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MACOMB, IL – The McDonough County Board has voted to recommend construction of a proposed large-scale hog farm in the northwest part of the county.
As required by state law, the board voted on each of eight criteria the Illinois Department of Agriculture uses to evaluate large-scale confined livestock operations. The board said South Morgan Acres meets each of the criteria.
The final vote was to advise the department whether the project should go ahead. That vote was the closest of the evening with ten board members in favor of construction and seven opposed. Two board members abstained; two were absent.
District 3 Republican George Dixon said the board answered the questions the law requires.
He said, "Does this site work for the facility they want to put in there? And that's all we were charged with and we went through that step by step."
Dixon said the site meet the criteria "very well."
Tony Coniglio, also a Republican from District 3, disagreed. He felt the board should have been more concerned about residents near the site.
He said, "I'm concerned mostly with the environment and with the odor. There are three in one family that have asthma and other breathing problems. That's the sort of thing we have to look at."
A dozen opponents of the hog farm assembled outside the county courthouse with their placards. Barbara Adams, who lives about a mile from the site, organized the demonstration. She is especially worried about water pollution.
She said, "Out where we live there's no opportunity to have rural water either in Henderson County or McDonough County. We have our own wells and if those are contaminated what are we going to do?"
After the vote, Adams said she was "disappointed" in the board's decision.
Dr. Doug Groth is one of the owners of Professional Swine Management. The company will manage the hog farm.
He said, "I believe we will help present a good project and good development for McDonough County."
Most board members were worried about damage to roads. Dixon and District 2 Republican Clarke Kelso said the high volume of heavy trucks during construction will probably damage roads leading to the site.