Dairy farm stirs debate

TOWN OF ROSENDALE - Though dairy farming has its challenges, Jim Ostrum finds his reward in the character of the cows, like Golden, his friendly and inquisitive favorite.

"You have to love the cow," Ostrum said.  "Dairymen who don't love cows don't stay in the business very long.  We love our cattle."

And soon he's hoping to have even more to love.  Ostrum is planning big things for Rosendale Dairy, his farm in the Town of Rosendale that could eventually be Wisconsin's largest, with 8,300 cows.

But for those who live there that size is a concern.  If built as planned, cows would outnumber people in the town nearly nine to one.

Members of People Empowered Protect the Land (PEPL), a group of concerned citizens, have asked the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to take a closer look at the environmental impact of the farm.

Attorney Jamie Saul represents the group and says many are worried about their air and water quality.

"Mostly from the disposal of a huge quantity of manure on the farmlands of the area, upwards of 75 million gallons of manure per year," Saul said.

Ostrum has permits in place to finish construction and begin with about 700 cows, but must wait for a public hearing and special pollutant elimination permit from the DNR.  The agency says it plans an extensive examination.

"You can't just put these questions and concerns into little boxes," said DNR agricultural environmental specialist Liz Spaeth-Wener.  "You have to try to figure out what the cumulative effect could be."

Ostrum says the $70 million project will be environmentally sound and a benefit to the community.  He plans to spend $35 million each year with local vendors.

"We are successful at what we do because we care, we care about the land, we care about our neighbors and we want to do the right thing," he said.

But despite those efforts, worries remain.