Dairy industry pushes back against new manure storage rules
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin dairy industry is raising a stink about potential new regulations governing manure storage.
State officials are crafting new farm standards to serve as a template for local ordinances. The standards would expand setbacks for manure storage. New farms with at least 500 animals and farms looking to expand to at least 500 animals would have to place storage facilities between 600 feet and 2,500 feet from their neighbors’ property line depending on herd size to minimize odor.
Farm groups including the Dairy Business Association, the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation held a news conference Monday to rail against the standards. They insisted the regulations would make expansion nearly impossible and drive farmers out of Wisconsin.