Despite efforts by Saratoga officials to stop a civil case that, if lost, would force the town to issue building permits to a proposed large-scale dairy, a judge has ordered the proceedings to continue Thursday and Friday. After attorneys for town officials failed to get a court action dismissed Tuesday in Wood County Circuit Court, Portage County Judge Thomas Eagon, acting as a substitute judge in the Wood County case, will hear testimony on whether he should order the town to issue a building permit for Golden Sands Dairy.
National Water Monitoring News
To our Water Monitoring Colleagues around the Nation:
As Co-Chairs of the National Water Quality Monitoring Council (or "Council"), we are pleased to release the sixth edition of our online newsletter National Water Monitoring News : http://acwi.gov/monitoring/
This newsletter provides a forum of communication among water practitioners across the Nation. In support of the national Council’s mission, this newsletter is geared to foster partnerships and collaboration; advance water science; improve monitoring strategies; and enhance data integration, comparability, and reporting.
This edition highlights many events, activities, and new products and we hope the information is useful for your water needs. Among the topics included:
Highlights from the Council’s 8th National Monitoring Conference (April 30 – May 4, 2012, Portland, OR) New Council Resource – Water Quality Data Portal Tools and Technology
- Electronic field forms for the 2012 National Lakes Assessment
- New How's My Waterway? mobile website
Updates on monitoring including:
- U.S. Geological Survey’s Cooperative Water Program
- U.S. EPA’s National Aquatic Resource Surveys
- U.S. Forest Service’s Inventory, Monitoring, and Assessment Program
- Chesapeake Bay Program monitoring of 2011 storm effects
- Wildfire effects on source water quality
Spotlight on the State monitoring programs from California, Vermont and Florida Volunteers monitoring and the coastal Phytoplankton Monitoring Network Updates on National Monitoring Networks including:
- National Ground Water Monitoring Network
- Albemarle Sound’s study as part of the National Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and Their Tributaries
- Lake Michigan water quality near Chicago
Many thanks to the editorial board: Cathy Tate, Dan Sullivan, Wendy Norton, Alice Mayio, and John Hummer; Kim Martz for the layout, and to all contributors nationwide.
On behalf of the entire Council, we hope you enjoy this newsletter and we encourage your feedback and input in future editions!
Respectfully yours,
Mike Yurewicz, USGS Co-Chair and Susan Holdsworth, EPA Co-Chair
To learn more about the National Water Quality Monitoring Council please visit: http://acwi.gov/monitoring/
November 29, 2012 - Bill McKibben is Coming to Wisconsin
Clean Wisconsin's Doug La Follette Environmental Speakers Program, Madison 350 and 350.org are excited to bring climate change spokesman Bill McKibben to Madison. Join us for his exciting presentation as we jumpstart next phase of the climate movement. Based on McKibben’s Rolling Stone article that became one of the most shared pieces in the magazine’s history, this tour is the launch pad for a new movement to 'change the math' of the climate crisis. Be there as we gain the momentum needed to challenge the status quo and protect our future from the devastation of climate change.
When: Thursday, November 29. Doors open at 6:00 pm.
Where: Madison Masonic Center, 301 Wisconsin Avenue. Street and ramp parking available.
Cost: $10. General Public: Purchase tickets here. Students: Sign up for a free ticket here.
Click here to see our sponsors!
There will also be a pre-event reception for Clean Wisconsin friends. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and meet Bill and the Clean Wisconsin staff!
When: 5-6:30 pm.
Where: Madison Masonic Center Caitlin Room, 301 Wisconsin Avenue.
Cost: $15. All proceeds benefit Clean Wisconsin. Please RSVP to Jenny. Payment will be accepted at the door. Please note: You must still buy a ticket at the link above to attend the main event!
Did Farmers of the Past Know More Than We Do?
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG, Published: November 3, 2012NY Times
A couple years ago, I saw a small field of oats growing in northwest Iowa — a 40-acre patch in a sea of genetically modified corn and soybeans. It was an unusual sight. I asked my cousins, who still farm what my dad always called the “home place,” whether someone had added oats to the rotation of crops being planted. The answer was no.
