PIERCE COUNTY — In July, the Wisconsin DNR was notified of a violation on-site at Ridge Breeze Dairy, the Pierce County mega-dairy that is proposing an expansion to 6,500 cows. During …
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PIERCE COUNTY — In July, the Wisconsin DNR was notified of a violation on-site at Ridge Breeze Dairy, the Pierce County mega-dairy that is proposing an expansion to 6,500 cows. During construction for their proposed expansion, the construction company allowed muddy water and dirt to spill beyond their property lines. The runoff flooded onto neighboring hay fields and clogged road drainage pipes, making it difficult or impossible for neighboring farmers to get equipment into their own fields.
In a notice of noncompliance to Haas Sons, Inc., the Wisconsin DNR found the construction site at Ridge Breeze Dairy failed to have “proper Best Management Practices in place” and hit Haas Sons with a $5,000 fine. According to the DNR's inspection report, the company was pumping out water from their construction site without following required safety measures to protect neighboring properties. This is the same type of careless handling of construction runoff that can contaminate wells and damage farmland.
Breeze Dairy Group has an extensive violation history at their various locations across the state. In 2017, the Wisconsin DNR issued a notice of violation for a 100,000-gallon manure spill at Pine Breeze Dairy in Waushara County. Several other manure spills have been reported by Breeze Dairy Group in the last 10 years. Ridge Breeze itself has been issued multiple enforcement actions since the facility was purchased by Breeze Dairy Group in 2022. In 2023 alone, three notices were issued to Ridge Breeze by the DNR for being out of compliance with state regulations.
This violation history has raised alarm bells for Pierce County residents, who are worried about impacts on their groundwater, air, roads, and quality of life. In 2024, more than 250 people attended the DNR public hearing in opposition to Ridge Breeze’s expansion. Ridge Breeze is currently building on-site with intentions to expand up to 6,500 cows. A group of Pierce County residents filed a legal challenge against the expansion permit in April. A public hearing with a judge is expected next year.
Submitted by GROWW
