Central Wisconsin Fetes Legal Victory over Factory Farm by Talking Tourism and Recreation

Huge sand deposits in region guarantee environmental and health
catastrophes if millions of gallons of liquid and aerial
cow manure are to be dumped into the environment.
(Mal Contends)

"I cried when I got the news," said Nancy Koch of Saratoga, Wisconsin reached this morning by phone.

Ms. Koch referred to news of a legal victory over a proposed massive factory farm in central Wisconsin that would devastate an entire region, (Golden Sands Dairy LLC v. Town of Saratoga, (Wisconsin Court System)), (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune), (Mal Contends), (WSAW-TV).

It was a far cry from July 2012 when the Wysocki outfit sprung its plans for the proposed factory, (or CAFO for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation), that would become a hazardous-waste vectoring operation predictably polluting area groundwater, drinking waters, and surface waters, with millions of gallons of liquidized cow manure, among other detrimental health and economic effects, (Mal Contends), (John Ikerd).

At the July 2012 meeting, the local State Rep. Scott Krug, (R-Nekoosa, Wisconsin) and CAFO supporter, told Koch: "Quit your bitching," so Koch and fellow clean water supporters knew they were up against corporate money and political lackeys not connected to the future of the region.

James Wysocki of the Wysocki Family of Companies corporation thinks he can make more money in the glutted milk market so the costs that residents and communities would pay is acceptable to Wysocki who lives safely away from the proposed "Golden Sands Dairy, (LLC)," sited in the town of Saratoga located in the central sands region of Wisconsin.

Wysocki's inflicting costs onto society without consent is called a negative externality. Most folks in central Wisconsin think it's the work of a sociopath.

Notes Joshua Yelle, a research fellow in agricultural economics:

There are seven sources of negative impacts on human beings that can directly be correlated to the CAFO industry. They are as follows: Air contamination, water contamination, pathogens, insect vectors, obesity, resistant antibiotics and negative financial and mental externalities. 

Wysocki's purposes and lack of conscience in these matters offer a portrait of a societal nemesis.

Wysocki can still appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court but folks in central Wisconsin say they haven't felt this way in a long time.

Writes Criste Greening in one of a flurry of communications on social and local media by area residents the last 24 hours:

Thank you to all our town residents, town board, and the legal team who have stood along side us in this fight and who will continue to stand with us if Wysocki should decide to appeal to the WI Supreme Court. It has been 5 years of sacrificing time away from family, money from our bank accounts, and countless hours of sleep. Today we can celebrate a victory and a huge amount of stress lifted from our shoulders. And tomorrow we will begin the wait.

Wysocki has 30 days to appeal the decision so this fight is not over and if he chooses to appeal we will battle him all the way to the Supreme Court with just as much fire and determination as we have demonstrated these past 5 years. Wysocki's greed and contamination is not welcome in Saratoga.

What's the next step among residents and communities?

These families fighting Wysocki are so intimately tied to their communities that several reminded this writer in phone calls of their fight in promoting tourism and recreation in the coming warm months:

From Don Ystad of Adams County Wisconsin who has been promoting tourism and recreation for years:

Take a step back from the politics of this situation and ask yourself, 'what is best for the state of Wisconsin?  Another CAFO sited, or the preservation and growth of an existing, vibrant area, poised to be the 'golf mecca of the Midwest?' 

Think existing class A trout streams, existing lakes surrounded by 5,400 properties, two existing golf courses at Lake Arrowhead, the new Wisconsin Trapshooters Home facility, Dyracuse recreational area, TriNorse ski jump, and the new Sand Valley Golf Club just begun, all within a few miles of the proposed CAFO.  Weigh that against the proposed CAFO with it's 49 high-cap wells and manure enough to fill Lambeau field up to the cheap seats four times over.

Longtime families dating to the 19th century are still talking biking trails, hiking rails, recreational areas, connecting with existing attractions.

Even as a danger like Wysocki lurks, those caring about their communities plan. As one family contemplates:

POSSIBLE  OPTIONS for WOOD COUNTY and ADAMS COUNTY  RECREATION
AREA  GROWTH and REVENUE

We begin with encouraging the growth of existing recreation areas such as the new World Class Golf Course in Rome area and the Trap Shooting Facility in Adams County and the Tri City Ski Jump on East County O in Adams County.  There may be other sports facilities that can be added to this list.

Furthermore, there is a yearly Water Skiing Tournament held on Lake Wazeecha, just East of Wisconsin Rapids.  That event draws 5,000 people. Also, there is an annual Cross Country Running Event held at the Wisconsin Rapids Ridges Golf Course. That event draws 9,000 people. The Recreation Event Base already exists and could be expanded and be very profitable in increased sales for the business community and added sales tax revenue for Wood County.

The business expansion could be accomplished by developing a major Multi-Sport Recreation Area in Saratoga Township in Sections 19, 20, 29 and 30,  just to the West of Route 13. This would be another major step in  developing the Business Corridor between Wisconsin Rapids, Rome, Adams-Friendship and the Wisconsin Dells.  This new Rec Area would be about 2,000 contiguous acres that could be set up to provide a Central Wisconsin location for State High School Tournaments for various sports and other activities enjoyed in the two Counties. ...

There are many people and businesses that believe the Central Wisconsin Area is ideal for sports activities that draw from all areas of the State. Road access is good and many lodging facilities and restaurants are available.  Also, Wisconsin Rapids has enlarged its airport to facilitate access to the new Sand Valley Golf Course being developed by Mike Keiser just South of Rome.  This same airport could be used for access to other sports at the new 2,000 acre Recreation Park.

Not many years ago, some businessmen with vision developed the Wisconsin Dells and Door County and attracted many vacation people from Illinois.  That kind of vision is needed again for the Wisconsin Rapids and Rome area.