Linn County uses new Oregon law to restrict locations for massive chicken farms

Linn County on Tuesday became the first county in Oregon to establish new rules restricting where large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) can be sited under a new state law.

“What happened is our community rallied and made it happen,” said Linn County Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger, who lives in Scio.

A proposal to locate an 11-barn confined animal feeding operation with 580,000 Foster Farm chickens in a rural area between Jefferson and Scio prompted some residents to start attending commission meetings.

At the time, the commissioners said there was nothing they could do and the residents would need to go to the Oregon Legislature to change state law before the county could act.

Senate Bill 85 restricted the amount of groundwater that CAFOs can use, increased oversight on the waste produced at them and allowed counties to require setbacks for factory farms.

The rule that Linn County adopted Tuesday requires the location of large confined animal feeding operations at least one mile from the property line of a neighboring property that includes a residential structure like a house, a manufactured home or multi-family housing such as apartments.

“In this case, the process worked because they put in a monumental effort,” Commissioner Roger Nyquist said. “It doesn’t always work. ... I’m happy for that community that was passionate about this issue.”

Linn County’s planning commission in November decided on a 3,960 feet (3/4 mile) setback from neighboring properties.

After testimony was received the past few weeks and 16 more people spoke Tuesday, the commissioners decided to increase the setback to one mile and add in “multi-family housing” when defining properties.

“We can have these,” said Nina Brenner, a farmer Scio. “We’re not saying don’t have a farming operation. We’re just saying be careful where you put it.”

Under the regulation, there are 89 sites in Linn County where CAFO could be located, according to the county.

Had the commission gone with the proposed 3/4 mile setback, there would have been 386 properties where one could have been placed.

“There’s also something really quite visionary about the decision you have made regarding setbacks,” said John Thornton of Scio.

Before the new regulations, the biggest considerations for a new CAFO site in Linn County was the cost of land and things such as whether natural gas could be be plumbed to the location.

“There’s lots and lots of opportunity left,” Sprenger said. “Some will think that’s good and some will think that’s bad.”

Three massive chicken “grow out” facilities had been proposed or approved in north Linn County and south Marion County in the past few years.

Earlier this year, the property for a proposed ranch east of Scio and another west of Stayton were put up for sale. The first that was proposed between Jefferson and Scio — J-S Ranch — can still go forward under the existing rules.

And now, after a groundswell from the community, there are fewer possible locations for new CAFOs in Linn County.

“It’s not every day you’re heard and you make a difference,” said Christina Eastman, of Farmers Against Foster Farms. “I just got to hand it to all of us. We stuck in there and we didn’t let this big giant intimidate us.”

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Linn County restricts confined animal feeding operation sites