On January 10, a Polk County judge dismissed a legal challenge to a local ordinance that regulates the operation of large livestock operations known are confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce filed the lawsuit against the Town of Eureka in 2023. Judge Angeline Winton dismissed the case, declaring that the plaintiffs lacked standing because they hadn’t been directly affected by the ordinance.
The dismissal of the case is a victory for local residents like Lisa Doerr of Laketown. “This industry wants free rein to operate outside of any laws,” she said after the case was thrown out. “We owe many thanks to local leaders in Eureka and around Wisconsin who are willing to protect us.”
Meanwhile, efforts to develop local CAFO regulations continue to gain momentum, particularly in northwest Wisconsin. So far, three northern Wisconsin counties and eight towns have passed ordinances to regulate CAFO operations, including an ordinance enacted by the Pierce County town of Maiden Rock in December.
