Current Stench Alerts can be found here.

Stench Alerts 2003-2011

2011
Dec 28 – Neighbor of Bleich CAFO writes, “A family member developed a head ache that lasted many hours. We have been tracking these head aches for several months, they occur every time Bleich Dairy pumps out the manure lagoons.”

Nov 28 – Hartland Farms applying solids on a hay field east of Dowling, south side of Beecher Road before heavy predicted rainfall.

Nov 14 – Hartland Farms applying solids in heavy rainfall. DEQ was notified. No incorporation of the field, west side of Henning Hwy north of Beecher Road.

Oct 12 – Bruinsma is draglining east of the facility and northeast between corn still standing; also north of the facility off Ridgeville Rd near Silver Creek.

Oct 11 – Stench is in the air. With rainfall predicted, CAFOs are applying manure in many locations: Hartland Farms, on Hughes Hwy north of Cadmus; Hoffland Dairy on south side of Tomer Rd west of M-156 on properties shared with SMD CAFO. SMD 2 is hauling to field at Canandaigua and Bothwell, surface-applying with semis. And Bakerlads is hauling west of the facility on M-156, at corner of Beecher and M-156. No incorporation at any of these locations.

Oct 7 – “Stench is tremendous” from Hartland Farms draglining liquid manure s. of Beecher, east of Hughes. A neighbor who is pregnant “has serious headache since yesterday.”

Sept 29 through Oct 6 – Hartland Farms is hauling, drag-lining, spraying liquid manure in multiple locations. Intense emissions over a wide area. And MDARD says Hartland Farms has permission to expand its CAFO by 300 cows. Construction of a new lagoon? appears to be in progress. On Oct 6, with no breeze, neighbors up to 3 miles away in all directions complain of watery eyes, the need to shut all windows. Invasion of stench on a beautiful fall day. Some of the manure-field locations: north of the CAFO facility east and west sides of Hughes Hwy; south of facility both sides of Hughes; south of Beecher, east side of Hughes; north and south of Cadmus Rd approx 1/2 mi. east of Hughes.

Aug 29 – Neighbor writes, “Foul air from Bill White‘s Hog facility continues to permeate the air. It has stunk around here all weekend and now the start of the new week.”Hartland Farms’ double-dumped manure fields stink again: they spread out the stockpiles at both field sites on Dowling Hwy, sending a new flow of emissions into neighbors’ houses. Eye-watering, forced window-shutting, gag-inducing emissions. When will they incorporate this mess?

Aug 26 – Neighbor reports SMD emissions: “Bad stench again on Packard road.” And real outrage today in an email from a Prattville resident about White hog CAFO emissions. This facility expanded to CAFO size recently, and rage boils up when neighbors’ health and drinking water are put at risk. The email says in part: “…Fact, the overpowering nauseating stench from Mr. White’s small hog farm is now one hundred times worse than it used to be. Why? Because he like most of these hog farming jerks who feel as though they have the “right to farm” regardless of the nearby residents discomfort, has adapted a money-saving but dangerous way of disposing of all that disease causing toxic waste his hogs abundantly produce…”

Aug 25 – Hartland Farms stockpiles, huge heaps of rank manure, line the side of the field (from last 2 days) and now more piles in the middle of the field. Pity the neighbors bordering that field. Hartland is also dumping heaps from large dump trucks on top of the wheat stubble south on Dowling 1/2 mi. past Cadmus – same field where liquid manure was applied Aug 17 (see photo with manure ponding on that date below)

Aug 24 – Hartland Farms stockpiling continues; Bleich draglining liquid manure, black on hay fields, both sides of US-127 at the facility.

Aug 23 – more suffering from White CAFO hog manure emissions. Call from resident on Lime Lake, Prattville Rd – said for 2 days liquid manure stench has been so bad it is disrupting his activities of daily living and his wife’s…they are senior citizens. Windows shut all the time now…his eyes watering last 2 days inside and outside of home…discomfort for him and his wife… inhaling liquid pig emissions for over 24 hours and he cannot go outside. “This manure should at the very least be turned under,” he said. ECCSCM advised him to call MDA and DEQ. Second call from same resident. He tried calling MDA Right to Farm and DEQ and only got recordings at both places. He and wife are leaving their home and going to Toledo because they cannot breathe in their own home. “Pretty sad you have to go the city to be able to breathe clean air.” Pure Michigan? 
Also, Hartland Farms stockpiling heaps of manure, bottom of lagoon?, on wheat stubble (same field already sprayed with manure Aug 11-12, see below). Stench is really bad, says a neighbor, “gross.”

