Most people know Rosendale as a village speed trap along Highway 26 near Oshkosh.

But it soon might be known for the proposed Rosendale Dairy, potentially the largest dairy farm in the state, with 8,000 dairy cows and 300 beef steers.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is considering a pollutant discharge permit application by James Ostrom of Kaukauna, whose company MilkSource currently owns and operates two other large dairy operations — a 7,000-cow farm in Outagamie County and a 2,500-cow facility in Winnebago County.

The current proposal covers phase one of the project, which would contain 4,000 dairy cows. A second phase would be considered by the DNR at a later time.

The DNR has completed an environmental analysis but hasn’t decided whether the “confined animal feeding operation” — more commonly known as a factory farm — requires a full environmental impact statement.

Opponents, including residents of the Rosendale area and Midwest Environmental Advocates in Madison, say there should be no question that an operation that would produce 75 million gallons of manure and wastewater per year requires a thorough analysis.

“This would be in effect the third largest ‘city’ in Wisconsin in terms of biological waste production, after Milwaukee and Madison,” said Jamie Saul, an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates.

Under state law, owners can populate a farm with up to 999 “animal units” — 700 dairy cows — without a DNR permit, Saul said, saying land has been cleared, concrete has been poured and construction has been started.

“The quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink is jeopardized by this new factory farm,” said Elaine Swanson, who lives in nearby Pickett and is a member of People Empowered to Protect the Land.

The huge dairy operation would be located in Fond du Lac County, which already has seven large dairies with at least 1,000 cows, said Liz Spaeth-Werner, an agricultural environmental specialist for the DNR in the northeast region of the state.

According to Todd Ambs of the DNR, there are 178 of these industrial-type farms in the state. By far the largest number, 150, are dairy operations. There also are 11 poultry, nine swine and eight beef operations.

 Ambs said that Rosendale would be the largest dairy in the state, though a existing turkey facility has more total animals.

Full Story: http://www.madison.com/tct/news/312091