The purpose of that patch of oats was manure mitigation. The waste that had been sprayed on that field came from a hog confinement operation, and oats were the only crop that would put such concentrated, nearly toxic manure to nutritional use and do it quickly.
Oats used to be a common sight all over the Midwest. They were often sown with alfalfa as a “nurse crop” to provide some cover for alfalfa seedlings back when alfalfa was also a common sight. Until about 30 years ago, you could find all sorts of crops growing on Iowa farms, and livestock. Since then two things have happened. All the animals have moved indoors, into crowded confinement operations. And the number of crops has dwindled to exactly two: corn and soybeans.
Read the rest at - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/opinion/sunday/crop-rotation-and-the-future-of-farming.html?_r=1&
County Board criticizes, passes Saratoga zoning ordinance
Town officials hope rules will prevent planned large-scale dairy Although some Wood County Board members expressed concern about a Saratoga zoning ordinance, the board gave its OK Tuesday to the regulations town officials hope will stop a proposed large-scale dairy.
The Wood County Conservation, Education and Economic Development Committee brought Saratoga’s zoning plan to the County Board, because there is no county regulation that opposes it, said Hilde Henkel, committee chairwoman. However, she said the plan includes the most restrictive rules she has seen in her 13 years of being involved with the Wood County Zoning Department.
“They, frankly, are an insult to every farm and every farm family ,” Henkel said.
Town residents are hopeful the zoning ordinance will prevent the Wysocki Family of Cos. from placing a 5,300-animal dairy in the southeast portion of Saratoga that has been owned by Plum Creek Timberlands.
Kinnard Farms wastewater permit challenged
A group of Kewaunee County families is challenging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources decision to renew a wastewater discharge permit for Kinnard Farms Inc. The nonprofit group Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a legal action Oct. 15 asking for an administrative hearing on Kinnard’s Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit, which was the subject of a May 23 public hearing. The five-year permit was issued Aug. 16 and effective Sept. 1.
French study finds tumors in rats fed GM corn
French study finds tumors in rats fed GM corn
LONDON (Reuters) - Rats fed a lifetime diet of Monsanto's genetically modified corn or exposed to its top-selling weedkiller Roundup suffered tumors and multiple organ damage, according to a French study published on Wednesday.
Although the lead researcher's past record as a critic of the industry may make other experts wary of drawing hasty conclusions, the finding will stoke controversy about the safety of GM crops.
In an unusual move, the research group did not allow reporters to seek outside comment on their paper before its publication in the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology and presentation at a news conference in London.
Gilles-Eric Seralini of the University of Caen and colleagues said rats fed on a diet containing NK603 - a seed variety made tolerant to dousings of Roundup - or given water containing Roundup at levels permitted in the United States died earlier than those on a standard diet.
Saratoga residents can test water
Wood County University of Wisconsin-Extension and Health Department have teamed up with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to offer Saratoga residents a drinking water testing and educational program. Sample bottles will be available for purchase from Thursday through Nov. 13. Sampling must take place Nov. 13.
Sample bottles will be available at four locations: Saratoga Town Hall, 1120 Highway 73 S.; Saratoga Mini Mart, 8810 Highway 13 S.; Wood County UW Extension Office, Courthouse, 400 Market St. and Wood County Health Department, Riverview Clinic Building — 4th Floor, 420 Dewey St. The Extension Office and Health Department are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Saratoga residents can choose between three different water testing packages.
Kinnard Farms Wastewater Permit Challenged
A group of Kewaunee County families is challenging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources decision to renew a wastewater discharge permit for Kinnard Farms Inc. The nonprofit group Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a legal action Oct. 15 asking for an administrative hearing on Kinnard’s Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit, which was the subject of a May 23 public hearing. The five-year permit was issued Aug. 16 and effective Sept. 1.
CAFOs are not a necessary evil
Posted by Jennifer Dolan on October 18, 2012 in Columns and Editorial, Featured2 | When it comes to the opposition to the proposed CAFO in Saratoga, many people identify the issue as a “not in my backyard” or NIMBY because for so many people, all their meat, dairy, and much of their produce comes from factory farms. But some of us make the decision to buy from sustainable farms, which doesn’t necessarily equate to only small farms.