Aug 22 – Intense emissions from liquid hog waste, White CAFO spray-application affecting neighbors on Elm, Tamarck, Coman, and Lime Lake Rd, Wright Twp. One neighbor writes, “This same field was spread last year and this year there is no crop to be seen. Although it appears that one liquid waste tanker was capable of injecting, this was not used. Odor is terrible and we will be forced to keep the windows shut today and probably much longer.” 

8-22-11 – Bill White hog CAFO spray-application

Aug 18 – SMD draglining liquid manure along Packard Rd near Dillon Hwy, hauling from the satellite lagoon, a neighbor reports, for the second time this year to the same field.

Aug 17 – Manure spill on M-34 east of Marvin’s Dairy – a passerby emailed ECCSCM this evening: “Very strong manure odor coming from what looked like a manure spill on roadway, had to close open vehicle windows.” This spill happened earlier in the day –the Road Commission was notified, but manure appeared to be scraped to the side of the road, not removed. Intense emissions all day and into the evening from manure spraying in multiple locations: Hartland Farms spraying on cut wheat field on Dowling Hwy, also liquid applied on wheat stubble near Henning Hwy and Beecher; SMD spraying with 5-6 tankers hauling to first field west of Waldron High School.

8-17-11 – Hartland Farms liquid manure ponding at edge of cut wheat field, Dowling Hwy

Aug 11-12 – Hartland Farms spraying liquid manure from tankers on cut wheat field at intersection of Beecher and Dowling. Also spraying near Cadmus & Hughes.

Aug 10 – Neighbor near Bleich Dairy reports, “Arrived home last night heavy manure odor in the night air. today a family member is experiencing migraine, nausea, weakness, fever. “

Aug 6 – In this heat, manure emissions can cause real suffering. A neighbor near Bleich Dairy reports, “it rained heavy this afternoon, it is foggy, very humid, and hot. opening the windows tonight is not an option because of the odor.”

Aug 1 – Neighbor reports SMD “spreading on Prattville rd across from Lime lake next to the water treatment area…really dumping heavy…” In the field across US-127 from theSMD facility, the travel irrigator spraying manure was running in the rain.

July 20 – 22 – In super heat this week, 102 degrees in Hudson on July 21, 90s for the entire week, liquid manure is being sprayed at many locations: SMD II surface-applying on harvested wheat on Tuttle Rd north of Squawfield Rd, using SMD semi and 3 semis with LEAS Farms from Montpelier, OH. Also draglining on Bothwell north of Packard on west side of road near satellite lagoon. SMD I travel-irrigating manure north of facility on Dillon; surface application on Forrister Road, west of Wilkinson Hwy; also on Wilkinson Hwy east side north of Forrister.

July 19 – SMD II is surface applying with two semis on harvested wheat ground, no incorporation, on the west side of Munson Hwy south of Medina Rd.

July 11 – Even with a storm front and heavy rain approaching, Hartland Farms was spraying liquid manure this morning along Dowling Hwy. Hudson received 1″ of rain.

July 9 – Saturday. Along Dowling Hwy between M-34 and Cadmus Rd, it’s impossible to work outside, it’s impossible to open windows. See July 8 post. The Road Commission put dust-inhibitor on the road. But there’s no public health response, no air quality response. Roads get immediate attention. People don’t.

July 8 – one of the worst nights for emissions: Hartland Farms spray-application of liquid manure on Dowling Hwy has caused intense emissions over a wide area. Winds are calm. A cloud of gaseous stench hangs over houses in the area. It’s impossible to escape, irritating to the eyes, difficult to breathe. Neighbors report having to close all windows on this hot night. On a weekend, no agencies are available to respond.
See video of tankers spraying the hayfield.

July 7 – In calm morning air, “horrendous” emissions over large area, hitting neighbors in all directions from Hartland Farms’ manure application yesterday. One neighbor wrote, “so much for a beautiful summer morning. Shut all the windows and you still feel sick.”

July 6 – Stench is bad along Beecher Rd east of Dowling from Hartland Farms spraying manure on cut hay.

June 30 – holiday weekend starts tomorrow – New Flevo is spreading solids n. of Forrister Rd. Construction/expansion of the facility underway.

