By Melissa Dunson

mdunson@joplinglobe.com

GREENFIELD, Mo. — Talk that a large hog farm could be coming to Dade County was enough to get a controversial health ordinance passed by commissioners last week.

Presiding Commissioner Carl Beerly said rumors about a hog farm have been circulating for some time, but two weeks ago he decided to take action after more reports that a corporation may be acquiring options to buy 10,000 to 20,000 acres of land north of Lockwood.

Beerly said last week he did not know the name of the corporation.

Commissioners held a meeting Nov. 12 to discuss the health ordinance, presented it to the health department board on Nov. 15 and held a last-minute meeting at the courthouse Nov. 17 to vote. Commissioners unanimously approved the health ordinance 3-0.

The ordinance is the same as one adopted in Linn County, Mo.

Beerly said he chose that ordinance because it had already stood up in court challenges.

The ordinance requires strict handling of animal waste and establishes setbacks of one-quarter mile to one mile for different sized Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations from other CAFOs and from homes.

“I’ve never felt better about doing anything before in my whole life,” Beerly said of passing the ordinance.

“With these (CAFO) farms, everything leaves, nothing stays in the county. They have their own feed farms and all the property values go down for the surrounding houses.”

Beerly said he hopes the ordinance will discourage large animal farms from moving into Dade County, and even if they come, at least there are regulations in place.

The ordinance went into effect last week.

‘Knee-jerk’

“This is just a knee-jerk reaction to something that might happen,” said Brian Patton, a dairy farmer who lives north of Lockwood.