Gage County Planning Commission forwards swine, anhydrous permit applications
Permits include large swine operation near Pickrell....anhydrous expansion near Filley
By News Channel Nebraska
BEATRICE – The Gage County Planning Commission has advanced a permit application for a major swine operation to the Gage County Board, for consideration.
The commission voted 5-2 to advance the plan sought by Otto Family Farms and Summit Pork LLC..an Iowa-based company. The entities want to place a 6,200 head operation on property between Pickrell and Adams. Otto farms would use manure from the operation constructed by Summit, to inject into fields as fertilizer.
Gage County Zoning Administrator Lisa Wiegand says the commission recommended two conditions on the permit…that the manure be required to be injected….not surface applied…..except in an emergency situation……and to require rows of trees to shield the site.
The planning commission also forwarded an application for expansion of an anhydrous ammonia facility next to a co-op agronomy plant near Filley on a unanimous vote.
Farmers’ Cooperative of Dorchester is seeking to add a third 30,000-gallon anhydrous tank to the two similar-sized tanks located there. The company also wants the option to add another tank in the future….bringing the total to four. The company has been consolidating anhydrous operations in rural areas around the region.
Both permits will come before the Gage County Board, on April 19th. The county supervisors will be considering solar energy regulations recently forwarded by the planning commission…at an April 5th public hearing.