June 29 – Four tankers from SMD hauling manure on Packard, spraying on growing wheat. Some spillage on the road. SMD also draglining across from the vacated SMD 1 on Dillon Hwy. Hartland Farms spraying liquids on celltower field west side of Dowling. Wind from the north is blowing stench/emissions over M-34.

June 28 – Nearing the 4th of July holiday, numerous CAFOs are hauling and spraying manure. In Kent County, Swisslane Farms is spraying near a campground with lots of campers: “They have been gassing us out for the past 5 days. And it doesn’t seem like it is going to let up.” In Lenawee County, Hartland Farms is hauling solids in Hudson Twp.

June 15 – Bakerlads draglining manure north of the facility, before predicted rain.

June 14 – Hartland Farms is spraying a back field, out of sight, but not out of smell, along Dowling Hwy between Cadmus and M-34. One manure tanker driving on Dowling was spewing a stream of liquid manure on the road. Didn’t look like much but “smelled to high heaven,” said a neighbor. SMD 3 still draglining.

June 13 – Tanker after tanker from Southern Michigan Dairies (formerly Vreba-Hoff), Facility 2 on US-127, hauling east on Packard to Ingall, dumping in a huge infield tank, then draglining a cut wheat-for-silage field. Horrendous stench. Continuous trucking wrecked the gravel road – neighbors notified Lenawee County Road Commission. See video.SMD 3 (formerly Vreba-Hoff Waldron) is draglining near the facility, neighbors suffering.

June 8 – Hartland Farms is spraying a cut hay field along Dowling Hwy between Cadmus and Beecher. It’s 90 degrees, terrible emissions.

May 11 – Neighbor of Hartland Farms manure application diagnosed with sinus infection, ear infection, and bronchitis in right lung, which doctor attributed to chronic exposure to recent air emissions.

May 7 – On Mother’s Day holiday weekend, Hartland Farms is draglining at Hughes and Beecher AGAIN (at least the third manure application on this field since fall). Stench for miles downwind through the weekend and especially strong in all directions when winds were calm.

May 3 – fields are saturated, with more rain in the forecast. Even so, Bleich CAFO is draglining manure on fields along Raymond Rd, northeast of the facility on US-127.

April 15 – before predicted rainfall, Hartland Farms pivot gun irrigating on the west side of Hughes Hwy north of the facility; New Flevo Dairy applying solids on the west side of Hawkins Hwy north of Burton Road, field draining to the Wallace Drain; Bleich Dairy draglining east of US 127 on the north side of Hillside Road, ponding in the field.

March 31 – Manure spray-application, west side of Coman Rd across from White CAFO. Hartland Farms is spreading once again at SE corner of Hughes and Beecher, on hayfield, no incorporation; pivot irrigation north of the facility, w. side of Hughes.

Mar 8 – Hartland Farms applying manure on frozen ground, with rain in the forecast, south of Beecher, east of Hughes.

Feb 24 – Hartland Farms applying liquid waste on snow/frozen ground, at Beecher and Henning Hwy, with a predicted snowmelt before Monday. This area drains to the south branch of the River Raisin which is drinking water for Blissfield and Deerfield.

Feb 10 – Hartland Farms applying manure on snow-covered ground, north of the facility, west side of Hughes Hwy.

2010
Dec 30 – stench of pig manure in Pittsford Twp, several miles north of Bill White CAFO. Spreading on snow? Facility emissions?

Dec 21 – Bakerlads CAFO spraying liquid manure on snow east of Morey Hwy, south of Cadmus Rd.

Nov 17 – Hartland Farms spraying liquid along Beecher Road east of Hughes, within 300′ of one residence.

Nov 16 -Emissions along Cadmus Rd and Morey Hwy from Bakerlads liquid application along South Branch of River Raisin, field across from the facility. Vreba-Hoff is hauling tankers of liquid from V-H 2 west on Squawfield; all animals appear to be housed at V-H 1 at this point.

Nov 4 – Neighbor reports “strong emissions this morning. Headache, nausea, burning sinuses,” from Hartland Farms liquid manure along Beecher Rd west of Morey, still not incorporated.

Nov 3 – Awful stench from several black manure sprayfields: Hartland Farms sprayed field along Beecher Rd west of Morey Hwy and also on corn stubble at intersection of Cadmus and Hughes. Worst stench of the day was from Bakerlads sprayfield at the “Center for Excellence” sign on Morey Hwy opposite the facility.

