Citizens' committee to evaluate Callaway CAFO ordinance

To make sure the people have a voice in deciding on Callaway County Eastern Commissioner Roger Fischer's proposed health ordinance, commissioners have selected a seven-person committee.

"What my goal was is to get a very good representation of Callaway County," Western Commissioner Randy Kleindienst said.

He and Fischer selected a team that includes two scientists, three farmers, a doctor and a Holts Summit resident. Rick Hess, Holts Summit city administrator, was chosen as the moderator.

Kleindienst said the commissioners received upwards of 40 applications for the committee.

The proposed ordinance affects six townships in Callaway County, including Bourbon, West Fulton, Round Prairie, Guthrie, Cedar (which includes New Bloomfield) and Summit (which includes Holts Summit). It would apply to new CAFOs with a specified density of animals: 1,000 or more animal units at 150 or more per acre.

The ordinance would establish setbacks to keep concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and their waste a certain distance from populated areas, water and recreational facilities. It also introduces a variety of other safety measures to keep diseases from spreading from CAFOs to people. The complete ordinance can be viewed at bit.ly/2qYuK7d.

Kleindienst made it clear this is strictly an advisory committee. "They don't have any authority to set rules," he said.

"County commissions set committees to do their homework and present something for the commission to take under advisement," Presiding Commissioner Gary Jungermann said.

Fischer said the committee might choose to reject his proposed ordinance entirely, though that decision wouldn't be binding for the commissioners.

"They could come up with a whole new ordinance or decide not to have one at all - they have free rein," Fischer said.

Jungermann said there isn't a specific timeline for the committee to come forward with a decision, though he expects it to take less than six months.

The committee consists of Hess as moderator; Kent Wood, the county environmentalist; Ashley Varner, a resident of Holts Summit; Brent Shryock of Shryock Brothers Farms; Kenny Brinker of Brinker Farmers; Tim Safranski, an animal science researcher at the University of Missouri; local physician Robert Pierce; and cattle farmer Jeff Jones.

If committee members aren't able to find a time they can all meet, some might be replaced with new participants, Jungermann said.