Health officials propose ordinance on CAFO

MISSOURI — The Marion County Health Department is proposing a health ordinance to monitor large confined animal operations (CAFOs), but it won't have the backing of Marion County Commissioners.

Health Department officials believe they can enact the ordinance without commission approval, but commissioners and some county officials disagree.

The ordinance, written by environmental health specialist Rex Pflantz, is geared to reduce odor and the volatile organic components and chemicals that go with it. It calls for:

Increasing setback requirements from residential areas.

Requiring a wind wall be placed in front of exhaust fans for plume disbursement. This would move the exhaust plume from the barn higher up into the atmosphere away from residences.

A vegetative shelter belt, such as trees, which would help block and absorb the volatile organic compounds.

Covering manure and liquid waste with soil once they are applied to land.

The proposed ordinance is limited to swine and poultry operations that have in excess of 1,000 head of swine or 40,000 broiler chickens. It also focuses solely on the air quality concerns.

The state doesn't check air quality until an operation has more than 17,500 head of swine. Inspections for air quality are complaint driven.

The state already has a mechanism to address water quality concerns for operations with more than 2,500 head of swine. In the largest operations, quarterly inspections are done.

Health Department officials will present a draft ordinance to the Health Department board at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at department offices in Hannibal. The meeting is open to the public.

Source: The Quincy Herald-Whig