Oct 13-17 – Foul liquid manure application in many places this week and weekend – Vreba-Hoff spraying liquid on weeds on east side of Lime Lake Road north of Prattville, in spite of Court prohibition against manure application in Lime Lake Watershed; Vreba-Hoff also applying on Ridgeville Hwy east of US-127, again on weeds; also across from Dillon Rd facility. Stench along Morey Hwy north of Beecher from Bakerlads manure application, also on Cadmus east of the facility. Hartland Farms was surface applying on harvested corn ground west of Hughes on the south side of Beecher Rd. No incorporation, the second application at the rear of the field.

Labor Day – Sept 6 – Hartland Farms stockpiles have not been spread or incorporated. Long rows of dumped manure are now at two locations along Dowling Hwy, the heaps from Sept 1 located 1/2 mi. north of M-34; and more stockpiles, set back further, on Dowling 1/2 mi north of Cadmus.

Sept 1 – Emissions since early morning for residents of Dowling Hwy, once again, with Hartland Farms hauling truckload after truckload of manure, stockpiling it on a no-crop field 1/2 mi north of M-34, just east of Hudson; also dumping and stockpiling at Hawkins & Forrister.

9-1-10 – Wednesday before Labor Day weekend – Hartland Farms manure dumping

Aug 30, 31 – Labor Day weekend coming up. Michigan’s Generally Accepted Ag Management Practices (GAAMPs) recommend NOT applying manure at holiday weekends to avoid odor complaints. Many CAFOs are applying manure this week, in 90+ degree temps, on stubble or cut hay where incorporation will not take place. These emissions will be around for days. Vreba-Hoff is applying on a field at Waldron Dairy, Camden Rd. Bill White hog CAFO is draglining near Lime Lake (with 85 homes, a holiday retreat). A resident of nearby Prattville reports that White’s CAFO stench, “is not only nauseating but I believe it’s downright toxic to everyone’s health too. The facts speak for themselves…FACT, anything that is arrogantly (for-profit) introduced into a clean healthy environment which causes these symptoms, sore throat, burning nasal sensation coupled with trouble breathing & itching watering eyes, must be considered unhealthy…I know what it’s like to come home tired & beat and be greeted by the stench of his pigs. I know what it’s like to sweat the night away because the outside air is a bit too toxic for my tastes. I’ve also noticed that in the last three years it has gotten much much worse.” Elsewhere, Bakerlads is surface-applying on cut hay on Cadmus Rd. One neighbor reports, “I will have to cancel my family get together because of emissions of animal waste.”Hartland Farms is draglining along Beecher east of Hughes – after being outside an hour, a resident reports dizziness, sore throat, neck tightening, sour stomach, fatigue, hoarse voice. Hartland Farms is also using semis to surface apply on a cut hayfield directly south of Posey Lake which has 285 homes; and surface applying with a tractor and tanker on harvested corn ground on the west side of Morey Hwy south of Beecher Rd.

Aug 26, 27 – Strong emissions for 2 days from Hartland Farms spraying liquid manure from tankers on cut hay field at Dowling and M-34.

Aug 8 – Neighbor of Bleich CAFO reports, “Manure trucks driving at high speeds on Stewart Rd. near Hudson Michigan. Stench was heavy enough to wake family up from a good nights sleep and caused covering of face while feeding farm animals this morning.”

Aug 5 – Strong emissions from Hartland Farms liquid manure application, again, on 2 fields on Dowling Hwy. Tankers running and spraying since morning.

July 14 – Liquid manure being sprayed, emissions in numerous locations: Vreba-Hoff 1 has 3 irrigators running on east side of Dillon; Vreba-Hoff 2, 3 travel irrigators on east side of US-127; New Flevo applying east of Sword Hwy along M-34; Hoffland applying on Canandaigua east of Ingall; Marvins on M-34 pivot-irrigating; Hartland Farms pivot-irrigating on corn east of Hughes.

July 12, 13 – “Monday evening and Tuesday Morning. Strong odor on Lime Lake from spreading of swine waste in Lime Lake watershed. Another indoor day due to selfish factory farming practices.”

