The Greene County Board of Supervisors met yesterday in regular session.

A few concerned citizens made comments during a public hearing for a proposed hog confinement expansion project by New Fashion Pork in Cedar Township.  Patti Edwardson urged the Board to vote “no” for the expansion.  She stated that Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation has changed how manure effects waterways, air and declining school enrollment because families are moving away from confinements.  She was also concerned with local ownership of confinements over businesses and corporations.

Next, George Naylor asked the Supervisors to consider recognizing a “no” for the expansion.  He realized that the Supervisors have no final say when considering hog confinements.  He brought into question what Supervisor Guy Richardson had said about rules and free enterprise.  Naylor explained that several countries are in the livestock market and have decreased the amount of free enterprise that there is left for local farmers.  He noted North Carolina and their moratoriums on livestock and that Iowa could also change its rules.

Richardson acknowledged North Carolina’s moratoriums, but to make those changes in Iowa, that needed to happen at the legislature.  He added that he was in favor of changing the Master Matrix, that all proposed hog confinement expansions or establishments must go through, so that County Supervisors could have more control of what is allowed and denied.

Following the public hearing, it was mentioned that the applicant scored an additional five points for including an inclosure plan.  The Supervisors also asked to have landscape added and injecting manure as opposed to applying it topically.  The Board then approved its recommendation, by a 3-1 vote, to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that they agreed with the expansion.  The one “no” vote was from Supervisor Tom Contner.  He said he wasn’t in favor of corporations being in control of confinements in the County.  He added that he had no problem if a local farmer wanted to raise hogs.

Next, the Supervisors approved to deny five applications for family farm tax credits.  Requirements are that a family member must own and farm the land and there must be at least ten acres of land to be considered.  The applications that were denied was because the owner wasn’t a qualifying family member.  The Supervisors also approved three applications for the disabled veteran homestead tax credit.  To qualify, the applicant must be a military veteran and be 100 percent disabled as determined by Veterans’ Affairs.

Finally, the Supervisors appointed Christine Davis as Bristol Township Trustee.