That concession follows last week’s denial of a permit for a proposed hog confinement near Farson. Ryan Stouder, an environmental specialist for the Iowa DNR, said the problem lies in the phosphorus index within the manure management plan.

Area residents discovered the calculations for the manure management plan for the Farson confinement did not add up, which led to the DNR’s rejection of the plan.

Stouder said the DNR does not have enough manpower to check all the numbers for all the proposed or existing hog confinements to make sure those numbers are correct.

“I guess you could say it’s an honor system with the producers,” he said.

Cindy Martins, a senior environmental specialist with the Iowa DNR in Spencer, said she helped design the manure management plan that is used for all Iowa permits.

She said it would be nearly impossible for the DNR to check every phosphorus index on every field for every hog lot where the manure would be placed.

“We would not be able to recreate every [phosphorus] index they have. It would be impossible and very time consuming. It is not something we would look at unless it is brought forth to us,” she said.

Source: Ottumwa Courier