Winneshiek County supervisors say the latest CAFO application is more "responsible"

Winneshiek County supervisors on Monday unanimously approved a confined animal feeding operation permit for Gary Mihm Farms.

Supervisor Dean Thompson noted the application called for replacing a 27-year-old facility and "not much of a change" in the number of animals raised.  Supervisor Mark Kuhn called it a "responsible" application. 

But supervisors are still unhappy about the state's unwillingness to discuss changes in the DNR matrix.  The Winneshiek County Board is one of 22 county boards in Iowa calling for such changes.

County Board Chair John Logsdon on Monday again complained that, "this board has no more control over (livestock confinements) than it does over the weather.  County Supervisor John Beard again suggested asking the Iowa State Association of Counties to draft possible new legislation and present it to state lawmakers at their next session.

That approach would be favored by the three citizens who testified at Monday's hearing.  Among them was Marlene Fensterman of Decorah, who complained "the state is so far behind" in coming up with workable rules to regulate confinement operations.