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Even in Kansas cattle country, locals are opposing a mega feedlot

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Guest Columnist
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credit -NDSU Ag
The cattle feedlots on the western side of Kansas produce a significant amount of the beef in your grocery store. But a small town in the region is now opposing a feedlot because of health and environmental concerns.

PAWNEE COUNTY, Kansas — The western side of Kansas is a great place to produce beef.

It has wide open spaces that seem to go on forever and low humidity. The region has embraced its beef culture and is now home to 75% of the state’s feedlots. These facilities are where cattle are sent to be fed a high-energy diet to gain weight before being sent to a beef packing plant.

Outside of small towns these feedlots look like miles of fences with cattle standing end to end. But some people have started to be wary of these expansive developments.

“It’s good to live in beef country, as long as it ain’t too close. They’re able to stir up enough dust and stink,” Merrill Cauble said.

Cauble is a farmer who lives near the town of Larned in Pawnee County. He has been skeptical of the increase of feedlots near where he lives.

Pushing back against the norm

The company Innovative Livestock Solutions has feedlots across central Kansas and Nebraska. There are three in Pawnee County with a combined capacity of 72,000 cattle.

They are looking to expand and proposed a new facility that can hold 88,000 cattle. That’s a lot of livestock for a county with only about 6,000 people. It would be one of the biggest feedlots in Kansas.

This map shows where the feedlots in Kansas are condensed, with most of them in the southwest.

All those animals are estimated to produce over 5 million pounds of manure every day. Beef cattle eat high protein diets, which can produce nitrogen heavy manure. That poses a risk if it gets into waterways or seeps into the aquifer underground where people get their drinking water.

“It’s not going to do the community any good whatsoever, and that’s why we decided to push back,” Cauble said.

After the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reviewed the feedlot’s plans, the agency held a public hearing in Larned to see what the town had to say about it.

Cauble teamed up with the Kansas Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. The duo along with those critical of another huge feedlot were vocal about their concerns to KDHE.

“These feed yards have been polluting our waters for years, and their recommendations haven’t improved the problem to the extent to where we have safe nitrate levels,” Cauble said.

They gained quite the following of locals questioning the safety of another large feedlot near the community.

Something in the water

Pawnee County and other central Kansas counties already have an established history of high nitrate levels in their groundwater.

The soil in this region is very sandy, so things can easily leak through. The community also sits above the Ogallala aquifer. Towns like Larned rely almost exclusively on the aquifer for drinking water.

Late last year, student researchers from three Kansas colleges found that nitrate levels in private wells in south-central Kansas are as much as five times higher than Environmental Protection Agency limits for healthy drinking water, which is 10 milligrams per liter.

High nitrate levels in water can cause “blue baby syndrome” where children under six months have their blood deprived of oxygen. There are also some studies that link high nitrate levels with increased risk of some colon and kidney cancers.

The researchers say the pollution is likely due to fertilizer leaking into the groundwater. But some Larned residents believe that fresh feedlot manure is contributing to that as well, but it’s not clear if that has been proven.

According to the EPA, Kansas ranks second in the nation in estimated area with higher levels of nitrates in drinking water than permissible.

The EPA estimates that 5% of Kansans have private, unregulated water wells.

Kansas State University student Chase Glasscock said most of those Kansans are farmers who keep the economy going, and neglecting their needs could hurt the state.

“If we’re not taking care of them, then we’re not taking care of ourselves,” Glasscock said when presenting his data to the public in November.

Response from the health department and company

KDHE said in an email that the reason the ILS feedlot was approved was because it met all the statutory and regulatory requirements. But the agency did acknowledge the elevated risk the region has due to its soil composition.

To try and address the community’s concerns, KDHE provided stricter guidelines than the minimum to control pollution. That includes seepage requirements for the manure lagoon and protections for groundwater much greater than required by state law.

“We are committed to our role in protecting the environment but also acknowledge that owners of feeding facilities have rights that have been set in law. We are only able to enforce requirements that we have jurisdiction over,” KDHE spokesperson Mitchell Osterlund said.

ILS also expressed an interest to go above and beyond and adhere to more stringent standards tailored to this unique situation.

