LAKE GAGE — A third-generation farmer is proposing a 4,800-head confined animal feeding operation for hogs, which is drawing community misconceptions he’d like to dispel.
Keith Werner, owner of K and D Contract Pork LLC, Angola, is proposing the CAFO, which has met with ire from neighbors. Werner filed for a CAFO permit with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for a 60-acre parcel at Steuben C.R. 200N and C.R. 600W.
The parcel is in the vicinity of several lakes, including Pine Canyon, Crooked and Lime and Lake Gage. Members of those lake associations have spoken out against possible pollution problems.
Werner currently lives on his cattle farm, one mile south of the proposed CAFO property.
“I hope people understand I’m not out to destroy stuff and when we’re done, we will not go away,” he said. “The world’s full of misconceptions.”
Werner said he fully intends to clear up such concerns.
IDEM officials said they received Werner’s permit application May 30, and the agency’s staff now had 90 days to make a decision. If IDEM needs additional information, the 90-day window stops until that information is obtained.
He emphasized he has no intention of not following IDEM regulations, nor does he have a disregard for the environment or his neighbors.
“I’ve talked to some neighbors,” he said. “We want to keep good neighbors, and we’re not trying to sneak by.”
Werner said he does have a manure management program.
“It’s in our best interest to control our runoff as a livestock farmer in the community,” he said.
The farm would be raising another entity’s animals; Werner did not disclose the name of his partner.
If Werner is given IDEM approval, he plans to soon build two barns — each holding 2,400 head of hogs.
“If anyone asks me, I’m trying to expand operations. I’m getting married, and we want to have children and want our kids (to eventually) operate it … and do better,” he said.
Werner’s petition said he plans to create an underfloor manure pit with a 380-day storage capacity. The manure and wastewater would be used on his cropland as fertilizer.
The petition said the building site would not be affected by the seasonal water table, because the producer wants to put the barns 7 feet into the ground above those tables. The proposed building sites are not in a floodplain, an Indiana Department of Public Resources and Indiana Geological Survey said.
The lengthy legal process and regulations
Barry Sneed, IDEM public information officer, said Indiana is far more stringent than other states. He said Indiana currently monitors about 1,881 CAFOs statewide.
Sneed said Steuben County is home to one CAFO and three confined feeding operations.
IDEM offers CAFO compliance assistance. “They get approved for a certain number of animals, but don’t always have that amount,” he said.
Sneed said Werner has to take many steps to get CAFO approval.
“They have to notify us of construction and have state setbacks,” Sneed said. “The farm has to get local zoning. They have to turn in annual reports. During the first year, we have a compliance inspection. After the first year, we inspect once every five years.”
A CAFO petitioner must contact all bordering landowners, Sneed said. In addition, professional engineers and geologists look at plans.
“Roads are a local issue. Manure is not allowed to impact the water,” he said. “The rules take into account natural runoff. We also evaluate slope of land and do soil borings.”
Frank Charlton, Steuben County plan director, said the parcel Werner is proposing as a site for the CAFO already is zoned agricultural. Charlton said he has not yet received any paperwork from Werner about his proposal.
“They do have to apply for a special exception,” Charlton said. “Anything over 300 head in the county requires that.”
Neighbors surrounding Werner’s proposed CAFO have raised concerns about the impact it could have on air quality, water contamination from manure runoff, Steuben County’s tourism, decreased property values and damage to road conditions due to excess truck weights.
Allen Lefevre, president of the Lake Gage-Lime Lake Association, has moderated two well-attended meetings of lakefront property owners. The group has formed the Steuben County Lakes Environmental Consortium, developed a steering committee, retained legal counsel and is currently interviewing professionals to fight the CAFO, Lefevre said.
He also said members of the consortium are writing at least 100 letters to IDEM with concerns.
“With IDEM, we have to concentrate on water,” Lefevre said.
Lefevre read Werner’s CAFO petition and said one question is not answered. “He’s not specific how to apply manure to the land,” Lefevre said.