Digesters are a financial scam and a band aid on cancer. They give a facility this magic wand mentality that it erases the bacteria.
Bacteria multiplies from many areas of an operation, so there will always be 'cross contamination'' going on. It increases the ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels which are still harmful.
They are not financially sustainable without subsidies- throwin good money at bad money.
60% of the methane comes off that barn anyway.
You only need a small ammount of poop to run one or else they get all plogged up anyway.
In Kewaunee Co. there are 2 operations with a newish (2yrs) metal building for their digesters... Both those roofs are rusted out due to the nitrogen levels emmited. Something is not being run correctly, and you still have too much poop!
AJ Bos from Bakersfield California even said at a county board hearing on methane digesters- "They don't work, that's why I didn't put one in my plans..." This came from someone who was given a 16 million dollar grant for a methane digester in Boardman ORegon that sat new in the box.

He didn't want to pay to have it integrated into his site let alone pay someone to maintain it.

Also on grid/line the energy units would be monitored revealing the true efficiency- he did not want to be held accountable!

Would you be opposed if they put in a manure digester?
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/co...

25 Million should be easily attained for this complex, if backed by Monsanto.

So when was it(spring fed water) tested last?

Our cottage water is supplied untreated from a spring-fed stream, been drinking it for years.

I choose my battles carefully.
The criteria?
If manure is overly produced and stored so it seeps or leaks or runs off or stacked in big piles or run through sneaky pipes and conduits or becomes so concentrated that it is a health hazard and is contaminating waters of the state and municiple and private wells....
Where do you think cancer comes from?
Whatever.
Thats how I pick my fight.

Nope

tequilashot

Did you oppose the 137-acre gravel pit gravel pit near Storr's lake also?

Dwight-
Only you would think your dairy air would be a good thing.
Didn't your mother train you better?
My big agenda? Clean air and water for all people? Why is that such a hard concept for you to grasp?
Let me know if you have found a CLEAN nitrate and ecoli free swimmin hole, river or a stream so I can watch you fill your canteen....
So many expansions... You must be thrilled.

Awesome, tequilashot is back! Illinois finest pushing their agenda on Wisconsinites. Hey, guess what? Tuls is milking and has been for a while now, something you said would never happen. Enjoy our Dairy air!

Many in Industrial Agriculture mock the family farm/or organics. The truth is, large or small, that good farmers operate on the principles of good stewardship, humane animal husbandry, and creating products that are nutritionally dense, and help in attaining good human health. The mega model of farming has moved so far away from values that concern the health of both humans, animals and our environment. As far as how to educate future farmers...get them in the dirt! The real learning takes place on the ground, and experience is the best teacher. Real farmers know their land. Real farmers know their animals, which they do not refer to as "units". If this complex plans on educating on grazing, conservation, animals and habitat essential to the farm, tree/hedgerow preservation, water conservation, how to grow nutrient dense foods, human health, and how to educate our youth on all of these things, then maybe I'd consider this illustrious model a good thing. Considering the food monopoly crisis we are creating in this country, I would say this complex has "Big Ag's" fingerprints all over it...The real farming crisis that looms in our future will deal with depleted soils, depleted aquifers, and the dramatic shifts in our weather. Nature always bats last...

"They do not give tours of the other metal building housing 35,000 cows or visit the miserable citizens hiding in their homes!"

Are you still saying they have 35,000 cows?

Organic, that's your solution (per the Rodale Institute)?

I forgot-

Lady, you might become a jilted investor.
Be careful to not throw good money at bad money.

Wislady-
They do not list 35,000 cows as a promotion. And I'm sure the number has gone up since I investigated there 4 yrs ago.
You learn so much more when you talk to the folks who live there.
The internet and blogs are not the true story sweetheart.
Indiana has manure from the cattle in their own state, as well as manure that is brokered into their state from Ohio.
Their governor was a real prince- just like Walker. Jobs jobs jobs.
There are jobs with terrible pollution as a bi product.
Go drive to Fair Oaks, then start knocking on residential doors and see who wants to chat!
How do I propose that future farmers learn how best to use the land?
Rodale Institue might be a good start.
Farmers were doin just fine until the "Get big or get out stuff" started up. That and subsidies.

"35,000 cows" in the Indiana project (by your count).
I don't see anything in the article that suggests that, or that the Indiana project has that many cattle.

How do YOU propose that future farmers learn how best to use the land?

WisLady-
I went back to read the previous article for the 6th time. So why didn't you want to chat there? I'll jist drag it over here!

"The complex would include:

-- A 40,000-square-foot agriculture discovery center providing a high-tech, hands-on, interactive learning experience. It would include all aspects of agriculture in Wisconsin and showcase industry advancements and innovations. The center would operate year-round and charge an entrance fee.

Wood said the group conservatively estimates 150,000 visitors in the first year, increasing to 216,000 by the third year.

"We think that that's very doable given the region we're in," Wood said.

The group would market aggressively to schools within a 100-mile radius, and Wisconsin has nothing like it, Wood said.

"We think it's really important that ag steps up and tells its story, gets kids excited about it and helps the next generation of ag leaders get engaged," he said.

They envision a Chicago family headed to Wisconsin Dells or north for skiing but stopping at the complex to explore for a few hours, said Klahn, who runs Klondike Farms, a cash grain and custom farming operation in Brooklyn.

-- A 20,000-square-foot agriculture education campus of classrooms and labs for grades K-12 and youth organizations. Blackhawk Tech has committed to an additional 9,000 square feet for its programs."

