Only 3 Days Left to Stop a Wisconsin Factory Farm

by Taylor Leake · 2011-07-15 09:43:00 UTC
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When a factory farm sets its sights on a community, it takes a pretty dedicated group to keep it from being built. A group fighting a 5,000-cow dairy farm in Richfield, Wisconsin has taken some pretty big steps to do just that. Activists stoked the media's interest in their cause. They've garnered the support of many statewide organizations such as Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network (SRWN), Crawford Stewardship Project, Family Farm Defenders, and members of several chapters of Trout Unlimited.

They've also gotten the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to hold a hearing on whether or not to grant the farm a permit to discharge its waste into waterways. "The hearing is only allowed when there is sufficient citizen interest to do so," explains organizer and petition creator Bob Clarke. "We were granted the hearing because we mobilized quickly."

The hearing will be held at 1 PM on July 18th at the Adams County Community Center, 569 North Cedar St., in Adams, WI, and it's an extremely important moment in this campaign. "The position of the DNR  is that they plan to approve the permit," says Clarke. "The hearing is our only chance to demonstrate our position as well."

There are essentially two issues at stake. The first is the waste elimination permit. The proposed mega-dairy plans on spreading its waste manure over more than 16,000 acres, most of which are located within five miles of the farm site. While the DNR seems to think this is no big deal, there are a myriad of problems that could arise. First, the manure can run into streams and rivers (including two world-class trout fishing streams in the area), threatening the environment. It could also leach into the groundwater.

The other issue is how much water the farm will use. There are conflicting reports on how much water the industrial farm will pump out of the ground or how much it is allowed to take, but there is some concern that the already-low water tables won't be able to handle losing a large amount of water like that needed by a factory farm. Many folks are concerned that the mega-dairy's water use will have devastating impacts on nearby lakes.

So if you're a Wisconsin resident, please go to the hearing and tell the DNR that you have serious concerns about this massive factory farm. If you can't make it, you can still help by signing Clarke's petition on Change.org. The signatures will be delivered to the DNR at the July 18th hearing, so every supporter matters.

Photo Credit: CJ Schmit via Flickr

Taylor Leake is a foodie and activist. He's previously worked for Food and Water Watch and Wake Up Walmart.

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