Letter about please do not double maximum feedlot size in Fillmore County…
To the Editor,
I’m a pastured hog farmer and my farm borders the eastern edge of Fillmore County. I was shocked to read that the Fillmore County Planning Commission is considering doubling the max size of industrial feedlots when the cap — 2,000 “animal units,” or over 6,600 finishing hogs — is already too high for an area with sensitive, vulnerable groundwater.
I was also confused. Just a few years ago there was a massive feedlot proposed that would have been around a mind boggling 5,000 sows. The outpouring of objections from farmers, business owners and rural residents led the county commissioners to unanimously request an in-depth assessment called an Environmental Impact Study. Locals concerned about our drinking water, property values, small towns and clean air sent the commissioners a clear message: industrial feedlots are too large and too risky for Fillmore County.
Five thousand sows was already too risky and large, so please join me in emailing the Fillmore County Commissioners and urging them to do the right thing… again. Please protect our area from huge, industrial operations that are upwards of 10,000 sows or 13,300+ finishing hogs and support regenerative and family-operated livestock farms.
Dayna Burtness
Nettle Valley Farm
Spring Grove, Minn.
Leave a Reply