July 11 – From neighbor of Bleich Dairy on US-127 north of Hudson: “Daily and nightly stench emitting from the Bleich dairy. Cow waste hauling trucks tearing up the roads. Neighbors needing to cover faces when enjoying their outdoor activities, daily headaches. No fresh country air here.”

July 10 – Email report to ECCSCM notes: “Horrible emissions from the Warner Farm on Pentecost Hwy on Friday July 10, 2010. I was unable to run my usual route because of the stench. It was so bad I could not run/walk and breath, instant headache. The stench was so heavy it clung to my clothing and I had to limit all activity to inside the house. I could not even use my outside pool. Where are my rights?”

July 7 – sickening emissions in 90+ heat from Hartland Farms CAFO AGAIN, STILL along Dowling Hwy between M-34 and Beecher, also east of Hughes at Beecher. Many neighbors throughout this area had to shut windows this evening, turn on the A/C (the ones lucky enough to have air conditioning), and hope winds shift by morning. Shame on a “family farm” that hurts so many families, so many neighbors.

July 6 – intense manure emissions continue throughout the area, with temps in the mid-90s and Heat Index near 100 degrees. Vreba-Hoff 1 is spray-irrigating north of the facility on Dillon; Vreba-Hoff 2 is spraying liquid waste from all 3 travel irrigators on the east side of US-127, and still hauling west on Tamarack to manure application on Lickley.Bakerlads is spraying on cut hay west of Morey on Cadmus, and Marvin’s Dairy on Beecher is pivot-irrigating manure on growing corn.

July 3 – Saturday of 4th of July holiday, all agencies on vacation, no response to the air pollution, still “terrible,” from Hartland Farms, cut hay field along Dowling at M-34. Emissions will rise from this field for days, since this manure will not be incorporated at all. Emissions continue along Beecher at Dowling, and along Beecher east of Hughes Hwy. Temps today and tomorrow to reach near 90. But neighbors have to keep ALL WINDOWS SHUT. Unless winds shift, nobody in this area will be able to picnic outside. 

4th of July weekend – Hartland Farms liquid manure on cut hay field on Dowling at M-34, 7-3-10.

July 2 – second night of intense emissions from Hartland Farms manure sprayed at Beecher and Dowling. In calm air, emissions spread across several square miles, including Posey Lake residents at the lake for the 4th of July holiday. “This is trespass,” one neighbor writes. “If the stink from human waste filled the air, the Health Department or the sheriff would do something. Nobody’s doing anything about this.”

July 1 – Thursday, just before the 4th of July weekend, Hartland Farms and its contracted manure haulers are spraying liquid manure in several locations: east of Hughes, south of Beecher — emissions are terrible. Neighbors won’t be having 4th of July picnics outside; also east of Dowling, south of Beecher. A neighbor there, returning at 9 p.m. after being away all day, reports, “When I opened the door of the car, I thought I’d throw up. Nauseating fumes hanging in the air. My eyes were watering by the time I got to the door. Glad I shut every window in the house or it wouldn’t be livable. The stench makes it unlivable anyway, since we can’t open the windows on this beautiful cool night.”

June 30 – report from the Lime Lake area, intense emissions this morning from White hog CAFO facility.

June 18 – emissions at many locations, especially from Vreba-Hoff travel-irrigators spraying liquid manure: V-H 1 spraying from 2 irrigators on west side of Dillon Hwy, 1 irrigator on east side, also applying on Canadaigua Rd east of Ingall Hwy. V-H 2 is spraying from 2 irrigators along US-127 east of the facility. Hartland Farms is applying botton-of-the-lagoon manure along Beecher Rd on a field with no crop. New Flevo is applying liquid manure in front of the facility on Forrister.

June 17 – emissions still terrible from Vreba-Hoff on US-127. “Northeast wind. Stench from VH 2 is making me close windows on what could have been otherwise a beautiful day.”

June 16 – stench alert from Lime Lake, where neighbor of Vreba-Hoff dairy and White hog CAFO reports, “had to shut my windows. Can’t tell if it’s hog or dairy. Almost a combination of both. Wind coming from the northwest.”

June 11 – stench in several locations, “nauseating” in Pittsford Twp, as far as north as Union Rd all morning.

May 21 – VERY heavy rains and reports are coming in from many areas with manure stench in the air. Do lagoon emissions fan out in humid air? Stench reported in Pittsford Twp near Vreba-Hoff, Bill White CAFOs, in Morenci near State Line and Bruinsma, and in Hudson Twp near Hartland Farms.

