To the editor,

My Grandpa and Grandma owned a small, family farm in Pierce County, which gave me an opportunity as a “city kid” to learn where my food comes from. I could see and continue to see in many farmers across Pierce County the love of the land and animals. I love farmers and support our family farms.

This way of life and vision is at risk of going away with the growth of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). My parents now own our family farm that is located a little over a mile from a proposed 5,000 cow CAFO.

Many may say, don’t limit farms, they care about our land. I would completely agree with them; family farms do care about our land and way of life. Family farmers live as a part of our community, go to our church, and have children that attend our neighborhood schools.

However, this group is NOT a family farm. This group is coming from the other side of Wisconsin to build factories to produce milk. This is NOT farming. As they haul truckload after truckload of manure from their farm using tankers (not tractors), you can see how our beautiful Pierce County is at risk of being destroyed. The cows are confined in barns and rarely see the beautiful Pierce County land that we know.

If you, like me, support the growth of small family farms, purchasing food locally from our family farmer, and the beauty of our land, please consider signing our petition (https://secure.everyaction.com/ikR4OB8EJEqOBEsv1-e-CQ2) that is working to put a 12-month moratorium on CAFO expansion in Pierce County. Our hope is that this will

allow Pierce County time to develop ordinances and regulations to protect our land, air, water, and most importantly, our family farmers.

Thank you.

Kristin Miller

River Falls