From WATTAgNet:
Grand Prairie Agriculture proposed plans of a new hog operation to be located near Devils Lake in Pelican Township, North Dakota. The hog operation would raise about 44,000 piglets a year. If the plans are approved, the farm will start with 1,928 sows and potentially grow.
Residents and public health professionals are concerned that the farm may be a health risk to the community. The nitrates and phosphates that come from hog waste could potentially contaminate the approximately 70 percent of Pelican Township that is under water.
Grand Prairie plans for the swine facility include slatted floors that would drain into concrete pits and hold a year’s worth of waste. Once the pits are full the waste will be pumped out and used to fertilize nearby cropland.
Should the proposal be approved, Ramsey County Public Health Administrator Allen McKay wants the farm to have a plan to remove waste and other remnants in case the operation fails so that the county and state aren't left to deal with a costly cleanup.
Proposed hog farm raises concerns near Devils Lake
The permit is for a planned swine farm that would produce about 44,000 piglets per year. The farm, if approved, would start with 1,928 sows. Ramsey County Public Health administrator Allen McKay said hog farms bring concerns over potential contamination of groundwater and the spread of disease from the pigs themselves.