If you don’t want pesticide residue on your produce, purchase certified organic. If you don’t want meat and dairy that comes with a heavy dose of antibiotics, purchase pasture raised. Smart pasture operations or SPOs are not only more humane, produce a higher quality product because animals are fed their natural diet (therefore contributing Omega 3 fatty acids to the meat and dairy produced), but they actually make farmers more money without taking government subsidies.
An SPO includes hundreds of cows, not thousands. There is less of an environmental impact largely because cattle graze on grass rather than being fed corn that requires pesticides and large amounts of water. If an SPO came into Saratoga, 49 high capacity wells would not be required like the proposed Wysocki project. Drawdown would not be an issue. Nitrates in the groundwater would not be an issue. Paying and paying again through heavier taxation would not be an issue.
Cleaning up CAFO permit rules
Some of our nation’s most prized waterways—such as the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay and Mississippi River—as well as streams, estuaries and wells, are at risk from pollution from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).These facilities generate tons of manure that can contain excess nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus; pathogens, including bacteria or viruses; sediment; antibiotics; and metals, such as copper or arsenic. All of these pollutants can threaten human health, water quality, and wildlife.
While diversified farms can apply manure to crops as fertilizer, the amount of manure that CAFOs generate often exceeds local crop needs. Studies show that the problems of excess manure – associated with the presence of large animal facilities – are apparent in numerous areas around the country.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with protecting our waters from such pollutants, but its regulations have not kept pace with the growth of CAFOs or the pollution they generate. The Clean Water Act’s current permitting process is rife with loopholes, allowing many facilities to operate with little or no oversight.
The Costs of CAFOs
August 31, 2012 Wisconsin farmers have learned to do more with less.
From 1960 to 2004, the state's agricultural output grew by an average of 0.72 percent each year, while land inputs dropped by 0.68 percent and labor input dropped by almost 3 percent, according to the USDA.
And while agricultural efficiency is good for keeping cheap food on the shelves, it comes at a cost to the health of local environments and people.
"There's a growing concern in Door County that we're going to have an influx of CAFOs," said Jerry Viste, executive director of the Door County Environmental Council (DCEC).
That's why DCEC invited author David Kirby to speak about Animal Factory, his book about industrial farming on Aug. 22 at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall.
Where Cows Are Happy and Food Is Healthy
FOOD can be depressing. If it’s tasty, it’s carcinogenic. If it’s cheap, animals were tortured.
But this, miraculously, is a happy column about food! It’s about a farmer who names all his 230 milk cows, along with his 200 heifers and calves, and loves them like children.
Let me introduce Bob Bansen, a high school buddy of mine who is a third-generation dairyman raising Jersey cows on lovely green pastures here in Oregon beside the Yamhill River. Bob, 53, a lanky, self-deprecating man with an easy laugh, is an example of a farmer who has figured out how to make a good living running a farm that is efficient but also has soul.
Neighbors of Illinois Swine CAFO Claim Victory in Property Tax Appeal
For Immediate ReleaseAugust 6, 2012 Contact Dave Leifheit, CRAPC 608-207-0768 Karen Hudson, ICCAW 309-742-8895
Neighbors of Illinois Swine CAFO Claim Victory in Property Tax Appeal
David and Renee Leifheit of Chana, Illinois were awarded a 12.5% reduction in their property taxes because of the impacts from a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) near their home. The Illinois Department of Agriculture approved the siting of the facility within a ¼ mile of their residence in rural Ogle County six years ago.
A hearing was scheduled before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board (PTAB) on September 4th after the County denied their request to reduce the assessed value of their property. At the hearing, the PTAB Hearing Officer encouraged the parties to discuss resolution of the issue prior to arguing their cases, which allowed the Leifheits the opportunity to negotiate a settlement with Ogle County officials. Both parties agreed to a compromise on the dollar amount of their property taxes based on the CAFO’s proximity to their land, which will apply retroactively from the date it was constructed.
The Leifheits used a written handbook to guide them through the Illinois tax appeal process, which was authored by Attorney Charles Cronauer of Sycamore, Illinois and the Vermont Law School (available at www.factoryfarmtaxprotest.org/stateinfo.htm). They also utilized data and case histories provided by expert property tax assessor, Dr. John Kilpatrick, in support of their appeal. Dr. Kilpatrick’s evaluation of their property and the impacts the CAFO has had on its value is available at the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project website at: www.sraproject.org/factoryfarms/issues/economics/impact/.
