Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Livestock Friendly pushed for county
Agribusiness interests have successfully brought the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's controversial Livestock Friendly Counties Program knocking at Winona County's barn door.
And the designated knocker is Della Schmidt of the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce.
Schmidt on Tuesday asked the Winona County Board of Commissioners to hold a public hearing in February and vote on enrolling in the state's program, which was set up almost two years ago but has yet to attract any of the state's 87 counties.
Commissioner Dwayne Voegeli urged instead to hold a public input session, which doesn't necessitate a board vote. The other commissioners agreed. Duane Bell was absent.
Schmidt said her request was driven by farm business representatives at a chamber agriculture committee roundtable in Winona last fall.
The voluntary program, authorized by the 2002 Minnesota Legislature, was designed to help counties show support for livestock farmers and their connected industries, "in an attempt to address the ongoing erosion of Minnesota's animal agriculture sector," the agriculture department says.
The proposal followed a period in the late 1990s when feedlot spills and environmental harm from large hog and cattle operations were debated locally and statewide, followed by new Minnesota feedlot regulations in 2000.
The agriculture department lists three factors that would disqualify a county from being "livestock friendly," including a cap on feedlot size.
Winona County code limits each livestock farm to no more than 1,500 animal units. In January 2003, only four farms had 1,000 or more animal units each, and 93 percent were under 300 animal units each.
But the agriculture department says it is willing to overlook these factors as it examines each application. Schmidt said the state program is "size-neutral."
After enrollment, the state says it could assist the county in finding areas suitable for feedlots, and review and recommend "plans, policies procedures, regulations, institutions, etc. as they relate to livestock friendliness."
Voegeli said he believes the program is being pushed by non-farmers, and that it is a "Trojan horse" wheeled by "huge multinational agricultural corporations."
Commissioner Marcia Ward called a state agriculture official but was disappointed in his answers, she said. She's heard the program described as a "mean game that divides instead of uniting."
"I think it's a lot of bull****," Ward said.
The Chamber's Schmidt labeled opposing views as "misinformation" and asked the board to consider the livestock program based on facts and documents, "to disregard emotional outcries and rumors."
Voegeli told Schmidt it is unfair to label opposing views this way. Voegeli and Schmidt then agreed that rumors and misinformation may be present on both sides.
Contact reporter Jeff Dankert at (507) 453-3513, or e-mail: jdankert@winonadailynews.com.
Public meeting on Livestock Friendly
A public input session has been scheduled for people to voice their opinions and hear information about enrolling Winona County into the Minnesota Department of
Agriculture's Livestock Friendly Counties Program:
WHEN: 5 p.m. Feb. 24 before the Winona County Board of Commissioners
WHERE: Winona County Government Center, 177 Main St.
Animal units
Animal units equalize different types and sizes of livestock for regulation. For example, 300 animal units equals 300 mature dairy cows under 1,000 pounds each, and it also equals 750 hogs over 55 pounds each.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 Winona Daily News and other attributed sources.