March 29, 2024

Supervisors considering a cattle confinement expansion

A public hearing has been set for the construction of a confinement feeding operation to be located south of Lynnville. The Jasper County Board of Supervisors set July 11 to hear public feedback on the addition of a cattle confinement feeding operations during its Tuesday meeting.

Kevin Van Kooten has filed paperwork to add a new 100 head deep bedded beef cattle confinement building at his existing swine confinement facility located in the Lynn Grove Township near Lynnville. If approved, the operation would expand to 2,024 animal units consisting of 4,810 head of finishing swine and 100 head of beef cattle.

“Once you get past a certain threshold of animal units, you have to do the master matrix, which we as a county decided to do,” Environmental Health Director Kevin Luetters said. “The master matrix allows the counties to have additional setbacks from the state setbacks. It sets them back a little bit farther and puts them in maybe a better location.”

Luetters said between now and July 11 Van Kooten’s application will be available for the public to view. It is at the Jasper County Environmental Health Office, 115 N. Second Ave. E. between the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

“I will meet the owner and the DNR at the site between now and the July 11 and check the master matrix. The DNR has already done their check and I will make sure I like it, too, and if I have any questions,” Luetters said.

In other business:

• Traci Bergfeld was approved for hire as a floater for Elderly Nutrition. Her pay rate is $10.26 per hour with a start date of Wednesday.

• Jerry Ratliff was appointed to the Des Moines Recreation River and Greenbelt Advisory Committee.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com