Kosciusko Fifth in State for CAFOs
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
A three-hour information session was put on by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to answer questions the public had concerning CAFOs and CFOs.
IDEM had charts available and, according to their numbers, Kosciusko County has 75 CFOs and CAFOs, which ranks as tied for fifth in the state.
Dubois has the most with 103, Carroll County has 100, Jay has 88, Wabash has 80 and Decatur has 75.
There are currently five active permits in Kosciusko County to either establish or expand CAFO operations in the county.
IDEM representative Barry Sneed said the reason for the meeting was because of several inquiries and “some misinformation” that has gone through the community.
Sneed said the misinformation was in relation to what IDEM does and doesn’t control.
The agency is in charge of permitting CFOs and CAFOs.
“People think we govern odor,” said Sneed. “Or manure on the road.”
Sneed said there is a detailed process to apply for a large feed operation.
“Permits will fill a four-inch binder,” said Sneed.
In fact, one farmer who is currently applying for a CAFO said he has gone through the following steps:
– Six-plus months of permitting
– Talking to all neighbors within a half mile
– Landscaping for appearance
– Landscaping for filtering to dissipate any odors
– Upgraded filters on the barn fans
– Certified in raising/transporting animals
– Certified in manure management
– Certified in mortality management.
Despite requirements required by IDEM, groups of people at the meeting were skeptical of IDEM itself.
David Brandes, of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, was on hand to share his dealings with IDEM when a proposed CAFO nearly went in near Lake Wawasee seven years ago.
“We spent $38,000,” said Brandes. “We hired a hydro geologist and had two professors from Notre Dame come in. They all said this will not work. (Runoff) will wind up in the lake. CFOs around the lake, kill the lake.”
“(IDEM) will not help you,” said Brandes. “They lie.”
Brandes said they were able to avoid the CAFO being built by working with the farmer, even offering to purchase land in areas away from the lake.
The original site was 0.8 miles from Lake Wawasee.
Brandes encouraged those against CAFOs to convince the farmers that the impact it will have on their neighbors far outweighs any financial gains.
Brandes also said people should look at litigation to stop a CAFO being built.
“IDEM is almost selling CAFOs as a good thing,” said Brandes. “The truth is there are instances where the judges have stepped in to take land away from farmers in cases where IDEM has been slow to take action.”
“Go ahead and see if they approve (a CAFO) next to Geist Reservoir,” said Brandes.
Peg Severns, who runs a CFO east of Mentone, was sitting outside the meeting room due to the amount of people inside.
Severns said many of the allegations she heard, she’d never let happen at her farm.
“I think they need to learn more,” said Severns. “Those are things we’d never do. We want to be good neighbors.”
Severns said the process to get approved for a CFO was lengthy.
Tim Mahoney, from the Hoosier Environmental Council, was on hand and said similar meetings are taking place all over the state.
Mahoney said his council is helping introduce legislation that will increase setback requirements for CFOs and CAFOs.
Currently, liquid manure has to be 300 feet away from bodies of water.
The council has called for setbacks to be 1,500 feet. Mahoney said it was important also to increase site restrictions.
Public comments concerning CAFOs that are currently in the permitting process were taken at Wednesday’s meeting.[[In-content Ad]]
A three-hour information session was put on by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to answer questions the public had concerning CAFOs and CFOs.
IDEM had charts available and, according to their numbers, Kosciusko County has 75 CFOs and CAFOs, which ranks as tied for fifth in the state.
Dubois has the most with 103, Carroll County has 100, Jay has 88, Wabash has 80 and Decatur has 75.
There are currently five active permits in Kosciusko County to either establish or expand CAFO operations in the county.
IDEM representative Barry Sneed said the reason for the meeting was because of several inquiries and “some misinformation” that has gone through the community.
Sneed said the misinformation was in relation to what IDEM does and doesn’t control.
The agency is in charge of permitting CFOs and CAFOs.
“People think we govern odor,” said Sneed. “Or manure on the road.”
Sneed said there is a detailed process to apply for a large feed operation.
“Permits will fill a four-inch binder,” said Sneed.
In fact, one farmer who is currently applying for a CAFO said he has gone through the following steps:
– Six-plus months of permitting
– Talking to all neighbors within a half mile
– Landscaping for appearance
– Landscaping for filtering to dissipate any odors
– Upgraded filters on the barn fans
– Certified in raising/transporting animals
– Certified in manure management
– Certified in mortality management.
Despite requirements required by IDEM, groups of people at the meeting were skeptical of IDEM itself.
David Brandes, of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, was on hand to share his dealings with IDEM when a proposed CAFO nearly went in near Lake Wawasee seven years ago.
“We spent $38,000,” said Brandes. “We hired a hydro geologist and had two professors from Notre Dame come in. They all said this will not work. (Runoff) will wind up in the lake. CFOs around the lake, kill the lake.”
“(IDEM) will not help you,” said Brandes. “They lie.”
Brandes said they were able to avoid the CAFO being built by working with the farmer, even offering to purchase land in areas away from the lake.
The original site was 0.8 miles from Lake Wawasee.
Brandes encouraged those against CAFOs to convince the farmers that the impact it will have on their neighbors far outweighs any financial gains.
Brandes also said people should look at litigation to stop a CAFO being built.
“IDEM is almost selling CAFOs as a good thing,” said Brandes. “The truth is there are instances where the judges have stepped in to take land away from farmers in cases where IDEM has been slow to take action.”
“Go ahead and see if they approve (a CAFO) next to Geist Reservoir,” said Brandes.
Peg Severns, who runs a CFO east of Mentone, was sitting outside the meeting room due to the amount of people inside.
Severns said many of the allegations she heard, she’d never let happen at her farm.
“I think they need to learn more,” said Severns. “Those are things we’d never do. We want to be good neighbors.”
Severns said the process to get approved for a CFO was lengthy.
Tim Mahoney, from the Hoosier Environmental Council, was on hand and said similar meetings are taking place all over the state.
Mahoney said his council is helping introduce legislation that will increase setback requirements for CFOs and CAFOs.
Currently, liquid manure has to be 300 feet away from bodies of water.
The council has called for setbacks to be 1,500 feet. Mahoney said it was important also to increase site restrictions.
Public comments concerning CAFOs that are currently in the permitting process were taken at Wednesday’s meeting.[[In-content Ad]]
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