LEGAL VICTORY! State regulators must strengthen environmental oversight of Pierce County livestock operation
MEA clients in Pierce County have won a major victory in a three-year fight to protect their community from the impacts of a major expansion at Ridge Breeze Dairy. On August 24, an administrative law judge ruled that a DNR permit allowing the farm to expand its herd to more than 6,000 cows failed to ensure compliance with Wisconsin’s groundwater quality standards.
Protecting Paradise: How residents of the Rush River Valley are taking action to defend the place they love
MEA client Kay Kashian and her husband Phil own Milkhouse Cottage and Gardens, a small rural retreat in Pierce County. Visitors come for the clean water, quiet beauty, and sense of place that defines the Rush River Valley—qualities Kay and Phil have worked hard to preserve and share. Plans for a massive expansion at nearby Ridge Breeze Dairy now put all of that at risk. With representation from MEA, Kay and other local residents are challenging a key permit for the project and demanding that state regulators do more to protect local groundwater and surface water.
MEA Joins Call for Stronger Action on Nitrate Pollution
This week, MEA joined more than 80 organizations nationwide in calling on federal agencies to take stronger action to address nitrate pollution and protect public health. We are urging federal regulators to investigate regulatory failures and respond to growing evidence linking nitrate contamination to serious health risks.
New MEA Toolkit Helps Local Governments Understand Options for Regulating Large Livestock Operations
A new MEA toolkit gives Wisconsin towns a starting point for drafting and enacting ordinances that strengthen local oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
MEA and Milwaukee Riverkeeper Announce Legal Action After DNR Approves Controversial Expansion of West Bend Dairy Farm
MEA initiated legal action after the DNR issued a permit for the expansion of a large dairy farm located in the Town of Trenton in Washington County. DNR approval ignores the farm’s past environmental violations and endangers local groundwater, trout streams and wetlands.
MEA Calls for Increased Oversight of Door County Livestock Operation with History of Environmental Violations
In formal comments submitted to the Department of Natural Resources, MEA outlined serious concerns regarding the agency’s plan to issue a permit for the expansion of Gilbert Farms, a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) near the town of Sevastopol in Door County
Leveling the Playing Field: How Strong Environmental Protections Benefit Family Farms
Recent court victories show that legal action can not only protect our environment—it can help create a system where doing the right thing doesn’t put family farmers at a disadvantage.
Legal Victory! Appeals Court Affirms State’s Role in Safeguarding Water from Agricultural Pollution
Today, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for District II issued a decision affirming the authority of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to require CAFOs to apply for permits under the state’s water pollution permitting program. The decision preserves environmental oversight of Wisconsin’s largest livestock operations.
Pierce County Residents Take Legal Action to Block Factory Farm Expansion
MEA is taking legal action on behalf of a group of local residents who oppose the expansion of Ridge Breeze Dairy. A permit issued by the DNR would allow the facility to nearly quadruple in size and become one of the state’s largest factory farms.
Polk County Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Regulations for Large Livestock Operations
On January 10, a Polk County judge dismissed a legal challenge to a local ordinance that regulates the operation of large livestock operations. The dismissal of the case is a victory for local residents concerned about the environmental and public health impacts of industrial-scale agriculture.