Sooo, anywhoo... This is the same worm that was baited for the poor folks in Fair Oaks Indiana. Hook, line and sinker with Dean Foods at the other end of the rod.
Yup.
Those Chicago folks will never know or care- we got the milk mafia working over the school lunch and milk programs with the prices locked.
It is the same song and dance, just a different fishin hole!
Have a nice day lady.

"This Complex proposal is similar to the one in Fair Oaks Indiana."

"metal building housing 35,000 cows"

Wrong on the first comment. The second comment...please provide a link showing they have 35,000 cows at that location. That would be worth the drive to see!

wiss,
I see an exchange of ideas on the topic of a proposed industrial ag "expo" center, campgrounds, etc. My comment states some facts that I hope such a promotion center will address. I saw other similar comments. Facts should be presented about industrial ag contribution to health hazards, contaminated wells, contaminated water ways. These are the facts that accompany industrial ag. They should be truthfully addressed in any promotion- or do you prefer lies with your advertising?

Maybe some of YOU should go back and read the original article (even though you also posted there), because you must not have read it.

Air and Water are considered a public trust to be guarded for future generations. The best gift this state could give our youth is the fact that we had the foresight to protect these, so that the prosperity enjoyed by previous Wisconsinites can be enjoyed by those inheriting it. We do not need to further promote an industry dubbed "king" by this state and its officials....

I wonder if this project will promote with truth?
Will this project describe how ag. engineers predict a leakage of 1,000 gallons of untreated waste per acre of manure pond per day? (That amounted to 40,000 gallons/day in Jo Daviess County.)
Will this project detail the contaminated wells at Larson Acres?
Will this project detail the manure spill at Fair Oaks?
Will this project describe how a state representative in Illinois urged the Army Corps of Engineers to ignore the IEPA?

I went to Kewaunee Co. Once.
I thought, wow this would be a great place to visit since it was on Lake Michigan.
So I get there- as close to the LM to see the beach, maybe go for a walk.
ALGEA everywhere. It stunk like fermented cow manure.
So I got back in the car to keep driving- to find another place to take in the beauty of Lake Michigan. All I see is liquid manure laid thick on any available space.
I saw a yard with a kids swingset.
Liquid manure at at the edge of the slide.
Who does that? WHAT A JERK!!!

This complex would only further the propaganda generated by the Dairy Industry, which, according to your article, feels the need to be "protected". Living in Kewaunee, a cafo-tastrophy, with 16 concentrated animal feeding operations, it is ever apparent how this industry takes, takes, takes from the community, while leaving the residents (and environment) with ALL of the external costs of operation. Residents are left with polluted land, air, and water, ruined roadways from mega-machinery, plummeting property values, devastated rural economies-and ruined tourism, beautiful beaches plagued with algae from run-off--it goes on and on. This complex would be doomed for failure, as this mega- model is not sustainable. Along with mega farm subsidies and road repairs, this would just be one more check for the taxpayers to pick up!

Wislady-
Mega dairies use other venues to justify their existence since they are not a sustainable business model. They are parasites.
They can only attach themselves to other successful things to make their boat float.
More and more people are looking to not support mega dairy products. Mega dairies will spend millions just to re-package their failing image.

Corporate desk farmers seems to be wishfully thinking taxpayer subsidies will last forever. $14,000,000 in taxpayer money paid to Rock County chemical farmers and hormone filled milk dairies in 2011. As crushing debt comes to a head, dairy and crop subsidies will be reduced. Real food farmers will take precedence again, and ideas of "ag complexes" will seem like bad dreams.
.
http://farm.ewg.org/regionsummary.php?fi...

Is this a "mega" dairy farm, or is it to be used for "educational" purposes?

Wislady-
If you are into that, so be it.
I am into what is morally right for all, not just some.
If people are forced to deal with polluted wells because of the overproduction of dairy runoff and dumping by pipes to streams, then I will oppose the glorification of mega dairies through this ag complex proposal for Wisconsin.

Maybe they should open an algae farm instead, or a training center for basket weaving.

Wis Lady-
The 25 million that is needed to get this ball rolling will not mean that any of the other "phases" of the proposal will be completed. It is a "lure" to create a "whuts in it for me..." Make it about kids, education and tourism- throw in some horses- boy that is a huge demographic that could support this scam for big monsanto and the DBA to force the unsustainable, catastrophic water damage and undercutting of small dairy and raw milk industry on unsuspecting tourists.
Tell the tourists that they have to get their milk from Tuls and Larsen as the local neighbors have to endure lawsuits, devalued property,bad health and contaminated wells.
Have a nice day.
Fair Oaks tried to candy coat the poop too.
Also- why hasn't the words cow or dairy been included in the article?- BECAUSE FOLKS WOULD OPPOSE it!!!

Wisconsin is still the Dairy State, agriculture should be promoted. The World Dairy Expo in Madison is running out of space for their event, and might also use the facilities.

This Complex proposal is similar to the one in Fair Oaks Indiana.

What might ag complex mean to the Wisconsin region?

In Fair Oaks Indiana they have "mega dairy tourism"....This creates more confusion for the folks who don't understand what we are fighting. CAFO fighters across the country refer to Fair Oaks as "Faire Disney". They make everything look so happy and clean. They do not give tours of the other metal building housing 35,000 cows or visit the miserable citizens hiding in their homes!

The population of Fair Oaks IN has been replaced by "temporary workers" who are not interested in establishing roots in the community. Many of the original citizens have moved away due to the excess of odor, impaired water, and fly swarms.

This proposal for Wisconsin needs to be vigorously discouraged.

I believe this could be big on so many levels, from creating jobs to drawing in tourists. The monetary goal could be attainable, if many already estabalished agribusinesses would match employee dontations. I think this is quite exciting news.