At the June 13 Pierce County Land Conservation meeting, the committee voted to forward waste storage ordinance revisions to the county board for consideration after a closed session.

Chair Jerry Kosin reminded those in attendance that the waste storage ordinance revisions are separate from a current request to place a 12-month temporary moratorium on Concentrated Animal Farm Operations (CAFO) expansions in the county.

“I should remind you that we’re working on the waste storage ordinance revision, not the moratorium,” Kosin said. 

Land Conservation Director Rod Webb outlined the revisions like this: Amending the ordinance to include Wisconsin Administrative Rule NR 151, which is Wisconsin agricultural performance standards created to assist with groundwater and surface water protection throughout the state.

“Including NR 151 into the county ordinance provides the Land Conservation Department and committee additional tools to meet the water quality protection goals identified in the Pierce County Land & Water Resource Management Plan,” Webb said. “The ordinance was last revised in 2011, so this revision is being completed to include the most recent changes to standards and state rules that apply to this ordinance.”

Discussions regarding the revision began at the Land Conservation Committee in December 2022.

Current ordinance permit holders are required to follow the rules that are in place at the time they apply for a permit. This is referred to as “the grandfather clause,” Webb said.

“Any that are permitted after the passing of this ordinance would have to follow the new standards if they choose to build a new waste storage facility,” Webb said.  

Committee member Mel Pittman said he has talked through the revisions extensively with Webb.

“One of the tings that I think we’re trying to is the situation coming up with the new expansion,” Pittman said. “The ownership of the dairy doesn’t necessarily own or lease the land (that the manure is spread on). One of our concerns was to try to have a better handle on this matter so we can deal in a fair and appropriate manner so that we can assure that things are being done properly according to NRCS standards.”

Webb confirmed that Ridge Breeze Dairy (formerly Son-Bow Farms) submitted engineering plans for a waste storage facility on June 7. Webb anticipated the revised ordinance will be addressed by the Pierce County Finance & Personnel Committee in early July before heading to county board (if passed).

Public comment

Doug Weiss of River Falls, who owns a farm with wife Nancy near Ridge Breeze Dairy, asked the committee to remember the Land Conservation Department’s mission statement when making its decision on the waste storage ordinance revisions. He emphasized its mission to “protect and enhance the soil and water resources of the county.”

“This statement indicates that the soil and water resources should be in better condition now than when the committee started and will be so for future generations of our families too,” Weiss said.

Since 1990, the percentage of tested private wells in Pierce County that are nitrate contaminated rose from 8.8% to 16.6% in 2022, he said. He believes CAFOs are the main reason.

“I am not aware of any CAFOs that existed in 1990, but we how have four factory farm CAFOs in Pierce County and possibly more wanting to become CAFOs,” Weiss said. “Manure runoff from CAFOs can pollute streams, lakes and wetlands, while improper manure application, manure spills, and leaking manure storage structures can pollute drinking water.”

He’s worried CAFO expansions could lead to more private wells being contaminated in the county, as well as the Rush River, Plum Creek and Nugget Lake. He also spoke of wear and tear of roads from semi-trailers hauling large quantities of feed, milk and manure to and from CAFOs. 

“Simply updating the current Waste Storage Ordinance to state standards is not enough to protect and enhance the air, land, and water resources of Pierce County as directed by your own mission statement,” Weiss said. “Look to other counties who have already implemented better ordinances for advice and leadership, such as Bayfield County.”

GROWW Organizing Director Bill Hogseth said the grassroots organization feels the ordinance is a good step forward in strengthening the Land Conservation Department’s mission and called it a “first step in a larger process.”

“We want to keep working to pass the 12-month moratorium,” Hogseth said. “We feel it’s important to hit the pause button on expansions so we can gather more community input.”

The petition circulating, spearheaded by Weiss, town of Salem resident/farmer Samantha Bowen, and other GROWW members, has reached almost 2,000 signatures.

Pittman referenced a lawsuit between Kinnard Dairy in Kewaunee County against the DNR, who modified the company’s wastewater permit, calling for a herd limit size and groundwater monitoring in areas contaminated with nitrate from manure spreading. Kinnard Farms argued that it would suffer financial damage if it can’t expand its herd or has to spend thousands of dollars on groundwater monitoring.

“At what point does a business have the ability to ruin parts of the community to make money and that be OK?” Pittman asked. “If we can have a business that can operate within the confines of what’s good for the neighbors, I have no issue with that. I do have an issue with them polluting. We have to protect our resources. If we can do that, I think it’s a step forward.”

Ridge Breeze

Breeze Dairy Group CEO Gregg Wolf confirmed in a June 14 email that Ridge Breeze has submitted plans to build another waste storage facility, located at W2686 390^th Ave., Maiden Rock. Wolf approached the Salem Town Plan Commission in June 2022 about expanding Ridge Breeze’s herd to 5,000 cows. He told The Journal in May that nothing has been submitted to the DNR or county regarding an expansion.

“This request for additional manure storage is strictly a management decision based on current needs of the dairy,” Wolf said. “We would apply for this manure storage even if we weren’t talking about expansion down the road.”

When Breeze Dairy Group, based in Appleton, purchased Son-Bow Farms, its permit included the need to upgrade its leachate collection system, Wolf said. Breeze Dairy Group took over Son-Bow’s permits and requirements when it purchased the dairy. The requirement for system updating was completed last week, he said.

“With that collection system we are now going to be collecting more rainwater and snow melt throughout the year which needs to be stored until it is applied,” Wolf said. “With that additional liquid added to our storage every year, Breeze Dairy Group doesn’t like to manage operations that tight.”

Wolf added that manure is an excellent source of organic fertilizer for area crop farmers when application is done correctly and properly.

“When applying nutrient, we are subject to Mother Nature, and you never know what weather one day to the next will bring,” Wolf said. “By having the extra storage, we will have more flexibility and always continue to handle this resource properly. There is absolutely no financial gain for us to put in this storage, but this is how Breeze Dairy Group believes dairies should be run.”

The waste storage facility application submitted to the DNR said the concrete-soil composite lined facility will be 330-by-330-by 20 feet and will hold 10.9 million gallons. The group also plans to submit another waste storage facility application (for a fourth structure) at a later date. That facility would butt up to this one.

The Land Conservation Committee will consider a moratorium on CAFO expansion at its June 27 meeting, set to start at 8:30 a.m.