Audubon animal feedlot permit approved by Becker County Board

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – After nearly two hours of testimony, debate and discussion, the Becker County Board of Commissioners approved a conditional-use permit on a 4-1 vote for a feedlot that will house about 2,500 sows.

The property, located on 270th Street, north of Audubon, is owned by William and Karolyn Zurn, who retained legal services after receiving some push back from a neighboring hunting property ownership group. 

During the meeting, the Zurn’s lawyer, Sarah Duffy, spoke on her client’s behalf and said the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulates all aspects of feedlot construction and operation, so, if her clients meet all of the conditional-use permitting stipulations, their permit should be approved by the board.

“As the (board) is aware, the (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) has authority for the feedlot regulation, including: the location, the design, the construction, and operation and management of feedlots,” said Duffy. “There are some counties across the state that have delegated authority from the MPCA and Becker County is not one of them.”

Steven Quam, an attorney representing the hunting property ownership group, told board members the Zurn’s plan lacked detail and would set a dangerous precedent for future permit applications.

“This issue matters,” said Quam. “If you grant a (conditional-use permit) today, based on this record, based on a red rectangle on an ariel map, think about what happens going forward. There’s no obligation for any applicant to provide any detail regarding the use, the facilities that will support the use, or any other aspect of the use, and because you granted it in this case, people will be clamoring to have you grant it in every case that follows.”

Following the comment period, Barry Nelson, chair of the county board, said he couldn’t support the project currently and wanted to table the permit vote until he and the other board members could “digest” the testimony and findings from the county’s zoning department.

Barry Nelson, chair of the Becker County Board of Commissioners, speaks during a regular meeting of the board on May 16, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

He also said he didn’t appreciate some of the rhetoric from some of the speakers during the meeting.

“I feel this is a toe-hold for anti-farming myself,” said Nelson. “I’m very concerned with some of the language that was used today. The disposing of manure is a common, best-management for farming that you can do. There are safeguards you can put it, but knifing in and injecting manure into the soil is as safe as you can get. In my opinion, that’s better than dry fertilizer.”

Becker County had implemented a ban on animal feedlots in 2022, but rescinded the ban for feedlots over 200 animal units in April, which would include the proposed Kurn project.

The board approved the conditional-use permit with Nelson representing the only dissenting vote.