The Madison County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday unanimously approved a 6,000-cattle dairy farm, which will be located near Frankton.
Willemsen Dairy LLC, owned by Tejo Willemsen of Frankton, received the approval after a year-long process. The dairy farm, located at 6615 W. 500N, will expand its cattle herd from 1,800 to 6,000.
Willemsen said the expansion could be complete by October or November of next year. Willemsen he would start work on the expansion on Wednesday.
"We will start building Wednesday," said Willemsen.
There were both supporters and detractors of the project at the meeting Tuesday morning.
Jack Appleby, whose property is close to Willemsen's, said that he plans to move because of the dairy operation - Appleby said the smell is unbearable, and he worries that the increased herd will spread E. coli bacteria.
"It now becomes evident that, after 42 years, I'm going to have to sell my home and move my farm," said Appleby.
The board's meeting room was almost completely full Tuesday. At the beginning of the meeting, BZA Chairwoman Mary Jane Baker asked those in the audience both for and against the CAFO - or, concentrated animal feeding operation - to stand up. The number of those in opposition who stood was almost as many as those in favor.
Willemsen assured the board and the audience that his CAFO would be of benefit to the county.
"I live in front of the dairy operation; I'm responsible for it," said Willemsen. "My intent has always been for this to be an asset for the community."
Willemsen told the board that, among other things, the Nestlé Corp. is interested in using his milk, thus keeping business in-county. Willemsen also said that he'll be doubling his workforce and will feed his cattle with product from Red Gold and the planned Alexandria ethanol plant.
Additionally, Willemsen estimates that the construction of the CAFO will create about 40 jobs. Willemsen has called his CAFO "the second-largest east of the Mississippi."
Willemsen and his wife, Alberdine, moved to the U.S. from the Netherlands six years ago to start their "American dream" of owning a dairy farm. Willemsen's Madison County farm was started on July 5, 2001, and he has also opened dairy operations in Kentucky and Oklahoma, where he owns 4,000 cows.
Willemsen also owns seven houses, six of which are rental properties.
The board approved the CAFO with several stipulations: Waste generated by the cattle must be "properly disposed of"; the CAFO must remain consistent with the zone; the CAFO will not be allowed to enlarge beyond 6,000 cattle; and manure may not be within 40 feet of neighboring property.