TOWN OF TRENTON, Wis. — Fifty people gathered for a meeting to discuss concerns about an increase in industrial farms coming to or expanding in Trenton.
Emily Kearns runs a small organic farm in Trenton and she organized the meeting at Lac Lawrann Conservancy in West Bend on Wednesday night.
“It’s just a confusing issue," she said. “The big dairy, the big land, being big and the big corporate. This is all pushed by big companies.”
Kearns said the town board is considering changing certain rules that could lead to new "factory farms" building industrial plants in the area. Kearns and others referred to these establishments as "factory or industrial" farms.
Environment advocacy organization members, a lawyer and a Bayfield alder all gave presentations at the meeting. Their presentations included a myriad of studies and reasons they believe corporate farms could be detrimental to the small community.
Watch: Trenton community worries about possible farm expansions
Others at the meeting expressed concerns about roads they said are already too busy with farm equipment.
“The traffic kind of drives me crazy, but I understand they have to go somewhere with the manure," Steve Miller said. “My concern is my drinking water system and probably the roads.”
He said he came to the meeting to learn more about the environmental impacts of farming. He also said he hopes future farmers or farm expansions follow the rules and that Trenton's elected leaders look out for their constituents health.
“I hope the town board hopes to look into this extensively," Miller said. "To make changes and to protect our property value, groundwater and roads—basically the three things I’m concerned about.”
Next, Kearns plans to attend Town of Trenton's plan commission meeting on at 7 p.m. Monday.
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