Wisconsin Ag Connection - Rosendale Dairy Ready for Phase II of Expansion Project

Wisconsin Ag News Headlines

Rosendale Dairy Ready for Phase II of Expansion Project
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 11/12/2009

One of Wisconsin's largest dairy operations has announced its intentions to grow even bigger. Owners of the Rosendale Dairy farm in Fond du Lac County say they are nearly finished with phase I of their project to grow the 700-cow farm to about 4,000. As part of the original plan, the operation was to expand to about 4,000 cows (or 5,750 animal units) by 2010--then double to 8,000 within a few years.

Before taking the next step, Rosedale Dairy must first modify its pollutant discharge permit through the Department of Natural Resource. The agency says it will be holding a public hearing over that request on December 3 at Royal Ridges, located off Highway 23 West. The forum takes place at 5:00 p.m.

As Wisconsin Ag Connection reported about a year ago, many neighboring citizens were fighting the farm's expansion plans. A group calling themselves PEPL, or the People Empowered Protect the Land, tried to sue the Wisconsin DNR for granting the farm a permit in the first place. Many of those same people have vowed the fight to second expansion.

At that same time, Jim Ostrom, one of the farm's partners, said his project is one of the most publicly scrutinized and heavily regulated dairy business in Wisconsin; and said he has completed over 30 permits and other regulatory approvals.

Besides Ostrom, John Vosters and Todd Willer are also partners in the venture. Each of them own other larger dairy facilities.