Several Michigan agricultural groups, including the Michigan Farm Bureau, are pushing back against the state’s new permits for Confined Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs.
The permits were tightened in order to protect water quality but farm groups say the new restrictions are “burdensome” and have a “dubious connection to protecting the quality of the waters.”
Rick Sietsema is a turkey farmer in Ottawa county. He said restricting CAFO manure means commercial fertilizers that don’t have restrictions could be used instead.
“It’s a better product for the environment but it’s just not being incentivized by the department. It’s being discriminated against.”
Pam Taylor is with Environmental Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan, which has conducted monitoring of CAFOs around the state. She said there is no question that the roughly 272 large CAFOs across the state need to see tighter restrictions.
“I think the Farm Bureau and the plaintiffs should just be glad we have this permit. We don’t think the rules are restrictive enough, they aren’t nearly as restrictive as wastewater treatment plants. They aren’t nearly as restrictive as wastewater treatment plants for the same load.”
Taylor called the appeal “meritless” and said if everyone else has to follow the rules - farmers should too.