Harlan Tribune, IA
09-09-06
Ag developers' projects also involve sheep
COUNTY -- A growing local agriculture economic development group confirmed
Tuesday that it plans not only to develop dairy and hog confinement units in
Shelby County, but a lambing operation as well.
A roomful of proponents of ag economic development in Shelby, expecting to
hear a presentation from anti-large-scale confinement opponents, instead took
the time to update the county on its plans, which now include sheep.
"We're pretty excited about it," said Gary Weihs, Weihs Enterprises, an economic
development/venture capital group which currently is building a farrowing unit
and dairy operation in Shelby County. "We think it's an opportunity, and if it pans
out and makes some good money, we'll probably build more."
Weihs said his group is partnering with Tom Schechinger to build the facility,
possibly as early as this fall.
"We currently have a project where Tom is working on putting in 10,000 ewes, a
lambing facility and finishing facility," Weihs explained. "The reason we support it
is very similar to the reason we support farrowing and milk production."
Weihs said there is a customer need as there isn't enough milk or hog production
in Iowa, and the U.S. currently imports lambs. "We're importing lambs from
outside the United States because there's not enough sheep production," he
said.
The group has contracted with Iowa Lamb, Hawarden, to provide market lambs
for the next seven years. It's expected the operation will have up to eight total
employees, although Schechinger said "we see potential to grow beyond that at
some point."
Master matrix
Tuesday's meeting was expected to be a discussion of Iowa's master matrix, but
a vocal critic on the agenda to discuss confinement operations in Shelby County,
did not attend. Bill Miller called and said he could not make the meeting.
Approximately 84 out of 99 counties in Iowa have adopted a construction
evaluation resolution that have allowed them to use the matrix. The matrix was
developed by a 10-member, statewide technical committee. It is a scoring system
that can be used to evaluate siting of a permitted confinement feeding operation,
such as the new dairy in operation or hog confinement facilities.
To date, the Shelby County Board of Supervisors has opted not to adopt an
evaluation process; consequently it cannot use the master matrix to evaluate
applications for construction permits for large confinement operations. The issue
can be reviewed each year, and the board can adopt a resolution each January if
it wishes.
Adoption of a resolution also would allow the county to submit formal
recommendations to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources concerning any
particular construction permit application, send county employees along on a
DNR site inspection and appeal the DNR's decision regarding a permit
application.
Weihs and others Tuesday called Shelby County a leader in not adopting the
matrix. "Shelby County was one of 13 counties that chose to opt out" four years
ago when the legislation was first introduced, said Ron Beach, founding partner,
Weihs Enterprises.
"The counties that are opting out are increasing. Counties are definitely seeing
this is not something they want to take part in." Beach added that surveys show
that the master matrix doesn't regulate livestock confinements effectively at the
county level, and actually impedes economic development. He said it creates "a
lot of emotional conflict in the county."
Survey
Shelby County Auditor Marsha Carter said a survey by Shelby County of other
counties that have adopted a master matrix resolution showed it really had little
effect on the end result. "Of the 35 counties that responded, they overwhelmingly
said that the every few (permits) that they did deny, the DNR approved," said
Carter. "If we're looking at the master matrix as a way to stop the livestock
confinements, it's not working."
Weihs applauded the county's leadership in not using the matrix. "We believe
that's sound judgment, because I'm not sure you want to get in the business of
regulating livestock," he said. He encouraged the county to put its efforts toward
more valuable projects, instead of having to review permits. He said the DNR
already has the final say on all permits.
"We've already got a state agency set up to do this...why not let the DNR do their
job, and let them approve or deny permits," he said. He said the DNR has
procedures in place to accept public input and comment on any permit submitted
to the DNR.
He said Shelby County's leadership is exceptional. "I've been asked by people
outside the county, how did you get a supervisor group that actually supports
livestock," Weihs said. "And we say, well we're just lucky, I guess. But I think
there are a lot of counties swinging that way."
Safe development
Weihs also took the time to reply to recent comments that such confinement
facilities pose health risks.
"We don't feel there are any," he said. In all the research the development group
has done, in conjunction with Iowa State University, "we haven't found anything
that says there's any health risk whatsoever," he said.
Weihs said the dairy, farrowing and sheep operations are important economic
development for the county and region.
"I think our record stands on its own," he said. "We've got two projects under way
in Shelby County now in economic development, one farrowing unit and one
dairy, so that's over $50 million work of development, and lots of jobs."