The Leifheit’s are pleased with the outcome, which they hope will set a precedent for future appeals by suffering CAFO neighbors in the state of Illinois and beyond.
High Capacity Wells By County
| County | # of Active Wells |
| Adams |
790 |
| Ashland |
14 |
| Barron |
279 |
| Bayfield |
42 |
| Brown |
168 |
| Buffalo |
69 |
| Burnett |
69 |
| Calumet |
50 |
| Chippewa |
168 |
| Clark |
44 |
| Columbia |
227 |
| Crawford |
33 |
| Dane |
339 |
| Dodge |
122 |
| Door |
209 |
| Douglas |
38 |
| Dunn |
346 |
| Eau Claire |
127 |
| Florence |
12 |
| Fond Du Lac |
145 |
| Forest |
2 |
| Grant |
48 |
| Green |
70 |
| Green Lake |
142 |
| Iowa |
163 |
| Iron |
4 |
| Jackson |
144 |
| Jefferson |
241 |
| Juneau |
244 |
| Kenosha |
149 |
| Kewaunee |
58 |
| La Crosse |
159 |
| Lafayette |
46 |
| Langlade |
247 |
| Lincoln |
39 |
| Manitowoc |
123 |
| Marathon |
232 |
| Marinette |
78 |
| Marquette |
187 |
| Milwaukee |
77 |
| Monroe |
261 |
| Oconto |
117 |
| Oneida |
168 |
| Outagamie |
106 |
| Ozaukee |
154 |
| Pepin |
84 |
| Pierce |
61 |
| Polk |
69 |
| Portage |
1106 |
| Price |
15 |
| Racine |
147 |
| Richland |
52 |
| Rock |
317 |
| Rusk |
22 |
| Sauk |
319 |
| Sawyer |
36 |
| Shawano |
59 |
| Sheboygan |
186 |
| St. Croix |
187 |
| Taylor |
3 |
| Trempealeau |
106 |
| Vernon |
58 |
| Vilas |
167 |
| Walworth |
296 |
| Washburn |
138 |
| Washington |
156 |
| Waukesha |
501 |
| Waupaca |
174 |
| Waushara |
733 |
| Winnebago |
142 |
| Wood |
143 |
Costs of CAFO appear to outweigh benefits
By Jennifer Dolan When considering the proposed Wysocki concentrated animal feed operation in the towns of Richfield, Saratoga and Grant, one must apply a simple cost/benefit analysis to determine if the benefit of about 20 jobs with estimated annual salaries of $30,000 is actually worth it. We enter into the territory of the fallacy known as “slippery slope” when we simply tout jobs, no matter the cost.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the fine people of Saratoga. The residents of the community I had grown up in are carefully considering the perceived benefits and perceived costs of the proposed dairy, which would include over 6,000 bovine units.
The biggest concern is regarding water, since high capacity wells would need to be drilled, a practice which contributes both to drawdown and increased nitrates in the groundwater. On top of the deep well drilling, the manure, either sprayed on crops or seeping into the soil from the 20-40 million gallon lagoon, would likely further contaminate groundwater with nitrates, bacteria, and antibiotics. There is also the potential for dioxin contamination from pesticides used in the produce farm.
Those are the environmental impacts, but what of the economics? Currently, Saratoga has a high water table, which means that many residents do not have traditional wells on their property but rather sand points, many as shallow as 20 feet. With the added water demands, many residents would be forced to spend between $7,000 and $8,000 to drill a new well should the CAFO go in. Upon understanding such a palpable concern, one can clearly see that this is not the “not in my backyard” issue it is painted to be by so many supporters of the CAFO.
Another cost for the people of Saratoga would be the increased property taxes to pay for additional road maintenance, new equipment and further training for emergency workers so that they could readily handle disasters that are unique to large agricultural operations. The unfortunate thing is that the increased property taxes also come bundled with decreased property values. To put it bluntly, no one wants to live next door to a CAFO.
