CFO changes pitched to commissioners (5/2/05)

The fate of proposed changes in the way livestock operations are regulated locally is now in the hands of Jay County Commissioners.

The co-chairs of a committee which spent months researching and working on the proposed changes met this morning with the commissioners.

Some of the changes recommended by the committee include:

•Requiring more local involvement at the start of state-regulated confined feeding operations (CFOs) or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

•Creating local citations for environmental violations.

•Creating a database that will track land used for manure application.

•Increasing setbacks to 100 feet from a road for all buildings involved in the operation.

•Adopting a local manure management ordinance, including setbacks on spreading of manure of 100 feet from a residence.

•Requiring those who purchase or build residential properties in rural areas to read and sign a copy of the Indiana Right to Farm law.

Making the report on the recommendations were committee co-chairs Jim Zimmerman and Dr. Steve Myron. Zimmerman is a member of the Jay County Council and Planning Commission, as well as the operator of a large poultry operation. Myron is Jay County health officer.

The committee held several meetings over a period of months, and also held a meeting to take public comment in March. An overflow crowd attended that meeting in the courthouse auditorium.

Livestock operations “are highly regulated, but there are a few things we need to take hold of locally,” Myron said near the beginning of his report.

One of the goals of the committee was to regulate not only the large-scale operations, but also to impose some controls on the smaller operations that are not regulated by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

After some opening remarks by Myron, commissioners’ president Milo Miller Jr. expressed concern that the recommendations did not address responsibility for environmental or health concerns caused by large-scale livestock operations.

“That’s my only hang-up. There’s nothing in here about that,” said Miller, who has expressed consistent concerns about large scale operations such as a 2,000-head dairy farm being considered in Blackford County.

“I took a risk driving in here this morning ... there’s risk to everything,” Zimmerman said. Discussing the changing nature of agriculture in general, including an increase in scale of profitable operations, Zimmerman said “We’re not going back ... progress is the opposite of going back.”

Commissioners Gary Theurer, who sat on the committee, and Faron Parr also participated in this morning’s discussion.

Some of the changes proposed by the committee would fall under the county’s zoning ordinance. Those proposals would likely be referred to the Jay County Planning Commission. The proposed changes which do not fall under zoning would be dealt with as general county ordinances created by the commissioners.

“It’s a big boon. The farmers make money, the county gets taxes ... it’s a good thing,” Myron said of local livestock operations. “What (the proposed changes do) is stop being reactive ... It makes it a little more proactive.”

Also this morning, the commissioners discussed the possible purchase of the Jay Emergency Medical Service base on the grounds of Jay County Hospital.

The base, built by the hospital in 1994, has been leased by the county for $6,000 annually since that time. A 10-year lease agreement has expired, but that agreement allowed the county to purchase the base for the cost of construction and architectural fees, minus the amount paid in lease payments.

Don Michael, chief financial officer for Jay County Hospital, said the approximate cost of construction for the building was $134,000. The county has paid lease payments of approximately $60,000, making the purchase primate approximately $74,000.

Miller said late this morning he favored purchasing the building, but the commissioners will not formally act on the matter until next week.[[In-content Ad]]