ILS sent Jon Skelton, their chief financial officer, to the meeting to calm the waters.

Skelton told the attendees that a significant number of ILS shareholders live locally within or near the county.

ILS didn’t respond to a request for comment.

There have been proponents of the feedlot who have been surprised by the negative backlash. A few spoke at the public hearing and have been trying to make the case that this feedlot will create economic opportunities.

It’s estimated that the feedlot will create 70 jobs for the town, but also could provide a strong market for nearby farmers and agribusinesses.

Pawnee County has been steadily losing its population for decades. Some here are eager for new business and development.

In a press release, ILS estimated it will contribute approximately $50 million in added valuation to Pawnee County’s tax base.

With the permit approved, construction is planned to start later this year, with the facility operating by 2027

Where to go from here

Felix Revello is a chapter delegate for the Kansas Sierra Club near Larned. He has been leading the charge in opposition to the feedlot.

“We want the permit to operate the proposed feedlot withheld until after any water and air pollution from existing feedlots is researched and remediated,” Revello said.

Revello and Cauble spent their time at a local festival handing out a petition to appeal KDHE’s approval of the feedlot’s permit. With over 50 signatures and a lot of firsthand stories about health and environmental concerns with a feedlot of this magnitude, Revello delivered the information to Gov. Laura Kelly’s office.

“Urban areas would not tolerate this level of health risk and pollution,” Revello said. “Why do we constantly ask our rural residents to?”

Calen Moore covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can email him at cmoore@hppr.org.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.

Adopt wild horse at Svaty Ranch wild horse pasture in Ellsworth

By
Guest Columnist
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ELLSWORTH – The Bureau of Land Management will offer the public an opportunity to adopt a wild horse at an adoption event held at the Svaty Ranch Public Off-Range Pasture on Saturday, June 21.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will feature 12 yearling and 2-year-old wild horses available for adoption. Pictures and more information about the wild horses available for adoption can be found on Facebook. The Svaty Ranch Public Off-Range Pasture is located at 1016 Avenue J, Ellsworth.

BLM staff will be onsite to assist with and approve applications. To qualify to adopt, applicants must be at least 18 years old, with no record of animal abuse. Qualified homes must have a minimum of four hundred square feet of corral space per animal, with access to food, water, and shelter. A six-foot corral fence is required for adult horses; five-feet for yearlings; and four-and-a-half feet for burros. All animals must be loaded in covered, stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors.

Find more information about the BLM’s Adoption and Sales programs.

Bureau of Land Management

By
Dawn Phelps
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I recently listened to a brief video by a father who helps tuck his two young daughters in bed each night.  He talked about how, when he tucks them in bed, he likes to ask them, “What was the best part of your day?” He wants to remind them to be thankful for the good things in their lives.  

 

The dad told the story of a Sunday when their family had attended church in the morning.  Afterwards the mom prepared a delicious lunch which included dessert.  During the afternoon, the family watched a movie and played video games together.  The dad described it as an overall enjoyable day.  

 

So, that evening, when he was telling his daughters goodnight, he asked one of girls about “the best part of the day,” and she immediately replied, “lunch!”

 

When he asked her, “why,” she replied that it was because they had “all talked together.”

 

Then he asked his other daughter the same question.  “What was the best part of your day,” and she also replied, “lunch!”  When he asked her “why?” she replied, “because we all sat around the table and laughed and told stories!”  

 

Perhaps the dad expected the daughters to mention the delicious dessert their mom had made or the movie they had watched.  But instead, the highlight of the day was sitting around the table after lunch, talking, laughing, and telling stories!

 

That father’s story reminded me of my own childhood memories of eating and talking around a big table in years past where I grew up in Tennessee.  There were 10 of us—my parents, seven kids, and my grandmother.

 

We had hot homemade biscuits in the morning and cornbread at noon and for supper.  And we also laughed and had many conversations around our old table.  

 

Our daddy was a preacher and took the scripture about not too much “foolish talking and jesting” seriously, so we seldom let our “foolishness” get out of hand.  But we still had fun talking and telling stories—special time which made special memories.  

