Indiana Counties grapple with governor’s pork dream
The Muncie Star Press yesterday took a look at the local response to CAFO’s, leading off its article with this assessment:
Given the governor’s goal of doubling pork production in Indiana and the influx of Dutch dairy farms in this region of the state in recent years, you might think Delaware County government officials would have adopted a CAFO ordinance by now.
The article also reviews efforts around the state by counties trying the manage this “growth”:
While Wayne County was considering changes to its regulations of CAFOs, Natural Pork Production II, Harlan, Iowa, applied for, and was granted, a special exception for a CAFO to contain 11,200 sows on the Wayne County/Randolph County line, on Centerville Road. The CAFO will produce about 4,800 baby pigs a week.A committee proposal to amend Randolph County’s regulation of CAFOs was rejected by the planning commission.
The county’s existing ordinance regulates dust, particulate matter and odor coming from any land use, including CAFOs, “but how am I to know if an odor endangers the public health, safety, and welfare or causes injury to property?” asks Cathy Flatter, planning and zoning director.
In Jay County, CAFOs are required to obtain a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals only if they do not comply with zoning requirements, including setbacks.
In regulating CAFO’s to be good neighbors, setbacks are just the beginning, you also need to look at waste handling, air emissions, and corpse disposal. This article focuses on the setback requirements:
The minimum distance that a concentrated animal feeding operation must set back from a residential neighbor in East Central Indiana:County Setback distance (in feet)
• Blackford 750
• Delaware 200
• Henry 2,000
• Jay 500 or 1,300
• Madison 1,320
• Randolph 300
• Wayne 1,320 (proposed)
