Supervisors to appeal DNR ruling on hog finisher permit
Kiersten Beilke (front), 4-H Youth Coordinator in Humboldt County, scans the eye of a beef entry for identification purposes during the beef weigh-in at the fairgrounds last Saturday, Jan. 6. Beilke was assisted by Amy Craven (top) and Holly Frerk (hidden). Temperatures were eight-below zero at the time. It should be much warmer when the entries return for the fair in late-July. The forecast is for another deep freeze this weekend. Independent photo by Phil Monson.
In November, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors denied a building permit application by Iowa Select Farms of Iowa Falls for a two-unit (5,000 head) swine finisher barn on 240th Street, just west of Texas Avenue, less than two miles from the town of Thor.
At Monday’s meeting it was reported that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had approved the application, overruling the action by the local Board of Supervisors.
In a letter to the Board and Board secretary Peggy Rice, the IDNR states that it has found criteria to be met under the master matrix grading system to allow the applicant (Iowa Select Farms) to construct a confinement feeding operation at the site.
Supervisor Erik Underberg said the county should fight the DNR’s ruling and both he and Supervisor Bruce Reimers said the county should have all facts in hand and be prepared to present its case to the Environmental Protection Commission.
Underberg then moved to appeal the DNR ruling, and the Board unanimously agreed. To read more about this story and others, read this week's Humboldt Independent. Subscribe by clicking on the link at the top of the page.