May 7 – Hartland Farms surface applying solids over the Henning Drain on the east side of Hughes south of Beecher Road; also irrigating waste on the west side of Hughes north of the CAFO facility.

May 6 – Hoffland CAFO draglining at Wheeler and Haley Rds; also applying south of Tomer Road, with liquid waste ponding on already saturated ground. Draglining pumps liquid manure direct from lagoons through hoses to the field.

5-6-2010 – wheel tracks full of Hoffland liquid manure

April 23-24 – strong emissions from Hartland Farms manure application – before predicted rainfall of 1″ – along Cadmus Rd east of Hughes; Bakerlads also spraying along Cadmus west of Morey Hwy.

4-24-2010 – Bakerlads black manure field along Cadmus Rd, in rain

April 13 – Bruinsma emissions are “horrible” at 3 locations – half a dozen tankers hauling liquid manure to Ridgeville Rd; draglining east of the facility on Mulberry; applying liquids and solids west of the facility.

March 7 – stench at Lime Lake from White Farms pig manure application at Coman and Burt.

Jan 14 – emissions from Hartland Farms manure application on snow at Beecher and Hughes. Warmer weather approaches, with manure and snow melt, the field draining to Bear Creek.

Jan 12 – Chesterfield Dairy manure application just off Route 120 west of Lyons. Black manure on snow, close to several residences.

2009

Dec 13 – runoff from field application of Bakerlads manure leads to foamy discharge at Plank Rd, South Branch of the River Raisin.

12-13-09 – foamy discharge from Bakerlads manure field, South Branch of the River Raisin. 
Dissolved Oxygen level tested at 2.2 mg/L, well below fish-kill level.

Dec 8 – Hartland Farms land-applying liquid manure in 6 locations before predicted rain. Bakerlands also surface-applying in several locations – slurry east of facility on Cadmus Road, the same field draglined about two weeks ago; also application along Morey Hwy south of Cadmus Rd; also along Plank Rd west of Skinner, surface application of slurry, stockpiling with large dump trucks, heavy application before a predicted rainfall. Discharges from this field in the past. All Bakerlad application sites drain to South Branch of the River Raisin.

Nov 4 – ECCSCM receives emails from around the state, especially if emissions are extreme. Here’s a recent posting from St. Charles Twp, Saginaw County: “Cassassa Farms began spreading liquid pig manure … on Nov. 4th. We 1st noticed it around 1:00pm so they must have begun sometime before then. The next morning the wind came from the west and I went into our garage and the odor was very strong. I went outside and could hardly breathe. My nose plugged up and I immediately went inside. I had to tape my furnace freshair duct shut to keep out the odor. It was also coming in through our bathroom vents and we had to turn them on. My neighbor complained of headaches. We had to leave our house for the entire day to escape the severe odor. I am experiencing headaches today (11/6/09). Fortunately the wind has changed today and the odor has reduced. This has created considerable emotional distress for both me and my wife and I’m sure for our neighbors as well.”

Oct 21 – Reports coming in again about stench, emissions from White’s hog CAFO manure application.

Sept 19 – Still getting reports of terrible emissions from Bill White CAFO hog manure application last weekend (see Sept 13-15 below), east of Elm Rd between Tamarack and Lime Lake Rds. “Stench was terrible, my car still smells like hog manure. Winds out of the north east made most of the day miserable.” Emissions lasted 3-4 days for neighbors at west end of Lime Lake, with physical and mental health complaints such as throat irritation, difficulty breathing, headache, nausea, anger, need to change daily activities.

Sept 18 – Emissions from Hartland Farms application of liquid manure on cut hay field, Beecher and Hughes Hwy.

Sept 13-15 – “The worst” emissions from White‘s hog CAFO, Wright Twp near Lime Lake. Report via local Registered Nurse to ECCSCM with details from conversation with residents of Lime Lake: “… arrived home about 8pm and the stench from hog CAFO (Whites) was the worst it has ever been. We can’t go outside or open the windows. My wife never lets me open the windows.” (Due to stench). “I can’t remember when we’ve last had the windows open.” “This is the worst [9/15/09] – Hog stench back again this evening…It was better in the morning but it’s back again tonight. Really bad out there.”

