Larson Acres' proposed expansion worries neighbors
If you go
What: An informational meeting about a proposed expansion at Larson Acres, 18218 W. Highway 59 in Evansville.
When: 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Where: Evansville High School auditorium, 640 S. Fifth Street, Evansville.
Details: Larson Acres plans to double its herd to 5,275 animals between two farms. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will host this information meeting.
For more information: Copies of the DNR's environmental assessment are available from Mark Cain, animal waste engineer. Contact Cain at (608) 275-3252 or Mark.Cain@wisconsin.gov. Or contact Eric Heggelund, wastewater specialist, at (608) 275-3283 or Eric.Heggelund@wisconsin.gov.
Public comments, either written or oral, on the environmental assessment are welcome and must be submitted to Cain no later than 4:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10.
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Edward Larson
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Michael Larson
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Larson Acres is hoping to expand their farms to double the size of their herd, if the permits go through, the expansion will likely be completed around April 2010.
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Larson Acres is able to recycle sand by using machines to separate the sand from the solid manure. Here, a machine late in the process sends the manure up a conveyer belt to be loaded onto a truck.
Wisconsin's largest
Wisconsin is home to 110 dairy farms big enough to need a permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Those farms generally milk 770 cows or more, said wastewater engineer Mark Cain.
Rock County's largest dairy farm, Larson Acres, is licensed on the DNR Web site as having 3,065 proposed animal units, but the farm milks 1,300 cows.
The Larsons are proposing to double their herd to 5,580 animal units.
Rosendale Dairy, near Kaukauna, has proposed an expansion to 8,000 animal units, although the farm has fewer than 4,000 animals right now.
The top 10 herds by animal units:
-- Calf Source, DePere; 8,500
-- Opitz Custom Heifers, Saukville; 5,200
-- S&S Ag Enterprises, Sturgeon Bay; 5,520
-- Siemers Holstein Farm, Newton; 4,335
-- Kenn Buelow, Hilbert; 4,159
-- Central Sands Dairy, Nekoosa; 4,080
-- Nehls Brother, Juneau; 3,994
-- Pagels Ponderosa Dairy, Kewaunee; 3,862
-- Holsum Dairy, Hilbert; 3,810
-- Schneider Farms, Calumet; 3,730
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
MAGNOLIA TOWNSHIP — Today, Rock County's biggest dairy farm is pumping out 4.5 million gallons of milk a year.
If the herd doubles as proposed, it also could be pumping out 40 million gallons of manure, according to an environmental assessment released July 20 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Larson Acres is proposing a $12.8 million expansion that would double its herd to 5,275 animals. Currently the farm raises 2,668 animals on farms at 18218 W. Highway 59, Evansville, and 17162 W. County B, Brodhead.
Both farms are in Magnolia Township in northwestern Rock County.
In its assessment, the DNR states Larson Acres will use the right processes and equipment to safely handle that much manure and that many animals.
Farm spokesman Mike Larson said his family's farm—like all other big dairy operations—is strictly regulated by the state.
"There are stringent standards we've got to follow," Larson said. "We feel we're easily going above and beyond that."
But some neighbors, who already are involved in a legal battle with the farm, think a herd expansion is a bad idea.
Tony Ends is one of those neighbors. He is concerned about what he calls Larson Acres' problematic history.
"We of course do have concerns," Ends said. "And we think that Rock County, the entire population, should be concerned."
The current operation
Larson Acres milks 1,300 cows at its main farm on Highway 59.
The farm raises its replacement heifers—immature females—at a second farm on County B.
Larson Acres has 2,668 animals and 4,000 acres. The farm employs 34 people and has an annual payroll of $1.48 million.
The farm spends $7 million in the local economy annually, Larson said.
About 3,500 trucks deliver feed, manure and supplies in and out of the farm annually, according to the DNR's environmental assessment.
For two years, Larson Acres has been one of two trial sites for a company that manufactures wastewater treatment equipment for municipalities and food processors, Larson said.
Larson Acres uses the equipment to treat manure.
The equipment, located on the main farm, removes the solids from waste. What's left is sand that is recycled for bedding, biosolids, high-nutrient liquid waste and low-nutrient "tea water," according to the environmental assessment.
The solid waste and the high-nutrient liquid can be stored for a short time or spread onto a field, Larson said.
The low-nutrient "tea water" can be recycled back into the system or used to water crops.
That greatly reduces the amount of fresh water used on the farm, according to the assessment.
Larson Acres has been using the tea water—so called because of its color—to water crops as part of a trial with the UW-Extension, according to the assessment.
