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Local News

Friday, October 30, 2009

Large hog farm proposed
Hancock Federal Credit Union
By LINSEY MAUGHAN

STAFF WRITER

Hancock County farmer Cecil Boes has again submitted a permit application to operate a large hog farm in Cass Township, northeast of Findlay.

An earlier effort by Boes to open a hog farm met strong local opposition in 2007.

In a letter to the Hancock County commissioners dated Oct. 7, Boes stated his intention of operating a hog farm to house 3,675 animals weighing more than 55 pounds, and 400 animals less than 55 pounds.

The request represents a decrease in size from the 7,500-hog operation he proposed in 2007.

Boes' previous plans drew a lot of attention from Cass Township and Findlay residents who had concerns about environmental, health, and property value issues. When residents brought in experts to address issues related to large-scale hog farms in April 2007, several hundred people attended.

In his 2009 permit application, Boes wrote that his proposed farm "will not be a Major Concentrated Animal Feeding Facility."

According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Web site, Boes' farm would meet the state definition of a "Large Concentrated Animal Feeding Facility" because he intends to house more than 2,500 swine weighing more than 55 pounds each.

In contrast, a "Major Concentrated Animal Feeding Facility" must have "a total design capacity of more than 10 times the number of animals specified in the large category," the Web site says.

Boes' plans had both detractors and supporters in 2007.

The speakers at the public meeting in 2007 included Karen Hudson, a consultant for The Grace Family Farm Project, an Illinois-based organization dedicated to opposing factory farms, and John W. Sproat, a Columbus attorney who helped arrange a settlement for neighbors of the massive Buckeye Egg Farm in Ohio.

The two cited numerous potential risks created by such large operations, including viruses in humans caused by antibiotics given to animals; adverse respiratory, nervous system and mental health effects in humans caused by ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gases emitted by large stores of manure; property values near large-scale farms decreasing by up to 90 percent; and manure, which contains bacteria like E. coli, potentially leaking into the water table.

Also at the 2007 meeting, Steve Miller, a Bucyrus farmer who was in business with Hoard Livestock, (the company Boes had planned to contract with for the hogs), said he understood that people had questions, and said there had been mistakes made in operating large hog arms, but added that he was disappointed Sproat and Hudson only portrayed large livestock farms in a negative light.

Miller said he had two "barns" with 1,100 hogs each, and assured people that Hoard insisted on its contractors running safe and clean operations.

"I'm probably not the smartest person in the room, but my mind isn't numb from raising hogs, and I don't have respiratory problems either," Miller said.

Maughan: 419-422-8417,

Send an e-mail to Linsey Maughan


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30 Comments (3 pages)

Latest comments listed first.
ONLINE EDITOR wrote:
User Agreement
“ Comments must relate to the story to which they are posted.

Off-topic comments have been removed and rejected. ”
Wednesday, November 04, 2009 9:12:29 AM
Doug wrote:
What amendment would that be big john?
“ Please tell me "what amendment" that would be they had changed big john. I for one would like to read that for myself.

p.s.
To Wondering...
I eat meat nearly on a daily basis! ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 2:56:53 PM
Jon Adams wrote:
Wondering, settle your affairs.
“ wondering: >> "....bet my life on it that if we stop all of the meat that is coming over here from other countries the contamination of our meat would be almost unheard of..."<< - - - - - - The US is the "advanced" country with lax standards.
”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 12:18:49 PM
wondering wrote:
ignorance
“ Doug, i would be willing to bet my life on it that if we stop all of the meat that is coming over here from other countries the contamination of our meat would be almost unheard of, im really starting to sense that u dont eat much meat at all and u are very picking. Finally this county is starting to wake up know what issue 2 will do to this county and the state of ohio if it goes down in defeat!!! ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:47:23 AM
Jon Adams wrote:
What does "Limited Liability" mean?
“ Tired:>> ".. If you get sick from eating undercooked meat I find it difficult to feel sorry for you ..."<< - - - - - I pointed out that there is a multi-state recall of certain ground beef products. If you read the news these days you will notice that a lot of recalls cover large parts of the country. That is because agriculture is rapidly becoming collectivized and industrialized. Now "tired" is implying that the beef producers are no longer responsible for providing an untainted product. ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:28:49 AM
big john wrote:
the facts
“ Doug, There is already billboards in California which was put up by the HSUS which says that now that they got the admendment changed now it is time to go vegitarian. So what does that tell u!!! It was all over the news and i have seen it my self!!!!! ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 10:31:48 AM
Doug wrote:
Ignorance of the facts!
“ To Wondering... maybe if you took the time to actually research "FACTS" you wouldn't be "Wondering" anymore. Does it really matter where it started? I don't think so!

