Manure spill considered minor by state officials

Hog manure spilled in the William Baker ditch near the Creighton Brothers operation Feb. 25 was not a threat to the environment, according to Kristin Whittington, Indiana Department of Environmental Management Director of the office of Ag Relations.

"The spill was on a cornfield, so there was no threat to anything," she said. It was a spill, she said, but environmentally it was not an issue.

Ron Truex, Creighton Brothers general manager, agreed. "As far as we know, with working with the DNR and IDEM, there was no environmental impact at all," he said.

The spill occurred at 1829 S. CR 950W, near Mentone.

According to Truex, a Hoffman Farms Manure Management worker was using a drag hose inspection system to apply hog manure to a field. As with a typical garden hose, when the worker was finished, he unhooked the hose at the pumper and wound up the hose on the truck.

Approximately less than 15 gallons of manure that remained in the 50 to 60 feet of hose spilled out.

Because it spilled into snow and then it rained, "it looked like a lot of manure," said Truex.

Whittington said the spill was cleaned up right away. An IDEM compliance inspector was on site right after the accidental spill occurred.

"The department takes action on reports on spills that are out there. We did take action on the spill and Creighton Brothers have been involved," she said.

As for any fine, she said, they were held between IDEM and Creighton Brothers and, to her knowledge, the specifics have not yet been completed.

Truex said he expects the agreement order in the next two weeks. He said IDEM said it was considered "a minor situation."