Story County Passes Anti-Factory Farm Resolution
More than 70 people packed a Story County Conservation Board Meeting Monday night to stand up for clean air and water and speak out against a proposed factory farm by Rockstar LLC owner Kyle Mens near Hickory Grove Park Lake. The conservation board passed a resolution opposing factory farms near county parks, and called on all citizens and levels of government to push for local control over factory farm zoning.
Nearly 40 people also testified at a Story County Board of Supervisors public hearing Tuesday morning. CCI members hand-delivered more than 500 petitions by local residents and park users opposing Kyle Mens’ plan to build a corporate factory farm near Hickory Grove Park Lake. The Supervisors will put the same resolution on their agenda for debate in two weeks.
“The Story County Board of Supervisors should follow the lead of the county’s conservation board and go on record with a formal resolution opposing Kyle Mens’ plan to build a factory farm near Hickory Grove Park and Lake,” said Evan Burger, a CCI member from Huxley.
A planning meeting organized by CCI members at Hickory Grove Park Saturday was attended by more than 30 local residents and neighbors, as well as frequent park users.
Mens and his company Rockstar LLC hit a hurdle last Friday when Maschoff Pork of Illinois – the company that would have owned the hogs - announced it was pulling out of the deal. Mens withdrew his Manure Management Plan Friday but said he intends to refile as soon as he finds another hog corporation to partner with.
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See the map illustrating the influx of new/expanding factory farms this spring and what CCI members are doing to fight back.
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Right now, while hundreds of families are worried about their quality of life, property values and environmental impact, the Assoc. of Business and Industry is trying to formalize a rule that would force the Iowa DNR to permanently take a “hands off approach” to factory farms.Join hundreds of Iowans in telling the Iowa DNR to crack down on factory farms and say no to weakened enforcement.
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