Sunday Local Update
From the Pal-Item, some CAFO news. First, they discuss the open house the Sltstein’s held at their dairy in Randolph County last week, but they also note that a pig CAFO is seeking a permit from IDEM for a swine finishing facility in Union County (at the corner of Snowden Road and CR 200). Link .
The paper also has more questions on Kelsie’s dairy, continuing to add details to a story that does not add up.
Back on to CAFO’s for a moment, head over to Wabash County and read the recent thoughtful post by Lutheran pastor and sustainable farmer, Jeff Hawkins: Enough:
My question recognizes two competing visions for the future of Wabash County. One is the vision based on more CAFOs, which sees a future of more and more angry neighbors filled with suspicions. Regardless of law, regulations, or purported economic benefits, those living near a CAFO will always be suspicious of the CAFO as the source of harm to the neighborhood. At the same time, CAFO operators will always be suspicious of their neighbors as the source of persistent complaints. As the number of CAFOs increase—as does the number of new families moving closer to them (due to hoped-for county development)—contentiousness increases.
The second vision sees more small, beautiful farms near which people want to live. These farms do not produce commodities to be sent away, but instead produce food to be consumed locally.
Outside of Indiana: Idaho enacts first ammonia rule in nation for dairies:
By July 1, operators of roughly 40 Magic Valley dairies need to file for an air quality permit with the state. The new rule comes after about 18 months of negotiations between state officials, members of the Idaho Dairyman’s Association and the Idaho Conservation League. It applies to any dairy confined animal feeding operation, or CAFO, that emits 100 tons or more of ammonia annually.
Finally, check out the letter to the editor in the Pal-Item from Centerville resident, Alan Williams. Mr. Williams spent some time looking over the 990-PF submitted by Hayes Arboretum from 2004 (a publicly available document) and has some good questions about spending decisions at the facility in the year before it decided it needed to sell off its frontage on US 40 for a retail development. Link.
