WINONA, Minn. – The Winona County board voted 3-2 against reconsidering the county’s environmentally friendly cap on herd sizes. In effect, the Board told the Daley dairy farm: “How many times do we have to say no.” Since 2015, the Daley family has been back over and over to the county – and other venues – to triple its Lewiston dairy herd. Two weeks ago the Daleys used their usual allies on the board, commissioners Steve Jacob and Marcia ward, to force their expansion plan onto the Board agenda again. This time it is was posed mildly — a mere of review of the county’s 1,500-animal limit on herds. It was a Daley bid to keep their proposal alive for growing their herd to 6,000 animal units. A Board majority of Marie Kovecsi, Chris Meyer and Greg Olson voted against a review. The Daleys’ tactic this time had been built on a new suit they have against the county. The Daleys tactic was to entice the Board to grant their request and save further costly litigation. Jacob put it bluntly: “If the policy were changed, it could immediately end the litigation.” The bullying ploy didn’t work. Said Kaesci: “Because we are still under suit for this issue, it would not be advisable to discuss it fully at this time.” Meyer called a review “something we really should not be discussing in public because of litigation.”
Earlier: Feedlot opponents organizing resistance
Another setback. On changing county feedlot maxes.
Feedlot politics
The Daley calculation in seeking a County Board review at this time rested partly on a political reality. Steve Jacob, a county commissioner who has carried water for the Daleys for years, is running for the state Legislature. If elected to the House in November, Jacob would need to resign from the County Board. That would be the loss of a Daley mouthpiece on the County Board.