Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Feedlot permit approved
A hog feedlot proposal that supporters argued is a bellwether for the future of family farming in Winona County and that detractors say could endanger groundwater, foul the air and hurt nearby property values won narrow approval from the county board Tuesday.
The board voted 3-2 to approve the conditional-use permit allowing farmers Chris and Heather Sauer to build a 2,100-pig feedlot northeast of Lewiston.
The Sauers, of Sauer Family Farms, said they need the new feedlot to replace two outdated ones they are now using to raise about 900 hogs a month for market. The proposed site is located in the northeast corner of Utica Township, about two miles from Lewiston and one mile from the site where the Sauers live and raise about 1,700 pigs.
Chris Sauer, 38, has said the new barn will make his farm more efficient and provide more manure to spread on his 1,700 acres of row crops and make the farm economically viable for future generations. Retaining more manure would allow him to reduce his reliance on chemical fertilizers for the corn and soy beans that account for much of the farm's revenue.
Nearly 100 people attended the morning meeting, although there was no public hearing. About 50 people spoke at a May 19 Planning Commission meeting, with roughly 40 percent against and 60 percent for the project. Almost all of those in favor pointed to the Sauers as model farmers. The commission voted 7-2 to recommend approval.
Opponents have called the proposed feedlot a factory farm, but Sauer says his family lives about 100 feet from one of his 1,500-pig barns and drinks the same ground water as his neighbors.
The board approved the feedlot after Sauer agreed to install a $12,000 "Biocurtain" air filter to cut down on dust and odor from the confinement barn and 900,000-gallon concrete manure pit. The Sauers also agreed to 16 other conditions, including annual tests and reports on well water contents and soil nutrient levels.
The permit was approved on the swing vote of Commissioner Dwayne Voegeli, who initially said he planned to vote against it because he wanted more time to work on additional environmental provisions. Informed that a denial by the board would mean a one-year delay, Voegeli changed his position, after negotiating the additional conditions.
If the county does not act on a conditional-use permit request within 60 days, the permit is automatically granted. The 60-day window for the Sauer's proposal would close on Saturday, before the board's next scheduled meeting. Had the board denied the permit, the Sauers could not resubmit the application for one year.
Although he is against large confinement operations like the Sauers', Voegeli said it would be unfair to deny the Sauers' permit on those grounds.
"I'm concerned about macro-political issues, but I can't solve that in their permit," he said.
Commissioners Duane Bell and Jerry Heim voted against the permit. Bell cited health concerns and said he has never received so many calls on an issue. Heim said he had received calls "running 10 to one against."
Board Chairwoman Marcia Ward cited the county's comprehensive plan, which gives precedence to agricultural land use.
"The fact is we are an agricultural county," Ward said. "Yes, I feel for the neighbors, but this is agricultural land."
Reporter Chris Hubbuch can be reached at (507) 453-3511 or chubbuch@winonadailynews.com.
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