By Mari Radtke
Roorda Dairy Confinement hearing brought a packed house of area residents to the O’Brien County Supervisors’ meeting on Tuesday April 6. The hearing was for an expansion to Roorda Dairy at Section 24 Baker Township. They propose to build a dairy to house 5,791 head dairy cattle confinement with associated construction. Russell Rohlfsen gave the first verbal comments. He started by exclaiming, “The existing dairy ‘stinks like hell.’ They started with 3000 head and now 5000 and nothing has been done in 10 years. I believe that what’s been done in the past is a good predictor of what will happen in the future.” Rohlfsen said he does not want it, but he wants to be a good neighbor. “If the stink gets fixed I’m all for it.” In addressing employment concerns he said, “They don’t hire that many people. I bet there ain’t a white person who works there. Maybe one. Why not go down and get another bus load of illegals?” Rohlfsen also addressed the high volume of land Roorda Dairy owns and rents. Rohlfsen expressed concern that the size of the dairy should be concern for young farmers entering the industry. He told the other farmers in attendance, “You should be damned concerned. They’re going around buying up all the ground. They’re renting the ground,” explaining that each dairy is going to take about 2000 acres of silage a year. Rohlfsen’s explanation of the demand for acres by the large dairies illustrated how young farmers would not have any opportunities.
He also noted that all of the Roorda family owns million dollar homes this year, adding, “’God bless ‘em,’ but not one of ‘em is by that dairy.”
Members of the Richter/Pearson family spoke at different times. The biggest concern from the family members addressed the notable health risks the air quality from the smell presents. They also addressed quality of life issues affected by the smell, citing children playing outside. Several personal stories were shared about what is believed to be adverse affects caused by the smell of the dairy.
Terry Hain, spoke up saying he works for Hohbach Construction. They built Dan Ebel’s and Kim Ebel’s house. He explained how he was told, “We can never open windows when wind is from the north or calm. There are certain days you just can’t crack that thing open at all.”
Ron Negus spoke up saying, “We farm up in that area. I concerned if you guys know Baker Township, it’s a wet township. There is a lot of tile in that area.” Negus explained tile will be under where the farm will go. My son lives up there. He has a pond that feeds his well. We just got pond cleaned out because tile filled the pond with manure. There was a catch-basin that had tile under it. And I’m just concerned about water quality.”
Scott Roorda spoke to all in the room. “We can’t stop smell. It’s agriculture. We worked on it. We put plenty of stuff in the lagoons. We spent millions of dollars into the smell. We were here last month about a digester. It did get approved. We’re working on it. Health concerns: My dad had a quadruple bypass. He works on the dairy every day. He’s fine. For the younger – for the farmers. I deal with twenty four farmers. I buy everything from farmers. We put $13 million at least into the farmers every year for feed. For the younger generation, yea, I believe in the younger generation, I am one of the younger generation. I’m 35 years old. I’ve been on the farm since I was 13. I got four kids. I want to build a future for my kids just like you do. Been here since 2008. You think people would be knocking down my door. I haven’t had a complaint. Everything smells. Hog barns smell too. I’m willing to work with everybody, too.
Roorda explained that the digesters are going up in other parts of Iowa in South Dakota. Their going up everywhere.
A discussion about different kinds of cows and bedding and manure collection was held between Roorda and others in the room.
Nick Rau, ProAg Engineering spoke about how the digester works and gave a brief outline of DNR rules and other mitigation requirements. He explained how the digester and its infrastructure are entirely contained. Explained that Roordas want to see how the digester goes at the first farm before they jump into it at the proposed farm.
DNR checks large units annually. Trees are supposed to be onsite to help with smell containment. Sherri Bootsma said that trees will be on the property. John Steensma asked about the use of digesters in California. Rau explained that they got off to a rough start because they were trying to have them produce electricity instead of natural gas.
Board chair Nancy McDowell explained the process of regulation from legislative adoption to the matrix scoring system adopted by the county to score if a location is suitable for the proposed project.
Rohlfsen challenged Dan Friedrichsen if “you would want it next to your house?” Then he asked McDowell if she would. She replied, I love the smell of agriculture. I grew up on a farm.” She went on to describe her current life and her feelings on the various smells of agriculture.
Friderichsen went on to finish the decision making process. Bootsma explained that if DNR said “Yes and the supervisors say no, and the scoring meets all the requirements, it will go.” It became clear that the DNR is in charge. It was brought out that McDowell has voted against participating in the matrix system for exactly the problem of removing decision-making from local control and granting it to DNR.
Rohlfsen asked the Board to vote no so that they could help with the lawsuit they will file against DNR to slow or stop this project.
The supervisors vote on the dairy took place following the burn ban discussion. Bootsma explained that Rohlfsen is closest to the proposed dairy and is 130 feet shy of half mile from the proposed site. A map of the area was brought up and a discussion of the locations of residences relative to proposed project site was considered. The proposed barn will be built over existing pattern tile. According to Rau that will all be removed, but the location drains into the same watershed. Friedrichsen/Bootsma motioned in favor of the project. The motion got no resistance. The project will move forward.