It seems to me that this is all pretty basic economics 101 stuff; the CAFO’s costs to the people of a community outweigh the benefits. I realize that some are critical of the residents and town board of Saratoga because they also opposed a large-scale potato farm for some of the same reasons. Maybe nitrate contamination (a direct cause of blue baby syndrome) is not an issue that many people understand, but look at any battle waged in this state over water rights, and it is an issue that is front and center.
You cannot blame people for not wanting to get sick, or for not wanting to pay more money than they can afford to in order to compensate for something like this coming in. To point fingers at Saratoga and cry “selfish,” is only displaying ignorance and insensitivity. Certainly Wisconsin Rapids has done its fair share of nay-saying to businesses that posed less of an environmental impact, and less costs as a whole.
When it comes to attracting businesses to the area, shouldn’t we look to fill the vacancies in our own industrial park first? A business that uses city water as opposed to needing to drill a high-capacity well to operate would automatically have less impact on natural resources.
If you are a person who sees CAFOs as a necessary evil, you may want to reexamine food systems and your own purchasing decisions. I, myself, have always purchased local pasture-raised meat, eggs and dairy, and organic produce. The reason why you seldom see e-coli, salmonella or listeria contamination in organic produce is because it is not sprayed with manure. The over-fertilization of produce is a by-product of factory farming, because something has to be done with the huge amounts of waste. The manure from many CAFOs is largely unusable as manure for individual gardeners because of the heavy concentration of ammonia. I know several individuals who have received manure from a CAFO in Nekoosa only to have it kill the plants in their garden.
The other simple lesson in economics is that markets can decide. Markets can decide if we want agribusiness such as this CAFO, where a few people make millions of dollars, or if we want numerous small farms where millions of people make a decent wage. I realize that sometimes the cost of organic and pasture-raised is a bit higher, but as market demand goes up, costs go down, and there is a real savings when it comes to healthcare dollars, since pasture-raised meat and dairy have Omega 3 fatty acids that most Americans are lacking in, and since animals are not fed a constant diet of sub-therapeutic antibiotics there is less potential for antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria to be present.
Outbreaks of illnesses such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are really an epidemic that has come about because of the factory farm practice of feeding healthy animals in confined spaces antibiotics as preventative medicine, and not actual treatment for disease. The reason behind this practice is because farmers realize that when you crowd animals that are meant to graze on pasture into a small in-door space, it is more likely that they will get sick. It was thought to be efficient and cost-effective to include antibiotics in feed as a preventative measure, but antibiotics are not designed as preventative medicine but as treatment, so now we have super bugs.
In coming weeks, we will have ample opportunity as a community to learn more about the proposed CAFO. Meetings are held at the Saratoga town hall every Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
Jennifer Dolan is a Wisconsin Rapids resident
Dairy opponents praise Saratoga vote
SARATOGA — During a meeting that lasted about 15 minutes Tuesday, Town Board members drew applause from residents opposed to a planned mega-dairy in the community.
The board enacted an interim zoning ordinance that will keep people from doing anything to property in Saratoga that changes existing land use. The interim ordinance will be in place until the town completes its zoning plan.
There are differing opinions on whether the town has the authority to pass an interim ordinance, said Paul Kent, an attorney representing Saratoga. Kent participated in the meeting by phone.
“In my opinion, the town does have the authority,” he said.
Wysocki Family of Companies sues Saratoga
Owners of the Wysocki Family of Companies announced Monday they have filed a lawsuit against Saratoga and its Town Board members. In a news release issued Monday evening, company officials said a moratorium the town issued against new construction was specifically targeting the proposed Golden Sands Dairy.
"We are disappointed that we had to take legal action, but the town's actions, violating both state and federal law, are a blatant attempt to deprive us of our rights," said owner Jim Wysocki in the news release. "After carefully reviewing our options, we felt we had no choice but to ask the court to intervene in the matter."
On June 6, Wysocki announced the company's plans to build a 3,500-cow, 6,000-acre dairy in the southeast portion of Saratoga. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources documents recently showed the proposed dairy would have 4,000 milking and dry cows, 300 heifers and 1,000 calves, for a total of 5,300 animals.
The same day the company made its announcement, its officials filed permit applications with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for 49 high-capacity wells, as well as an application for a building permit in Saratoga.