The Extension trial calls for regular testing of the tea water. The farm's nutrient management plan calls for soil sampling and quarterly groundwater sampling.
A nutrient management plan is a professionally designed plan that uses animal waste as fertilizer for crops. The plan also states when and how fertilizer will be spread.
Larson Acres submitted a new nutrient management plan to the DNR in June.
The expansion
Larson Acres proposes adding a cross-ventilated, free-stall barn on the main farm.
The barn would hold 1,800 animals, although only about 1,100 of them would be milking cows.
The cows would be milked in a parlor with two rows of 20 stalls.
Evansville company Varco Pruden would manufacture the buildings, Larson said. The contract is enough to keep the company working for 16 weeks, he said.
The farm would add four nursery barns for the 240 calves that would be born every month.
When they get a little older, half the calves would go to the County B farm for about a year and a half until they were old enough to deliver their first calf.
The number of heifers at County B would not increase, Larson said.
The other half of the calves would grow up on the main farm.
To handle the waste from the proposed bigger herd, the farm would add a second wastewater treatment plant.
They would not need to add liquid manure storage. Two treatment facilities would mean the two current lagoons would be sufficient, Larson said.
Larson hopes to get the necessary DNR permits in August so that ground can be broken in September and foundations poured in October.
He hopes to see construction take place this fall and winter.
The farm already has put a lot of work into the project, Larson said. It's not like 20 years ago, when a farmer just poured concrete and added 20 stanchions onto the end of his barn, Larson said.
"We've been talking and looking and consulting with experts for years on this project," Larson said. "We've invested and talked to people from all over the country about air, water and nutrient management. I'm proud of the team we put together to come up with the project we're proposing."
What the neighbors think
Ends raises goats and organic vegetables at his farm on Scotch Hill Road, not farm from one of Larson Acres' two animal operations. He is one of the plaintiffs in a 2003 court case against Larson Acres that has gone to a Wisconsin appeals court.
The case has not been resolved.
Ends doesn't think a large, commercial farm is appropriate for rustic Magnolia Township, where only about 800 people contribute to the tax base.
Dealing with such a large operation is an unfair burden, Ends said.
Ends is upset the DNR's environmental assessment states that an environmental impact study is not needed.
The study is another level of investigation compared to the assessment, said Mike Cain, wastewater engineer with the DNR.
Now is especially not the time for an expansion, Ends said. Record-low milk prices can be attributed to a milk surplus, he said.
"We should be slowing this down and considering how we can help all farmers of all sizes farm in a way that's sustainable," Ends said.
PERMISSION FOR EXPANSION
Larson Acres wants to double the size of its dairy herd, which already is the largest in Rock County.
The farm must submit applications to the town, the county and the state to get approval for different aspects of the expansion.
Town of Magnolia
The permit: Conditional use
What is it: The farm is located in a spot where farming is allowed, of course, but because of the large number of animals, the town requires a special permit.
The town could set certain conditions Larson Acres must meet to keep its permit.
Such a set of conditions on a 2007 conditional-use permit for the County B farm has made its way to the state court of appeals where it awaits a hearing.
Larson Acres on July 18 dropped off a conditional-use permit application with the town of Magnolia. It's hundreds of pages long.
The application has been forwarded to the town attorney for review, said town board member Dave Olson.
What's next: The town in 2006 adopted the state's Livestock Facility Siting Law, said Mike Murray, the manager of the state's siting program.
That means that the town has to follow state-mandated guidelines while it considers the permit, Murray said.
The state's guidelines regulate manure and odor management, manure storage and animal numbers, among other things. The state has provided worksheets for local officials to use as they work through the applications.
To learn more, visit http://www.datcp.state.wi.us. Click on the "farming & agriculture" tab and the "livestock siting" link.
The town has 45 days to review Larson Acres' application and determine if it's complete. Then the town has 90 days to make a decision on the application.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The permit: Wastewater plans and specifications permit.
What is it: This essentially is a building permit, wastewater engineer Mark Cain said.
What's next: The DNR will use information and feedback gathered from the environmental assessment process in deciding whether to grant this permit.
The permit: Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
What is it: Essentially, this is the state's operating permit for large farms, Cain said. Dairy farms that milk more than about 770 cows need the permit to operate, he said.
Background: The DNR issued Larson Acres a permit in 2000 when the main farm last was expanded.
The farm applied in 2003 for another permit when it built the heifer facility at County B, Cain said. At the time, the state decided to leave it to the town of Magnolia to regulate that portion of the farm.
But that decision still is lingering in the court.
The main farm permit expired in 2005, but the Larsons are legally operating on the 2003 application, Cain said.
