Meeting showed misconception

To the editor:
At the first public meeting on confined feeding operations there were several misconceptions expressed about this industry that need to be cleared up.
1. I believe the word used for manure produced was “toxic waste” coming from these confinement units. Most of those attending expressed that they had past family farm backgrounds and recalled having livestock. Most likely their fathers expressed to them that the manure from the livestock was the best fertilizer and sometimes the only fertilizer they had. It has not changed. The manure (fertilizer) coming out of these buildings has more micro nutrients, organic matter, calcium and in some cases NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) than your typical commercial pelleted fertilizer. Therefore it is better in most aspects except the smell.
The estimated income from manure sales from the new poultry complex east of town will be in the $450,000 to $500,000 range. This would hardly be considered a toxic waste but an economic benefit. Most likely all of this manure will be sold back to Ohio farmers with a waiting list to purchase it.
2. There were statements made concerning the fact that Ohio farmers were dumping their manure in Jay County. This manure (yes) may be coming from Ohio farms and trucked by Ohio firms but it is being purchased by Indiana farmers to apply on their ground or ground owned by an Ohio farmer. It would be absurd to think that farmers are dumping so-called toxic wastes on their farms. It is our livelihood. This is tantamount to someone applying his used motor oil on his garden. Somehow I do not think we would do this.
3. The expression that manure is just being dumped on our Jay County farms can be nothing farther from the truth. It costs approximately $60 per acre to have three tons of poultry manure applied. No farmer is going to indiscriminately just apply manure. It would be economic suicide.
Secondly and just as important we are regulated by how much we can apply. We must provide soil tests and also manure analysis before we even consider applying manure. The nitrogen and phosphorus levels are the determining factors. It is also illegal to apply manure on frozen ground; within 500 feet of a public water supply, within 50 feet of surface waters, sinkholes and water wells; and within 10 feet of property lines and public roads.
4. There were various concerns expressed about water quality. Again the amount of manure applied is regulated by standards. To think that as farmers we are intentionally ruining the very water supply that we depend on to live and raise our livestock is somewhat odd. Again this would be economic suicide.
5. Loss of property values was also expressed as a concern. I understand this, but I know of no study anywhere that has ever shown that this occurs. I would also point out our neighbor, Mercer County, Ohio, has over 485 confined operations, which is approximately five times what we have. If you have ever visited Mercer County I would believe you would come away thinking (now that county has its act together) all county roads are paved, new homes abound and the economy is robust.
6. Water usage was expressed as a problem. The water usage at J-Star is estimated at 45 million gallons per year or 123,000 gallons per day. The town of Portland is reported to use one million gallons per day. J-Star’s water usage is comparable to irrigating 640 acres with three 1-inch rains in a year. Jay County has 230,000 acres. Though large, their usage would not appear to be overwhelming.
It appears to me that we as an agriculture community have done an absolutely terrible job at educating our urban neighbors as to what modern agriculture is. I am a member of the Ag Week Committee and I am going to work hard this year to educate the urban neighbors to what rules we as farmers have to follow and what it takes in the year 2014 to be a competitive farmer and make a living at it.
Thank you.
Jim and Kristen Schoenlein
Portland