St. Johns Township Board has recently given a conditional use permit for a new dairy to Riverview LLP, owner of eight large dairies in Minnesota and South Dakota, which together milk approximately 45,000 cows. The location under consideration is west of Willmar, in west-central Minnesota.

According to a Prairie Business article by Carolyn Lange, plans for the new dairy include up to 8,800 cows, 6,000 of which would be milking cows, and the remaining would be dry cows and heifers getting ready to calf.

"We have cows, and we need a home for them," said Brad Fehr, a partner with Riverview Dairy, according to the Prairie Business article.

The new facility, named Meadow Star Dairy, has been in the making since 2008. But due to the land changing hands and the longevity of the permit process, it is just now being set into motion.

According to Lange's article, developers had obtained a conditional use permit from Kandiyohi County in 2008 and a permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) in 2009.However, the project was reevaluated and put on hold due to the downturn of the dairy industry.

The county permit was renewed in 2010. But a request to change the county ordinance to allow high-density, on-site labor housing – the dairy would be providing jobs for at least 55 people– was denied.

In 2012, Hultgren Farms sold the property toRiverview,along with the MCPA-issued permit from 2008. The permit hasno expiration date and was transferred right along with the property.

With the recent improvement in the dairy market, this project is now being brought back to the forefront.

On Nov. 7, the St. Johns Township Board unanimously approved a permit for Meadow Star Dairy, states an article published by the Associated Press.

Once the permit came through, "several people expressed concerns about the effect that water usage at the dairy would have on area wells," explained thePrairie Businessarticle. Some were also hesitant based on the potentialnegative impact that dairy traffic could have on the roads.

Duane Hultgren of Hultgren Farms, the previous owner of the land for the proposed dairy, is on the township board of supervisors. He reassured concerned parties that Meadow Star would have no negative effects on wells within the proximity, based on data from test wells installed by Riverview.

To meet the concerns about wear on the roads,the township and Riverview have agreed to upgrade the road that will receive the mosttraffic so it is suited for the incoming dairy, according to thePrairie Businessarticle.

So Meadow Star Dairy is officially on its way – again. Construction is expected to begin in the spring, reported AP. PD

—Summarized from cited sources by Progressive Dairyman staff