Des Moines, Iowa — According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 88 of Iowa’s 99 counties have notified the DNR that they plan to evaluate construction permit applications and proposed locations for animal confinements by using the master matrix. But one county in our area and one nearby have opted out.
With 11 exceptions, all counties will use the matrix during the next 12 months. Osceola and Plymouth counties, as well as Davis, Decatur, Des Moines, Keokuk, Lee, Mahaska, Wapello, Warren and Washington counties will not use the matrix in 2017.
DNR spokesman Gene Tinker explains the situation.
He says for that, a master matrix was created.
Tinker says the master matrix applies to producers who must get a construction permit to build, expand or modify a totally roofed facility. Generally, these are confinement feeding operations with more than 2,500 finishing hogs, 1,000 beef cattle or 715 mature dairy cows.
Tinker says some counties’ boards of supervisors who opt out of the master matrix plan feel it’s not needed in their area, or they trust that their producers are going to do the right thing and don’t feel they need to put them under additional scrutiny. He says others want to make the final decision at the local level.
Participating counties score each master matrix submitted in their county and can recommend to approve or deny the construction permit. They can also join in DNR visits to a proposed confinement site.
Find more information, including a map of participating counties by searching for Master Matrix at www.iowadnr.gov/afo.
