Tri-Oak Foods is expanding its operations, with plans to build three new hog confinement plants in Muscatine County, two in Conesville, IA and one in Nichols, IA.
It isn't the first time farmland has been up for grabs when big companies come in. For at least seven years, East Moline has been fighting over whether to let Triumph Foods build a pork processing plant. Last week, Walcott trying to keep an ammonia plant off 381 acres of farmland, a plant that would invest 1.3 billion dollars into the community.
The Tri-oak expansion in Nichols and Conesville brings the promise of growth and jobs, but at what cost? Neighbors of the proposed sites say the price is too high.
"The traffic and the semis coming through with loads of animals going in and out," Jim Harney says of what he and his neighbors will have to look forward to if Tri-Oak Foods builds a 14, 700 square foot hog confinement facility on nearby land.
Jack Salemink and his family have lived on the land for five generations and they don't want to move, but they also don't want to deal with this.
"We're here 24 hours a day, year round," Salemink says, "In the summertime, any kind of an east wind, I think we're going to be pretty uncomfortable."
His daughter Renetta Burlage lives across the street; she says her bedroom window will look right at the new building, but she also has health concerns for her family and their crops.
"We're talking antibiotics that have gone through the hogs, additives, chemicals, it's going to go somewhere, and I don't know if corn plants can utilize that each year."
Neighbors are also concerned with the levels of chemicals the new operation might seep into their ground and drinking water.
Neighbors tell us they're concerned because of what's happened in the past. Back in 1997, two unrelated agri-service and crop mate companies in Nichols were cited by the EPA and DNR for causing high levels of nitrates and pesticides in the town's drinking water.
TV6 obtained DNR documents that list nitrate levels as high as 500, the safety standard is 10. Nitrates in water can cause blue-baby syndrome in newborns.
Levels of pesticides were as high as 90, the safety limit is 2. The pesticide found in that water can cause eye, liver, kidney, and spleen problems, as well as increase the risk of cancer and anemia according to the EPA.
Those companies are now working with the DNR to get the levels lower.
"If you don't live right beside it, you don't know what it's doing to your environment," Burlage says.
TV6 contacted Tri-Oak Foods, they tell us they're working to meet DNR standards so that doesn't happen. They tell us the project will bring construction jobs and $400,000 worth of investment to the area, and they're working to be good neighbors by meeting with those concerned.
For some, it's still not enough.
"It seems like we've lost control of our land, people have taken it over," Harney says.
TV6 contacted Muscatine county's zoning board today, they tell us as long as Tri-Oak Foods meets DNR standards, they have to issue them the permits they need.
Neighbors are still trying to fight this. The group has contacted the Iowa Citizens For Community Improvement for help, they're hosting a public meeting next Monday, July 23rd at 7PM at Nichols City Hall.
Reps with Tri-Oak Foods say anyone who has questions or concerns with the project are welcome to call them at (319) 766-4411.
