March 10, 2003 | Issue 10 | Volume 75
Hog Industry Insider, March 10, 2003

BY MICHAEL HOWIE
Feedstuffs Managing Editor

Matrix in place

Iowa's master matrix came into regulatory force March 1
in counties in the state that decided to go along with
the new regulations. The matrix passed its legislative
review without a hitch the week before.

The master matrix is a scoring system that can be used
by counties to rate the siting of proposed livestock
and poultry confinements that need a permit. To pass
the matrix, producers must achieve 440 total points and
choose how to address air quality, water quality and
community impacts when building or expanding their
operations. Producers in counties that file the
resolutions must meet higher standards than other
permitted sites.

Producers can use an electronic form on the DNR website
to calculate their scores. "This electronic tool is
like a recipe that allows you to substitute ingredients
until the producer has the best possible combination
for himself and the county to reduce environmental and
community impacts," said Tammie Krausman, executive
assistant with the Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) environmental services.

The largest number of available points comes from
choosing a site far from neighboring residences,
businesses and waters. Producers can also gain points
by adding structures that reduce pollution, using good
management practices and being a good neighbor.

Although many counties in the state have adopted the
regulations, a few have held out, preferring to wait a
year for the next sign-up period to see how things work
and if they work in the way DNR expects.

The ShelbyCounty board of supervisors, for example,
decided to wait a year because it didn't want to
discourage the development of livestock facilities in
the county. If the matrix ends up being okay to work
with, the county would likely adopt the measure next
year.

Some hog producers view the matrix as just more
regulations, paperwork and hoops to jump through.

©2003 Feedstuffs, Miller Publishing Company.

Laura Krebsbach

Sierra Club Nebraska

Conservation Organizer

941 O Street, Suite 1020

Lincoln NE  68508

402-475-2292

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