Community pushback against concentrated animal feeding operations continues in Wisconsin.
The debate and review of two proposed hog operations in Crawford County is coming to a head.
The Crawford County Land Conservation Committee was scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to approve permits for the two farms. Environmental advocates said the farms are attempting to circumvent state regulations by operating just below a 1,000 animal unit threshold.
Adam Voskuil, staff attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates, said the Gruber Livestock farms represent a trend of blatant attempts to skirt the law.
"These operations are avoiding regulatory approval by existing, I guess, at 0.4 animal units below that threshold, which is a pretty wild proposal," Voskuil asserted.
While Midwest Environmental Advocates has not brought legal action against Gruber Livestock, a contested case hearing for the long-disputed Ridge Breeze farm in Pierce County is expected early this year. The organization is challenging a permit issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the operation to expand to 6,500 cows.
Voskuil noted a recent change in the nature of contested case hearings. There has been a push to return to in-person proceedings, rather than relying on virtual meetings, to allow community members to testify directly to administrative law judges.
"There's a growing feeling that in-person has a lot of value," Voskuil explained. "Both for the members of the public to look the decision makers in the eyes and express their concerns and their issues with the ultimate decision, and really, to make sure that they feel as though they can present their evidence."
In addition to taking legal action, advocacy groups have been working to pass Operations Ordinances, which they say serve to protect rural communities from the negative effects of large-scale operations. Supporters of the large farms argued state permit requirements for the operations include extensive safeguards for surrounding communities.
