The state Department of Agriculture is offering a new tool to help farmers better understand livestock siting requirements.
Local governments across Wisconsin continue to adopt livestock siting standards set by state law nearly three years ago. However, program manager Mike Murray says areas where they apply remain a patchwork across the state. The law is only an option for local governments to adopt, and there are no specific restrictions on how those regulations need to be applied. The laws are intended to help local governments decided whether to approve expansion proposals from large farm operations.
To help those farms and residents around them understand how the law is being applied in their area, state Ag officials have launched a web-based map service .
Statewide, about 50 county and community governments have adopted the standards. The rules help to address water and air quality issues associated with large farming operations.
