Urch, who lives and operates a grass-fed livestock operation near one of the proposed Vernon County sites, stated, “I am outraged that the State of Wisconsin deemed it necessary to pass a law designed to protect the economic interests of factory farms by stripping away the ability of local citizens to pass common-sense measures to protect the health and safety of both people and the environment.”
Urch pointed out that neighboring states such as Minnesota far exceed Wisconsin’s setback requirements from neighbors, churches, schools and cities. Under ATCP 51 Wisconsin requirements are a mere 200 feet for the largest livestock structures and 350 feet for manure storage facilities from property lines.
Steve Suchomel from Taylor County stated, "CAFOs are shoehorning themselves into populated areas."
Dan Peper, a farmer and builder who resides near the Viroqua site, said that he understands the need to produce food and make money, but he asked the Board, “Is it worth the risk to the environment and to public health?” He also pointed out that there is a better way, and we are already proving that in Vernon County.
Kathy Fairchild of Westby stated, “The State cannot be viewed as a uniform target for mega farming. The realities of our varied soils, aquifers, geology, topography and community infrastructure must be adequately considered in any siting decision. I ask the board to remember that there is no longer a public intervener. DATCP and all other departments of State government must see it as their task to also represent the common good.”
She also commented, “Many of the true costs of mega farming are on the shoulders of the public. Many studies have shown that if CAFOs were made to bear their true costs, they would not be profitable. The expense of lost property values, more individual health issues, increased social service burdens, accelerated roadway damage and environmental cleanups are just some of these.”DATCP Board Public Input Media Release
Scott Shultz, a Wisconsin Farmers Union representative, noted a need for "much more study of the effects of the largest CAFOs on rural communities.” And said the law is pushing CAFO's into neighborhoods for the wrong reasons. We need to keep farmers in Wisconsin, too, not just milk production, he said.
Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP) Coordinator Edie Ehlert presented a written list of proposed law changes based on Crawford County’s experience with its first CAFO application. “Local governments and citizens know the health, environmental, and economic vulnerabilities of their area,” she said.
Jennifer Nelson, also with CSP, gave an overview of DATCP’s role in approving the Roth hog CAFO permit despite the opposition of 29 neighbors, who appealed to the DATCP Board. “Although the Siting Law gives lip service to allowing citizen input, we felt that none of our concerns were properly addressed by your Board in the process,” said Nelson, who expressed dismay at the lack of consideration by the Board in 2007 to materials CSP presented that included testimony from medical professionals and peer-reviewed medical journals on public health and safety threats posed by hog CAFOs. “I am here to ask why DATCP has taken on the role of advocate for giant agribusiness and abandoned its role as advocate for the consumer and the citizens of the state?”