In April 2025, GROWW and a group of Pierce County residents initiated legal action after the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued a permit that would allow Ridge Breeze Dairy to nearly quadruple in size and become one of the state’s largest factory farms. This decision came after prolonged community opposition amid concerns over negative impacts to water, air, roads, and small farms.

The permit would allow Ridge Breeze—which is classified by the DNR as a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO)—to expand its herd from 1,700 dairy cows to more than 6,500 dairy cows. The expanded facility would produce nearly 80 million gallons of liquid manure annually.

Our clients are challenging the permit because it does not adequately protect local surface water and groundwater from being contaminated by the enormous amounts of manure that Ridge Breeze would produce.

Many local residents are concerned about Ridge Breeze’s ability to safely dispose of so much manure, especially in a region known to be susceptible to groundwater contamination. Documents submitted with the farm’s permit application, including the farm’s Nutrient Management Plan appear to contain inaccurate information. Thousands of acres appear to have incorrect tillage listed, which could lead to overapplication of manure. Despite these concerns, the DNR is not requiring any groundwater monitoring at the production area or on spreading fields.

In addition, our clients are concerned with what they see as a lack of transparency about where manure will be spread. Ridge Breeze acknowledges that it owns fewer than 100 acres and relies entirely on rented land. After community members urged the DNR to verify the amount of farmland Ridge Breeze claims to have access to, the agency required Ridge Breeze to submit land affidavits as part of the permit application process. This came after several landowners came forward to state that their land had been listed on Ridge Breeze’s Nutrient Management Plan without their knowledge or consent.