 

After I grew up and married, I bought a sturdy old table with six leaves.  We could seat 18 people comfortably around it and “squeeze” in a few more.  On many occasions, our family, extended family, and friends filled that table plus another table in the kitchen!  Those fun times and conversations are now priceless memories.  

 

One of Tom and my favorite “table” memories was when Devin, one of Tom’s grandsons, was ten years old.  We all sat around my big table after a Thanksgiving meal and told stories and laughed.  Devin listened attentively, soaking up the stories!  After a bit, Devin piped up with, “We need to have more family times like this!”

 

My daughter Misty told me another “table” memory.  It happened when she, her husband Bryan, and their family were moving from one house to another.  They worked all day moving their belongings and had moved the beds into the new house so they could sleep there that night.  By then, it was almost midnight, so they decided to finish moving the next day.  

 

At that time, their oldest child Samuel was about four years old.  Sam went to his parents very distressed and was ready to cry.  He pleadingly asked his parents, “But how can we eat without a table?”  So, his dad made another trip and brought the table and chairs to their new home so they could eat together the next morning.

 

Sometimes we do not know how valuable taking time to talk and share stories may be for younger family members.  Or we may not realize that our presence and time spent around a table (or even without a table) may be a gift to others!  

 

So, dads, moms, and others in the lives of the younger one, those little ones are watching you.  Your example is important!  So, don’t underestimate the importance of the love and time you invest in the next generation.

 

Talking, laughing, and storytelling around a table can leave lasting impressions and memories.  But like Sam said, “How can we eat (and talk) without a table?”

 

Wishing a late happy Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to those reading this!

 

jdawn@tootlevillepublishing.com

Bad Dog

By
Lee Pitts
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lee pitts

Well, the greenies really stepped in it this time. And it wasn’t a cow pie they stepped in either, but doggie doo. It’s one thing to claim that cows are terrible because their burps and farts are supposedly causing hurricanes and drouths. After all, cows are only raised by .01% of our population so they are easy to pick on without any backlash. But dogs are another story. In articles that were carried in the liberal Guardian, Mother Jones, and the journal Pacific Conservation Biology, man’s best friend was referred to as an “environmental villain”.

With at least one dog in one third of American homes it makes no sense to tug on dog’s environmental leash, especially when a national poll found that only 4% of the American public disliked dogs. So to suggest that dogs are wreaking havoc on the environment should make Americans reconsider all the bad things the greenies have been saying about cows. After all, it’s hard to picture a pram riding Yorkie or a kissy-wissy Lab slobbering all over its owner as environmental evils.

The article in The Guardian said that dogs are responsible for “extensive and multifarious environmental impacts, disturbing wildlife, polluting waterways and contributing to carbon emissions, new research has found.” The Guardian article is largely based on an Australian review of existing studies that argued that “the environmental impact of owned dogs is far greater, more insidious, and more concerning than is generally recognized”.

The Aussie review, highlighted the impacts of the world’s “commonest large carnivore” in killing and disturbing native wildlife. “In Australia, attacks by unrestrained dogs on little penguins in Tasmania may contribute to colony collapse, modeling suggests.”

The Australian study also said, “Insecticides from flea and tick medications kill aquatic invertebrates when they wash off into waterways. Dog feces can also leave scent traces and affect soil chemistry and plant growth. The carbon footprints of pets is also supposedly significant. A 2020 study found the dry pet food industry had an environmental footprint of around twice the land area of the UK, with greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the 60th highest-emitting country.” Referring to the dog’s carbon paw print the lead author of the review said, “The research did not intend to be censorious. But to a certain extent we give a free pass to dogs.”

The Australian review also said, “Researchers attributed the extent of the environmental impacts to the sheer number of dogs globally, as well as the lax or uninformed behavior of dog owners.” It suggested, “Maybe, in some parts of the world, we actually need to consider some slightly more robust laws and suggested that dog exclusion zones might be more suitable in some areas.”

Tell that to the little old lady or old man in the grocery store clinging to their “service animal.”

Regarding this attack on dogs, writer Noah Stanton said, “This latest absurdity serves as a stark reminder: for the radical environmental left, no aspect of traditional life is off limits. Their quest for control, cloaked in the language of saving the planet, inevitably clashes with personal liberty and good old fashioned common sense.”

