Ridgeway farmer agrees to pay $5,000 fine to the Iowa DNR

An Administrative Consent Order has been issued by the Iowa DNR in a case involving a Ridgeway farmer.

Harris Wemark owns a 325 dairy cow confinement operation at 3023 225th Street in Ridgeway.  In 2013 a DNR field officer visited the dairy and Wemark allegedly asked about building a new earthen manure storage basin.  The agent said a construction permit would be required before construction.

The agent returned in 2015 and discovered a three million gallon earthen basin had been built.  Charges were filed in 2017.  On Tuesday of this week, both sides signed an agreement stating that Wemark Dairy would install a groundwater monitoring system and pay $5,000 penalty to resolve violations associated with construction of an unformed manure storage structure without a construction permit.