Randolph County CAFO Rules Going Nowhere Fast
Word was that local anti-CAFO activists and local farmers were going to sit down and come to an agreement on proposed CAFO rules for Randolph County. That was a few years ago, but several CAFO’s later, a moratorium and a retreat from a moratorium and there are still no real CAFO rules in Randolph County.
Where does the “bipartisan” group stand? Well, this month county commissioners have heard a proposal from the Farm Bureau and a counter proposal from Rachel Carpenter, a member of Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Randolph County (ECCRC):
ECCRC members are focused on the environmental affects of the hog industry, and the group includes residents from all corners of Randolph County.
In the suggestions submitted by Farm Bureau and ECCRC, the two biggest issues are lot sizes and setbacks.
The ordinance rejected by the county earlier this year provided for a 40-acre minimum for CAFOs and CFOs. The Farm Bureau wants to cut that in half, while ECCRC wants to maintain the 40-acre minimum.
With setbacks, the Farm Bureau wants to go back to the original Area Planning Commission ordinance, which included a 1,000-foot barrier between a CAFO and home, or other protected use. At the last minute before the ordinance’s approval in late December, that setback was increased from 1,000 to 1,320 feet, a move farmers opposed, saying it dramatically cut the total acres available for CAFO and CFO development.
ECCRC wants to maintain the 1,320-foot distance, but measure it from property lines, rather than from a neighboring home, as has been the plan.
Commissioners took no action on either plan.
Star Press, Joy Leiker, reporting.