"They completely followed the rules," Cain said. "It's more in our court to get it done."
What's next: The state and the farm have now decided it would be best if the main farm and the heifer farm operated under the same permit.
The DNR will use information gathered from the environmental assessment to issue a new permit, he said.
The assessment was released to the public for comment July 20.
The permit: Storm water discharge permit
What is it: This focuses on storm water that could run off a construction site. It is required for projects that move more than one acre of earth.
What's next: The state already has granted this permit to Larson Acres, Cain said. The permit is project specific.
Jul 31, 2009 at 11:51 a.m.
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Farmer saves $200,000 with poo power -
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/07/31/cow.p...
Jul 30, 2009 at 9:33 p.m.
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Larsons are the best "cow people" I know! They spoil their cows because they know that Healthy, comfortable cows produce higher quality milk. And yes, when a cow does get sick, they do use antibiotics, as do I, the cow's milk is pulled from the tank until the proper withdrawal period is followed. FYI, there is hundreds times more antibiotics used in humans. Where does your poop go? It doesn't just go down the toilet, it is treated in the same if not a lesser quality facility than Larsons wastewater treatment plant is! And then your poop is spread on Agricultural lands to produce your food. Go LARSONS! God Bless America and the Farmers that feed it!!
Jul 30, 2009 at 2:39 p.m.
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Most farmers use antibiotics only when animals become sick. You, however, can't wait that long. If one of your animals becomes sick the disease could easily spread to thousands of other cows, therefore, animals on large feed or dairy lots are given antibiotics on a regular basis. What's the harm you ask? It seems many bacteria are becoming immune to antibiotics due to its overuse leaving us humans in greater danger. Cows (dairy and beef) were made to graze on pastures, not be housed by the thousands in confinement while being fed grains, "proteins" and steroids to maximize their natural "product" or increase their bulk. Sustainable farming relies on nature to create a healthy environment for the animals which translates into a healthier product. Of course by using technology we can bypass nature and create food faster and more profitably. Why are there more instances of ecoli contamination? It is a direct result of how most of our food that shows up in our grocery stores is produced. It is cheaper to radiate our food instead of growing it more naturally. Antibiotics and radiation does not make farming sustainable, the food produced more nutritious or the animals healthier. I hope your environmental concerns transcend your bottom line. If so, then I believe you are in the minority of those operating animal factories. After all, once the groundwater is contaminated how do you "fix" that, with antibiotics and radiation?
Jul 30, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
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As our herd mangager for farm, I have seen first hand the benefits using antibiotics and see nothing wrong with it. Animals, just like people, do get sick and the prudent use of antibiotics helps to relieve pain and control disease and sickness. ALL antibiotics are tested and regulated by the Food and Drung Administation (FDA) and withdrawal times are established for when the antibiotic is no longer present in the animal's body. It is also ILLEGAL for antibiotics to be present in milk and meat that leaves the farm. Our milk is tested 2-3 times for antibiotics before it is even processed. Any milk testing positive is not allowed into the food supply and if it contaminants "clean" milk the farmer must pay for it. Therefore, antbiotics do not end up in your milk or meat products. Farmers do care about the environment, too. Why would we want to endanger the environment around us when we breathe the same air and drink the same water our neigbors do?
Jul 29, 2009 at 1:17 p.m.
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The Larsons are industrialists, not farmers. They operate a milk manufacturing corporation. Due to the large number of dairy cows living in close confinement the Larsons must use drugs and antibiotics to keep their cows from becoming sick. All those drugs and antibiotics end up in their waste water, which then ends up on the crops, which then end up in our food. Of course some also ends up in the milk, but hey, why not ingest a little more antibiotic with your meat which is also full of antibiotics and/or anabolics. If the standards were that strict, the State would not allow these large industrial food producers to proliferate. Much of the opposition has more to do with the environmental concerns than the smell. Mr. Ends IS a farmer and he has a legitimate concern. Why should his farm suffer from the consequences wrought by expansion of the Larson’s dairy manufacturing corporation? Yes, Proudfighter II, we will die not only from the poop but also from the products that come from these large agricultural corporations.
Jul 28, 2009 at 12:46 p.m.
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Thanks upwhoops! you said it right! and all you people who move to the "country" should know what is out there when you move there! You act like it's some dirty little secret, when in fact your milk and food does not come from the grocery store! Someone has to make it and with it comes a few smells and things you don't like. That is why they are in the country. Don't move there if you don't like it!!!
Jul 28, 2009 at 11:13 a.m.
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Thanks upwhoops - I grew up on a farm and was active in dairy farming for many years. Pooh to the nay-sayers.
Jul 28, 2009 at 10:50 a.m.
