Pork plant worries Iowa residents

About a dozen of them voiced their displeasure at the Marshall County Board of Supervisors last week to prevent the plans by company Iowa Select from becoming reality.

 

Residents say the company is planning to build three separate facilities. The facilities could hold up to 2,400 pigs each, which are technically not large-scale pig confinement operations, according to the state’s parameters.

 

Any confinement of 2,500 or more pigs is subject to additional state regulations.

Apart from smell and environmental issues, another concern mentioned was a lack of responsiveness that residents fear a company could exhibit.

 

“I just want Marshall County to be a good place to live,” said one resident. “And in all honesty, we have good pig farmers in our area. Let them do what they do and keep the corporations out of it.”

 

Another said to be worried about the future air quality. “Daddy, am I going to be sick all winter?,” he said his daughter asked him.

While the supervisors said the sympathised with the residents, they also said there is little they could do. Iowa law provides great freedoms to agricultural operations.

Related website:

• Iowa Select