Red carpet for Hog Factories
With little ado on April 18, 2023, Laketown’s new supervisors ended all protections against hog factories for residents’ health and property values.
Laketown residents have been protected by a moratorium and an ordinance since 2019 when Iowa developers began efforts to build huge factories in Laketown and raise hogs for China.
At a meeting that wasn’t announced until 7:00 pm April 17, two new supervisors took their seats about 7:30 on April 18.
Within minutes they rescinded Laketown’s livestock ordinance.
The red carpet is now laid for factory developers desperate to get out of Iowa and Minnesota where viruses are wiping out herds.
One of the new supervisors, Ron Peterson, already had three resolutions drawn up which they passed after very little discussion:
- Rescind Laketown’s Livestock Operations Ordinance 22-01.
- Withdraw support for the Town of Eureka’s motion to intervene in a lawsuit against Laketown by the Wisconsin Manufactures & Commerce (WMC) along with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
- Dismiss Bassford Remelee and Frederickson as attorneys.
Industry bulldog Kim Bremmer was there from Venture Dairy. In obvious coordination with the new supervisors, Bremmer demanded that they review recent legal documents in an open instead of closed meeting. It was difficult to tell exactly what the legal documents said. Copies were not given to the public.
As far as we could tell there was a letter from the WMC asking supervisors to continue supporting Eureka’s intervention so the lawsuit could continue. However, we’re not sure that is totally accurate.
It appears that WMC will have to start all over and sue one of the other four towns that have passed an ordinance. That includes Bone Lake, Eureka and Luck in Polk County along with Trade Lake in Burnett County. We stand proud with the hundreds of people in all five towns who have stepped up to protect our health and property values!