I challenge you to read the HSUS web site and to read "Credible" reports (not form FOX News)on the Human Society of the United States. You will not find that they are promoting Vegetarianism. That is simple a fact you refuse to see. Kind of like ole Rush Limbaugh last week when he ranted about a "supposedly" college paper the President had wrote back in the days, yet when confronted on air that it was a phony, good ole Rush, decided he would just pass it on as "well he (the President" thinks this way because I (as in Rush) think he does. Yet, if you ask Rush, he will tell you he is not reporting news, he is nothing more than an "entertainer" using his "Freedom of Speech" to quantify his ideals!!!!!

THE STATE CONSTITUTION is what needs not be screwed around with!

P.S. The Ohio Revised Code protects cats and dogs as well as other animals at this point, and I don't see a need to change that. If it isn't broke don't fix it!!!! ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 9:12:48 AM
Tired wrote:
Support Agriculture, Yes on 2
“ I can't believe what I am reading. Is no one responsible for their own actions? If you get sick from eating undercooked meat I find it difficult to feel sorry for you. Last I checked it wasn't too difficult to determine if you are eating undercooked meat. To blame agriculture or the livestock industry for Americans being overweight is just plain crazy,this is a free country (although that is heading off track)and there was no gestapo with guns forcing people to eat too much, which by the way if you want to eat too much that is your choice, but don't tell me how much or what to eat. I have nothing against vegetarians until they open their salad shooting mouth and try to push their diets onto everyone else. Finally to the person who supports free range chickens: visit a farm of both classifications, I would be willing to guess the free range chickens are standing or maybe walking in their own poo. At least the farms I visited with chickens in cages, the cages were elevated so the poo would fall well below the chicken, so technically they are not standing in there own poo. But then again I try to use common sense and experiences to make decisions not fear mongering or hearsay. Vote Yes on 2! ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 7:09:11 AM
Jon Adams wrote:
You should read more
“ Wondering?>> "... I have never heard of anybody getting sick of uncooked meat but I do recall a radio show that stated that a whole bunch of people got sick over bad lettuce!..."<<< - - - - - - - There is a ground meat recall going on right now. It happens all the time. Just because you don't read or hear about them doesn't make them go away. Corporate farming is collectivizing the meat business. And that is leading to new problems.
- - - - - Farming is increasingly becoming a corporate operation. ”
Monday, November 02, 2009 8:02:31 PM
wondering wrote:
mad cow
“ Doug, No i dont remeber much about studying mad cow in elementary school. how many actual cases of mad cow actually has started in the United States, not many if any at all. This comes in from other countries and that is how it gets here to the us with imports! after the HSUS gets What they want we will have more of that once all of our meat supply comes from other countries! The HSUS goal is for everybody to be vegitarians. Now i dont know about u but i am dont going to be a vegitarian and im really not sure about eating meat from other countries but it could be better than becoming a vegatarian! Eventually the HSUS will affect everybody right now to if u have cats and dogs! This is nothing to screw around with it is serious! How are u going to vote then when HSUS will have there admentment in the ballot nest year? It better be a no vote if u dont think it should change!! ”
Monday, November 02, 2009 4:24:53 PM
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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.