Friends of Rural New York

“... the County Farm Planning Department Specialist, wanted to make it clear that the regulations governing a CAFO are strict and constant monitoring of operations is a standard.” HO Ho HO HO HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This guy has so much bull manure!!!
When the good people of this town get a whiff, they will be entitled to tar and feather him!

PIGS VERSUS PEOPLE?

North Rose residents concerned about commercial pig farm and effect on water wells and smells, but new breed of farmer says concerns addressed

What do you get when you gather 2,000 pigs under one roof? Tons of bacon, lots of manure and undoubtedly some neighbors with concerns.

Last January, when the Town of Rose learned that a CAFO (Contained Animal Feeding Operation) was planned for Brown Road near the hamlet of North Rose, they passed a building moratorium on the construction.

Why the concerns? Gone are the days of the small family farm where a dozen pigs or cows were the center of the family business. The current market scenario favors big mechanized operations where thousands of head of livestock are mass produced for market.

According to Rose Town Supervisor, Lucinda Collier, the temporary six-month ban was enacted so the Town Board could learn more about CAFOs and their impact on the environment and to possibly quell neighbors’ concerns.

The large barn-like structure now under construction on the 150 acre farm of Ryan and Michelle Zimmerman, allows for the raising of the pigs from 40 pound cuties to 280 pound porkers in about three months. According to Ryan, Keystone Mills in Romulus ships in the pigs and feed. His job is monitoring the automatic feeders and taking care of any medical needs and wants. He readily admits his function is little more than babysitting for the pigs during their plumping-up transition.

The concrete based barn has one level for the pigs with a slatted floor where the pig manure falls to a level below. Twice a year, in Fall and again in Spring, the lower levels are emptied out and the manure spread over the nearby bean and corn fields on the farm for fertilizer. Ryan emphasized that there are no outdoor manure pits, everything is enclosed. “We built the barn far away from neighbors and on the east side of the road. The wind blows mostly from east to west. On the eastern, down wind border of the building is a large wooded area, all part of the Zimmerman’s property.

Collier is concerned that laws such as the ‘Right to Farm Act’ recently reaffirmed by the Wayne County Board of Supervisors, never really foresaw the coming of CAFOs. The ‘Right to Farm Act’ recognizes that such noises, smells and common farm practices that may otherwise disturb neighbors, existed well before there were neighbors who cared. That farmers have a right to farm where agriculture has a history.

CAFOs, the rules regulating their existence, came out of the early 1970’s movement to address any environmental concerns that large, commercial farm operations would have on the environment. The guidelines were set up by the Federal government and adopted by New York State .

Collier is also concerned that with the CAFO regulations, a local municipality has few, if any options to set local guidelines. “They can do just about what they (CAFOs) want.” The Rose Supervisor said the Zimmerman operation is “Smack dab in the middle of what the town had zoned for residential development.” She stated that the Town had been expanding water lines in the area, but that the municipal water well supply, as well as many homeowner private wells are located in the area. She was also concerned that the barn is close to wetlands that feed into the water table and any run-off from the pig operation could contaminate water supplies. as for the odors that could emanate? “Odor, the State has nothing to do with odor,” emphasized Collier.

Ora Rothfuss, the County Farm Planning Department Specialist, wanted to make it clear that the regulations governing a CAFO are strict and constant monitoring of operations is a standard.

A Certified CAFO specialist must be hired by the operation to ensure that concerns are addressed before the CAFO begins. Such things as manure spreading, nitrogen, phosphorus content, must fall into guidelines of crop need so that nutrients from the fertilizer does not run off and cause water pollution. It was not until the Clean Water Act of the early 1970s that farm run-off was really recognized as a source point to downstream water contamination.

Rothfuss said that a farmer must spend upwards of $20,000 to ensure the CAFO specialist has a total plan in place. Collier said she believes that a CAFO specialist, hired by the farmer to create such a plan and monitor the operation is a conflict of interest. She also said she believes a similar operation in the nearby Town of Butler has created some ongoing concerns. Rothfuss countered the conflict of interest concern by stating that a licensed, certified planner of a CAFO has his reputation and livelihood at stake and that a CAFO farmer has his entire investment at risk for violating the terms laid down.

Collier said the Town Board is thinking of creating a liaison committee with farmers to address and perhaps head off any problems with residential homeowners. “We are trying to be pro-active. This is not a zoning or building code issue,” she stated.

The Town of Rose will be conducting a meeting on Monday, June 9th at 3:30 p.m. at the Town offices to form a committee to address concerns with CAFO operations.

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