The farming industry and environmentalists have been locked in a fierce back-and-forth over the regulation of factory farms, defined as farms with at least 1,000 animal units.
According to the state Department of Natural Resources, 262 such farms are currently permitted to operate in Wisconsin.
The battle came to a head two years ago when the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the DNR can impose conditions on factory farms’ water pollution permits to protect the state’s waters. That decision would still stand if the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and Venture Dairy Cooperative win the Calumet County lawsuit, but it would have little practical effect.
The department also can limit the number of animals on the farm through the permit. Last month, it scaled back S&S Jerseyland Dairy’s request to expand from roughly 5,000 cows to 10,000 cows, allowing the operation to add only about 2,400 animals.
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