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Well said UWphoops!!
Ends does live in a fantasy world
Jul 27, 2009 at 3:40 p.m.
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These cows that live in freestall barns have a better life than you or I. They have clean bedding, climate control, and 24-hour access to fresh feed and water. Dairymen like Larsons realize that their cows are their biggest asset - they get pampered because that is good business. So nobody should be complaining about or feeling sorry for these cows.
The world that Mr. Ends lives in is a fantasy. The article states that he raises goats and vegetables, but conveniently leaves out the fact that he works in town and DOESN'T FARM FOR A LIVING. So in his world, we all should work 8-9 hours a day in town, then come home and grow our own food. Places like Larsons generate jobs and taxes for the local towns, and (oh yeah) food for the entire world. You know, people who cannot or do not want to grow their own food.
Jul 27, 2009 at 2:54 p.m.
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Hey Gazette, check the title you only interviewed one person. That should be neighbor without an "s". By the way Tony, goats make manue too.
Jul 27, 2009 at 12:01 p.m.
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expand lets keep the illeagals working our government says there more important than taxpayers
Jul 27, 2009 at 10:53 a.m.
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In today's economy when places are closing up it is good to see someone is able to expand. If you don't like it ~ pick a new neighborhood. What did you think would be in your neighborhood when you live in the country.
Good luck to the Larson's.
Jul 27, 2009 at 10:46 a.m.
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There won't be a milk surplus after Coke starts making their new fizzy milk.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_an...
Jul 27, 2009 at 10:45 a.m.
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I think the Larsons should be able to do what ever they want on THEIR land. It is so regulated that it makes your head spin anyway. They are farmers that is what they do don't take away their livelyhood. Also they have numerous employees and may hire more. with the jobs going south in this city I think we should be grateful for any new ones! As for rustic magnolia county, whenever I drive through there I sure don't think "WOW isn't it rustic?" I think when are they going to finish that house that looks a sight and has for years on county road A. With the exception of the church there,I guess There's hardly anything there.
Jul 27, 2009 at 9:32 a.m.
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These large Wisconsin dairies have more regulations (by the DNR) than any other farms.
Some of these neighbors are never going to be happy. Not a good fit for "rustic" Magnolia??? It's not up to Mr. Ends as to when someone else decides to expand their business. Despite a national surplus of milk, I'm rather see a large Wisconsin dairy farm adding cows than the sell-off that is taking place in California.
Jul 27, 2009 at 9:28 a.m.
Jul 27, 2009 at 8:15 a.m.
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I think its great they are expanding. This is their land, they live their and they are not going to do anything that is going to harm the land or the drinking water..They use it as well.
Jul 27, 2009 at 12:26 a.m.
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On the water usage issue etc what about all the water people needlesy use to water their lawns wash their cars and water use in factories, I love driveing through the city and seeing the person who dosent set their sprinklers properly and just ends up watering their driveways and sidewalks, no matter how much you water concrete or blacktop it just wont grow. LOL talk about wasteing water, at least the water used for cattle and crops has a purpose and makes money for the farmer, but watering a lawn and concrete and washing your car everyother day just dosent seem to profitable or productive to me.
Jul 27, 2009 at 12:18 a.m.
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The cattle are not tied up 24/7 they are allowed to roam freely in a free stall barn which has clean sand in each stall for the cow to lay in and the cows can choose to lay in whatever stall they choose to and the barns are well venilated in summer during hot spells with large fans and sometimes water misting fans to keep them cool and in the winter these barns have curtains that roll down the sides to keep out the inclimate winter weather and keep the cows comfortable and healthy
Jul 27, 2009 at 12:01 a.m.
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ProudFighter - Take the time to watch this Frontline Special. Scarey.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/...
Jul 26, 2009 at 11:40 p.m.
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Darned if you do, darned if you don't. I'm trying to remain neutral on this, but my problem always lies with the fact that the cattle don't get to roam free in a pasture? How healthy is that along the food chain? I can pretty much guarantee that Adam & Eve and Noah never saw their cattle "tied up" in a barn 24/7.
Jul 26, 2009 at 11:30 p.m.
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you have a government that could care less,milk=taxes
Jul 26, 2009 at 10:51 p.m.
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My concern is the amount of water used by this many animals. There is already a great concern over groundwater in the state and yet this is not a problem for the state officials?
The Public Health Department carefully regulates
septic systems and wells and has no concern for this system? A manure digester would be a good thing and the output could furnish the power for the farm and other homes too. Where are subsidies that were available for wind turbines???
Jul 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
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Let them expand. Poop aint gonna kill anybody.
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