Nearly 100 Kewaunee farmers met yesterday to show their unity in their commitment to agriculture, the environment and the broader community. The gathering was held in advance of a public meeting scheduled for later in the day at which the state Department of Natural Resources was to collect comments about the water discharge permits for five large farms in the area. Farmers have come under scrutiny because of water quality issues. Among many special regulations for larger farms is the requirement that they follow nutrient management plans, which detail how much manure to apply and where to apply it as farmers use the organic fertilizer to grow crops to feed their cows. Don Niels, a local dairy farmer, veterinarian, and president of a farmer led environmental stewardship group, stated, “We all recognize that clean, safe water is a community issue, and we all have the same goal.”
