Viroqua- Wis. – After listening to two hours of testimony from concerned citizens, the Vernon County Board voted against adoption of a moratorium that would have prevented livestock operations with over 500 animal units from expanding in Vernon County.  The vote passed by an overwhelming count of 23-6. The board did approve a Vernon County Livestock Facility Licensing Ordinance which will comply with Sec. 93.90 of Wis. Statutes and ch. ATCP 51, Wis. Adm code, which is Wisconsin’s siting law.

This is a victory not only for Vernon County livestock producers but for all livestock producers in the state of Wisconsin.  Prior to the adoption of the siting law, local governmental units had the authority to enact and enforce limitations on the siting of livestock facilities.  The DBA and the Wisconsin legislature recognized that, under the then-existing system, the future of the state’s agricultural industry was being jeopardized by the imposition of unnecessarily burdensome and unpredictable restrictions at the local level on the siting of new or expansion of preexisting livestock facilities.  In response to the regulatory patchwork, the legislature created a framework for the adoption of statewide standards.  Under the siting law, Vernon County could not adopt the proposed moratorium.  Nowhere in the siting law is such a moratorium allowed.

This victory was the result of hard work by the Dairy Business Association and DBA members Jim Mlsna, Ocooch Dairy, and Merna Fremstad, Norse Star Jerseys, who worked effortlessly on the education of county board members, gathering support and making many phone calls.  Also, special thanks go to David Jelinski, Director of the Land and Water Resource Bureau at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, who was instrumental in overseeing the implementation of Wisconsin’s livestock siting law development in Vernon County.

The Wisconsin legislature and Governor Doyle are commended for their hard work and dedication toward Wisconsin’s livestock industry.