Farm seeking expansion in Green Valley

Wagner Farms is looking to increase to hold 1,802 animal units
By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

Shawano County residents were in attendance at a public informational meeting on June 9 in the Green Valley Community Center regarding a license request with a proposal of an expansion of Wagner Farms, N6928 County Road BB, between Green Valley and Oconto Falls.

The Wagner family appeared at the meeting to walk through the proposal of the expansion with Shawano County conversationist Scott Frank. The proposal of the expansion of the farm centered on increasing their animal units to 1,802. An animal unit is a measurement of how an animal influences a farm through food and waste. A larger animal, like a fully grown cow, usually has an animal unit larger than one.

Frank said that the meeting was held in order to receive information from the Wagner family on the proposed expansion as well as hear input from the public on their thoughts regarding the expansion. Frank added that the community could submit questions and concerns to the county land conservation office up to June 21. He also said that the land conservation department can take up to 90 days to review the application, where they can grant or deny it. That runs through Aug. 23.

“At this point we do not anticipate a lengthy time period to grant or deny the application,” said Frank.

Shawn Wagner, co-owner of Wagner Farms, said that the most important part of the project was the proposed expansion of the heifer barn.

“Our heifers are currently being raised out of state in Oshkosh, Nebraska,” said Wagner. “At this point, we have chosen to have these animals come home for health reasons.”

He added that Wagner farms has had trouble with health conditions regarding their animals after sending them out of state.

“Over the years, we have seen these animals leave with our expectations of their health,” said Wagner. “They end up coming back in not such good condition — not meeting our expectations.”

All of the heifers will be housed in the barn that is proposed to be built. Along with the barn, Wagner said that a feed storage bunker will be next to the proposed barn.

Due to Wagner Farms updating to new codes and standards, water running off of the feed pad has to be collected, rather than before, where it was rerouted. A new leachate collection area will be added for that water runoff.

“We have to have a certain amount of days of storage per animal unit on the farm,” said Wagner. “So that will also help with this project.”

After a question from Wagner’s neighbor, Mike Streug, regarding increasing the number of cows milked, Wagner said that the milking number will not increase.

“At this point right now, it is just heifers. There are no milking cows being added,” said Wagner.

An eight-foot manhole will be next to the collection tank in order to regulate the collection. Two automatic pumps are also proposed to be added to handle the runoff collection.

In an event of a power outage on the farm, Wagner said that there is a generator that will automatically kick on and provide power to everywhere on farm.

“It is good to know that you have backup power for pretty much anything if it does go out, to keep it functioning like it is supposed to,” said Frank.

Frank said that there was an environmental incident response in place, as well as a list of people to contact if such an incident were to occur.

“It is not if it happens, its when,” said Frank. “We have been witness to enough of them over the years that things are beyond our control at times and you have to have a good way to address them.”

After June 21, when all public comments are taken into consideration, the land conservation department will go through the process of making the decision to approve or deny the application. Wagner hopes that if everything moves forward with the proposal, an expansion will be finished by the start of fall.

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com