Manitowoc County is seeking public comments on a nutrient management plan.
The county’s Land Conservation Committee is proposing a stop to a five-year Nutrient Management Plan, Manure and Waste Land Application Form.
The document requires signatures from all landowners and renters to verify that adequate land is available for manure and waste application before farm expansions are approved.
Under a current ordinance, farms expanding beyond 750 animals must obtain a license before construction begins.
As part of the process, the Soil and Water Conservation Department must verify that a farm has sufficient land to manage manure.
There are currently differing opinions regarding the need for the form, and the county wants to determine if it’s still effective to use.
County Board Chairman Tyler Martell says the committee voted unanimously to stop requiring large farms to sign the five-year agreement.
He says there is no reason to require it because farms must already submit and maintain Nutrient Management Plans to the Wisconsin DNR.
The committee isn’t looking to repeal the county’s livestock-sighting ordinance; it’s just seeking to end the five-year agreement.
Comments are being accepted until Monday, March 9th.
They can be submitted to Soil and Water Conservation Department Director David Wetenkamp at davidwetenkamp@manitowoccountywi.gov.
The Land Conservation Committee is meeting on March 19th at 4:45 p.m.
