Cargill awarded permit to expand, modernize dairy operation

by Jim Boyle

Editor

The Elk River City Council approved a conditional use permit authorizing an agricultural research facility at 10700 165th Ave. NW.

The action clears the way for an expansion to an existing dairy operation by adding a new facility comprising two main components.

One is a main barn that is 84,000 square feet that will house the animals for a majority of their time and the other is a milking barn at 21,800 square feet which is where the robotic milking system will rotate the animals through from the main barn. The milking barn also includes employee spaces like bathrooms, breakrooms, lockers, and research spaces.

Employment within the dairy operation will support additional employees, increasing the employee count from 12 to 16 at full operation.

Council Member Mike Beyer called the request straightforward, and no concerns were raised among council members.

By incorporating the latest practices of the dairy industry — automated feeding, housekeeping, and robotic milking systems — Cargill will also be able to improve the manure management system by eliminating the need for daily field spreading.

Penny LaPlante, the facility’s operations manager for 22 years, explained at the Feb. 27 planning commission meeting that by combining the manure pit and the new facility they will only have to spread manure twice a year through a process of injecting the ground/soil.

Asked if there had been complaints about the smell, city staff couldn’t recall it being a problem. LaPlante said more complaints came from the nearby garbage facility.

“So maybe their smell is worse,” she said to a chorus of chuckles. “But they’ve been gone for years.”

The following conditions must be met:

• The facility must meet all state and local building codes consistent with an agricultural research operation.

• Prior to releasing the building permit, the applicant must demonstrate compliance with all MPCA and EPA requirements.

The property is zoned Agricultural Research (AR) where improvements and modifications to the approved agricultural research facility require a conditional use permit (CUP).

No one spoke during the Elk River City Council’s public hearing and staff did not receive any additional comments before or after the public hearing.

LaPlante was the only person to speak at the planning commission meeting’s public hearing before that group unanimously recommended approval with the recommended conditions.