KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Farmers across the state are trying to figure out how they are going to store and spread manure amid continued wet conditions.
The situation is being called an emergency in Kewaunee County.
In the county, there are about five cows for every one person and nearly two-thirds of private drinking wells are thought to be contaminated, according to research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
At El-Na Farms, between Casco and Algoma, co-owner Lonnie Fenendael tells FOX 11 steps have been taken to make sure there’s enough room to spread and store manure through the winter.
“I’m fine right now, but I know there’s a lot of farms, small or large, that are probably getting worried.”
The worry is where farmers can spread manure with so many saturated fields.
Kewaunee County leaders have reported at least 13 manure spreading events since September have resulted in severe runoff, impacting surface water tributaries, Lake Michigan, and private drinking wells.
“You can only apply a certain amount before it starts to runoff,” said Fenendael.
The county’s land and water committee passed a resolution at the beginning of the month asking Governor Tony Evers to temporarily suspend three requirements of CAFOs, which are large animal feeding operations.
The resolution was held up before it reached the full county board, but it wanted to suspend the rule that CAFOs collect all leachate water to manure storages, allow CAFO manure to be spread on land not under a nutrient management plan without a public hearing, and allow non-CAFO manure pits to be used without the DNR’s full approval process.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction for the county to look at that and try to get help to get that passed,” said Fenendael.
But that has the attention of land-use watchdogs
“I’m somewhat embarrassed that they would be petitioning the governor for any rolling back of regulations that are actually put in place to protect the landscape and to protect the people where we live,” said Nancy Utesch, of Kewaunee Cares, a group that advocates for ‘stewardship of the land, air, and water to provide a thriving environment, economy, and community in Kewaunee County.’
Utesch tells FOX 11 the only resolution she’d like sent to the governor is for cleaner drinking water. She is worried any temporary rule suspension will risk further contamination.
“My biggest question would be when does this emergency end? Because if you’re just talking about opening up a lot of manure pits that really aren’t designed for CAFO waste, you’re opening up a can of worms.”
It’s unclear whether the county will revisit any sort of resolution.
