Department of Health Holds Hearing on Proposed Livestock Operation

 

The North Dakota Department of Health held a public hearing to discuss the proposed permit for a livestock operation earlier this week. The operation, Grand Prairie Agriculture, LLP, will be located 10 miles west and one mile north of Devils Lake, according to Karl Rockeman, director of the water quality division for the North Dakota Department of Health.

According to a fact sheet from the Department of Health, the owner is planning to build two deep pit, confinement barns. Manure and waste water will be captured from slate floor, into deep concrete pits. The application indicates the facility will have a maximum of 420 farrowing sows with litter at an average weight of 420 pounds and 2,079 gestation sows with an average weight of 380 pounds.

The proposed facility is an indoor confinement operation. Any clean water runoff from the land around the barns and from other buildings will be directed away from the site.

Rockeman says that the public hearings brought people from both sides of the spectrum—positive and negative. The purpose of the hearings was to get input on the proposed operation.

Those who couldn’t make it to the meeting, and want to send in comments, have until the end of the day September 28 to do so.

After the comment period closes, the department will determine whether or not to issue a permit for the proposed facility.