July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.

Committee gets overview (8/25/04)

Group holds fst meeting on livestock operations

By By Mike [email protected]

There was plenty of information and discussion — but, unsurprisingly, no quick answers or conclusions — for a local committee charged with studying the impact and regulation of livestock operations.

Committee members, meeting for the first time this morning, received a comprehensive overview on definitions and regulations for all sizes and types of livestock farms.

The committee, which was formed with the approval of Jay County Commissioners, is a cooperative venture between the Jay County Health Department and the Jay County Planning Commission. Both entities face issues in connection with livestock farms and both have been discussing possible changes/solutions recently.

Dr. Steve Myron, Jay County health officer and chairman of the committee, said this morning he plans three additional meetings. He said he would like the committee to reach a consensus and make recommendations to local officials about what it would like to see in terms of local regulation of livestock operations.

“We’re trying to come up with a consensus for the county,” Myron said. “We just need to make certain what the rules are ... and if any changes need to be made.”

Members of the committee include a county commissioner (Gary Theurer), a planning commission member (Jim Zimmerman), the director of the Jay/Portland Building and Planning Department (Bill Milligan), the environmentalist/administrator of the health department (Dave Houck), an educator from the local office of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service (John Knipp), a citizen member (Sherry Michael), an Indiana Conservation Officer (Dwane Ford, who was not present this morning) and Myron.

Both Theurer and Zimmerman also help family operate large confined feeding operations that are regulated by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Myron, who owns a large farming operation, is a former confined feeding operator.

Theurer, who has heard citizen complaints about livestock operations as both a commissioner and as a member of the planning commission, said he believes the most pressing issue for most citizens is distance.

“Our complaints at our meetings are about our setbacks ... ‘We don’t want it in our back yard,’” Theurer said this morning.

The majority of time at this morning’s meeting was taken up by a comprehensive overview of the issue delivered by Knipp, who said that the issue of livestock operations is sometimes clouded by misinformation.

Knipp, who also supplied a printed summary to committee members, outlined performance standards, definitions and record-keeping requirements.

Among the definitions were the terms animal feeding operation (AFO), confined feeding operation (CFO) and concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO).

A CAFO is the largest of the three classifications. Both CAFOs and CFOs are regulated by IDEM. Livestock numbers for CAFOs include: Dairy cows 200-plus; veal calves 300-plus; beef cattle 300-plus; swine 750-plus or more 55-pounds and over, 3,000-plus under 55 pounds); horses (150-plus); sheep/lambs 3,000-plus; turkeys 16,500-plus; chicken (liquid manure) 9,000-plus; chicken (solid manure) 25,000-plus; and ducks 10,000-plus.

After his presentation, which lasted a little more than 30 minutes, Myron expressed his surprised at the complexity of the rules and regulations — most of which are defined and enforced by IDEM. “These are terrible,” Myron said.

Knipp also told committee members that no new CAFOs or CFOs are permitted within a two-mile radius of Portland under the city’s zoning ordinance.

Knipp said he had prepared an educational program that farmers can take to help familiarize themselves with state livestock regulations.

After the meeting was over, Myron asked several committee members whether a requirement could be inserted into local law that confined feeding operators or concentrated animal feeding operators complete that course. That proposal was met with skepticism by Theurer and Zimmerman.

Myron said the next committee meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1 will deal with the economic impact of livestock operations in Jay County — including the revenue and property taxes generated and jobs created. These meetings are held at 7 a.m. at the Jay County Annex, 504 W. Arch St., Portland.[[In-content Ad]]
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