Groups Push To Stop Industrial Farm Expansion In Northeast Wisconsin

Environmental groups want the federal government to stop an expansion at a large dairy farm in northeastern Wisconsin.

Three environmental groups say Kinnard Farms is already contaminating groundwater and the situation will grow worse if it gets bigger. The Kewaunee County farm has more than 4,000 cows and a permit to grow to roughly 6,000 in the next two years.

The groups have formally asked the Environmental Protection Agency to rescind that expansion because of manure runoff. Dean Hoegger heads the Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin. He said he wants the EPA to take action where he claims Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources can’t or won’t.

“Especially in recent years with the cuts to staff at the DNR and scientists at the DNR, that’s only going to grow worse with recent budget proposals and cuts that have additional cuts to the DNR,” Hoegger said.

Kinnard Farms Inc. released a statement saying it is “committed to following stringent regulations.”