Regulators send Kossuth County feedlot case to Attorney General for action

DES MOINES — The state Environmental Protection Commission has referred the owners of a feedlot in Kossuth County to the Attorney General’s Office for failure to submit manure management plans and pay fees.

Attorney Kelli Book told the EPC the feedlot near Lone Rock is owned by Shane and Michelle Larsen of Granada, Minnesota. “They have 3,000 finished swine or 1,200 animal units and they’re required to submit a Manure Management Plan (MMP) update and fees on May 1st of each year,” she says. “Based on the Larsen’s continued failure to submit an M-M-P update and pay fees — as well as violating a previous order — we are requesting that the Larsen’s be referred to the Attorney General’s Office.”

Book says it is important for the DNR to have the information. “The MMP submittal is a crucial aspect of the animal feeding program. It ensures that the animal feeding operation has adequate production land available so that manure can be properly applied to the land,” Book says.  The annual compliance fee is $180 dollars and Book says the order was issued after the Larsens failed to submit the completed MMP and fee – and the administrative penalty was issued after 60 days.

“To date they have not complied with the terms of that order, they have not submitted the late complete MMP, the fees, or the paid the $3,000 penalty,” she says. Book says the Larsens have failed to submit an MMP update and paid the fee for 2022 . The issue now goes to the Attorney General for action.