Dougherty farmer fined for not timely submitting manure management plans for animal confinement

DOUGHTERY — A Dougherty farmer has been ordered to pay a $3000 administrative penalty after repeated failures to submit manure management plans in a timely fashion to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR says David Muth failed to timely submit annual plan updates and fees by January 1st for the years 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2021 for an animal feeding operation housing 3600 swine finishers in Bennezette Township in Butler County near the Cerro Gordo-Floyd-Butler county line.

The DNR says facilities are required to submit completed Phosphorus Index plans every four years, and Muth failed to timely submit those and related fees in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

As part of a consent order submitted by the DNR, Muth was ordered to pay a $3000 penalty with Muth agreeing to waive his right to appeal the decision.