Board chairman Mike McLaughlin said Tuesday night he had only minimal details on the proposal and just recently received notification from the Illinois Department of Agriculture about the plans of High Power Pork, LLC to build a 3,467-head facility that could be enlarged.

High Power Pork is the facility name that would be operated by Professional Swine Management, LLC, a division of the Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd., in Hancock County. Professional Swine Management (PSM) currently manages 60,000 sows and 100,000 finishing spaces in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.

PSM provides production management and project development to swine producers and is focused on "managing all phases of production, including breeding, gestation, farrowing, nursery and finishing," according to its www.psmswine.com Web site.

Warren D. Goetsch, bureau chief of environmental programs for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, said this morning the proposed site would be located about one mile west of the Schuyler County line and about three miles south of the Adams/Hancock county line, just off N. 2800th Ave.

Goetsch said the site would consist of five buildings, ranging in size from 48-feet-by-52 feet to 158-feet-by-508 feet.

No time or date for the hearing has been established, McLaughlin said.

"This (proposal) is large-scale operation and I've already gotten quite a few cards from that area," McLaughlin said.

The County Board has 30 days upon receipt of the notice from the Department of Agriculture to conduct a public informational meeting concerning the proposed construction. County residents may also petition the County Board to request such a hearing,

Source: Whig.com