On July 19, the Town Board met and approved a moratorium prohibiting the town from issuing building permits, if the use of the land was inconsistent with the existing land use adopted by the town. The moratorium is in effect until Dec. 31. At the time, officials said the moratorium was to give the town time to finish and approve its zoning plan.
The same night, more than 800 people filled the Performing Arts Center in Wisconsin Rapids to hear dairy officials speak about the project. People expressed concern that the high-capacity wells would lower water tables and the operation would contaminate local wells with nitrates from manure. Tempers flared and law enforcement authorities removed one person from the auditorium. During the meeting, company officials said the farm would employ 35 people with wages of $30,00 and up.
On Wednesday, Protect Wood County and its Neighbors, a group formed to oppose the dairy, met at the town hall. Organizers encouraged people to sign up for committees doing research on various aspects of the dairy's impact on the community. They also encouraged residents to attend one of two public hearings being held by the DNR Aug. 23. The meetings are set to run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall.
It's clear the town adopted the moratorium with the sole purpose of hindering the Golden Sands project, Wysocki said in the news release. The project complies with all zoning and other local requirements, he said.
"We are following the laws and trying to bring a good project and jobs to the area, but the town is taking illegal actions that we cannot stand by and let happen," Wysocki said.
The company filed the lawsuit Friday on the grounds that it is entitled to rely on the zoning status of the property at the time it expended significant resources to acquire property for the project, the news release said. Among other claims, the lawsuit asserts that the town unlawfully deprived Golden Sands of its vested right to locate the dairy within the town.
If the lawsuit is successful, the town faces monetary damages and might be required to pay for the companies' legal fees, the release said.
Company officials had conversations with those responsible for issuing the permit, Wysocki said in the release. The company met all requirements, but officials were told the town chairman instructed that the permit not be issued.
"When we follow the law and meet all requirements, yet are faced with those types of actions from government leaders, we feel we have no choice but to involve the courts," Wysocki said in the release.
Members of the Town Board could not be reached for comment Monday evening after the news release was issued.
Article is at -
http://www.pdpw.org/news_headline.php?tbl=wi&yr=2012&id=960 http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012208140330
Dairy opposition group sets agenda, urges involvement
SARATOGA -- Leaders of a group that opposes a proposed large-scale dairy in south Wood County stressed the importance of organization, research and order during a Wednesday night meeting at the Saratoga Town Hall. On June 6, the Wysocki Family of Companies announced plans for building a 3,500-cow, 6,000-acre dairy in Saratoga. According to information from the state Department of Natural Resources, the proposed dairy actually would have 4,000 milking and dry cows, 300 heifers and 1,000 calves, for a total of 5,300 animals. It also would include 8,000 acres of Saratoga land -- about 6,400 of which would be used for crops.
Wysocki officials have said the dairy will employ 35 people with wages of $30,000 and up.
Since Wysocki announced its plans for the dairy, residents of both Saratoga and Rome have expressed concern about the potential lowering of the water table and of local creeks and streams as well as fertilizer and manure contaminating water with nitrates.
The opposition group, Protect Wood County and its Neighbors, held the informational and organizational meeting to get residents mobilized in preparation for the Aug. 23 state DNR public hearings. The meetings are set to run from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Saratoga Town Hall.
DNR Looking for Comments on Proposed Golden Sands Dairy
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 08/07/2012 The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has announced it will produce an environmental impact statement on the proposed Golden Sands Dairy in the Town of Saratoga and is seeking public input on the scope of that report.
The 5,300-cow dairy will utilize 8,000 acres with 6,400 in cropland. The operation will need to drill 49 high capacity wells, the DNR says.
A public informational meeting will be held in two sessions on August 23 at the Saratoga Town Hall, south of Wisconsin Rapids. The first forum will take place from 3-5 p.m., with the second going from 6-8 p.m. Each session will begin with DNR staff presenting a brief overview of the Wisconsin Environmental Policy Act that defines the EIS process.
Golden Sands Dairy and Ellis Industries Saratoga have applied for permits necessary to construct, populate and operate a dairy operation that qualifies under Wisconsin law as a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. A CAFO is defined as an operation with 1,000 or more animal units. The Golden Sands Dairy would house 6130 animal units comprising milking cows, dry cows, heifers and calves.
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=933&yr=2012