The backlash has been worse than a pit bull’s bite.

Gabriella Hoffman, Energy & Conservation Director for the Independent Women’s Forum Center, said on Fox News, “This isn’t really about dogs; it’s about an ideology that sees human activity, even the simple joy of owning a pet, as inherently harmful. It’s the same old playbook. First, they came for cows and people said nothing. Now they want to sacrifice dogs to save the planet? Not a winning message by the net-zero crowd, whose track record is notoriously bad. They came for reliable energy, then affordable cars, then meat and dairy – and now, they’re scrutinizing our loyal pets. See the pattern?” she asks.

Commentator Ana Kasparian said, “Is there any enjoyable part of life these insufferable kill joys won’t attack? The attack on dogs isn’t just random; it fits a pattern many of us conservatives have seen coming.” New York Post columnist Jon Levine imagined how a convention of greenies might have planned their losing strategy. “‘How can we win back voters?” they ask. “I know, let’s cancel dogs.’”

Finally, columnist Tim Carney summed it up perfectly, asking, “Did a cat write this?”

Prairie Doc Perspective: Anatomical Variations: Connecting Physicians and Anatomists

By
tammiehoeme
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Prairie Doc ®
Perspective
Ethan L. Snow, PhD

It’s remarkable how much anatomy education and medical practice overlap, yet anatomist-physician collaborations are often underutilized for improving student learning and patient care outcomes.
Becoming an anatomist or a physician requires commitment to many years of education and practical training. Both generally require four years of comparable, comprehensive baccalaureate coursework followed by four or more years of concentrated graduate/medical education and practical training. Amid both career paths, students work diligently to achieve predefined benchmarks for competency in complex human anatomy, meticulous clinical applications, and interrelated skills. Nevertheless, it is natural for anatomists to lose insight about practical clinical skills and physicians to lose insight about anatomical intricacies – most notably while the other person is keenly maintaining expert-level knowledge and knowhow of that very information. Anatomical variations offer a course of action for efficiently and effectively addressing the “use it or lose it” principle for both experts.
Human anatomy is taught and learned according to its foundational morphologic norm – that is, the typical configuration, form, and function of structures in the body. Understanding typical anatomy allows physicians to draw clinical insights from patients’ chief complaints. For example, knowing the typical arrangement of bones, muscles, nerves, and vessels in the body allows orthopedic physicians to discern differential diagnoses and establish safe and effective surgical and therapeutic treatment plans for patients with musculoskeletal issues. However, anatomical variations – structures that do not present in typical location or form – are common and can complicate both learning and medical practice.
As authorities in the granularity of human anatomy, anatomists develop and maintain expertise about the development, presentation, and impact of anatomical variations, especially as they uncover specific cases during routine cadaveric dissection. As authorities in the minutiae of patient care, physicians develop and maintain expertise about adaptive clinical practices to address anatomical variations, especially as they come across specific cases during patient examinations and surgeries. In these regards, each professional can strategically benefit from the other’s expertise to create better outcomes, and this “bench-to-bedside” collaboration is known to promote translational medical education, high-definition patient care, and exemplary interprofessional behavior.
Despite their inherent benefits, strategic anatomist-physician collaborations appear underutilized. Investigating anatomical variations cases permitted by cadaveric donors and/or living patients offers one way to encourage these collaborations. Common field interest seems to effortlessly reciprocate enthusiasm from both parties. Anatomists can leverage workload designated for research/scholarship and physicians can fulfill contractual service obligations, thus offering a manageable framework for each to strategically contribute expertise and achieve high-quality and high-impact productivity. Simultaneously involving students can further distribute workload while providing them with meaningful research experience and influential mentorship.
As indicated, cadaveric donors and living patients play a critical role in this framework by willfully permitting analysis of their associated tissues and records. Human cadaver dissection offers complete and unrestricted views of anatomical variations, and patient records (diagnostic imaging, physician summaries, etc.) convey the clinical presentation and impact of variations. Anatomists, physicians, and students remain extremely grateful to each for their incredible contributions to advancing medical education and patient care.
Ethan L. Snow, PhD is an Anatomist and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Innovation in Anatomy at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust.

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