Aug 13 – Stench for miles from massive Bleich Dairy application at Stewart and Gardner Rds. Residents on Beecher Rd, 2 miles away, reported emissions made it “hard to work outside, eyes were watering, had to cover my nose. How are you going to work outside holding your nose shut? People say smoke is bad for your lungs. What about breathing this horrible air?” Hartland Farms is surface applying, for the second time, on the west side of Henning Hwy north of Beecher. Solids approx. 6-8 inches deep. Vreba Hoff II is applying liquid manure on cut hay at Prattville Road east of Lickley Rd. Also irrigating liquid manure on growing corn across from the facility. New Flevo Dairy was trying to incorporate on the east side of Skinner north of Rome Road, but couldn’t make it up the hill, too much weight.

Aug 11 – Another apparent manure discharge from Chesterfield Dairy, this time in Michigan. One neighbor reports that Chesterfield “had to bring two tankers to suck out a major manure runoff at the corner of Mulberry Road and the Sand Creek Highway. Chesterfield has been spraying manure … all day and the rain washed the manure into the nearby creek…I believe the DEQ has been called already, the police, the health department, the road commission, the MDA, probably other agencies.” Another neighbor writes, “AS DUSK APPROACHED THE STILLNESS CAME WITH IT. THERE HAS BEEN NON STOP LIQUID MANURE SPRAYED, THIS IS THE THIRD WEEK IN ALL OF 120 ACRES. IT FINALLY RAINED SO HARD THAT MANURE RAN OFF THIS ROLLING GROUND INTO THE DITCH, WHICH DUMPS INTO THE NILE WITHIN 40 YRDS. CHESTERFIELD DAIRY BARRICADED A CULVERT WITH A BLOWN UP BLADDER BALL 2 HRS.LATER. HUGE VACUUMS ARE SUCKING OUT THE POOL THAT IS BUILDING UP. STILL PUDDLES OF WATER THAT LAY AROUND THE DITCH SMELL LIKE MANURE TOO. NOW EVERYONE IS GONE THE DITCH IS FILLING UP AGAIN IT LOOKS AND SMELLS HORRENDOUS NOW ITS JUST LYING THERE NO ONE AROUND TO SUCK IT OUT MY 9 YR OLD COULDN’T TAKE THE SMELL ANY MORE AND THREW UP. WE WENT HOME DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.”

Aug 7 – another Furlough Friday – with Michigan agencies on mandatory furlough again, and guess what, major manure spraying and spreading, with another LONG delay in agency response to horrendous emissions. Chesterfield Dairy is still dumping manure at Mulberry and Sand Creek Hwy. A neighbor writes that Chesterfield, “has not tilled anything in yet. Aren’t they supposed to till in after 48 hours? This is the fourth day – We are getting sick.” Hartland Farms is still spreading the stockpiled heaps of manure along Beecher and along Dowling at Cadmus Rd. Fields are black, reeking. By evening, with no wind, the emissions and horrendous stink hang in the air for miles. Neighbors near Dowling had to shut all windows. “This is about the worst it’s ever been,” one neighbor reports. “It’s hard not to throw up.” With no agencies to respond until Monday, there’s no air monitoring, no protection for neighbors breathing the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, inhaling the fecal dust.

Hartland Farms spreading out stockpiles of manure, Beecher Rd, 8-7-09

Aug 5-6 – Chesterfield Dairy has been dumping liquid manure for days on Mulberry Road near the Sand Creek Highway. Earlier in the week a neighbor reported, “The stench is horrible and people nearby are unable to go outdoors. The smell is horrendous. I don’t understand why they are able to dump toxic waste into streams that feed River Raisin and dump more toxic waste next to our homes. I don’t understand why they are able to pollute our air and water, make us sick, keep us from working and playing outside. I don’t understand why they have more rights than we do…Why are they able to turn our area into a toxic waste dump?” Hartland Farms is still dumping solids in stockpiles (in violation of NPDES permit) on Beecher west of Morey, and again on Dowling just south of Cadmus. Trucks and manure haulers in the dry fields are raising thick dust clouds of particulates and fecal matter that drift over Beecher Rd, through residences, across properties 1 mi. downwind. Awful emissions all night, in all directions with no wind.

Dust clouds of particulates, fecal matter, across Beecher Rd – from Hartland Farms manure field, 8-6-09

Aug 5 – Hartland Farms continues spraying liquid manure and dumping solids. Horrendous emissions from black sprayfield along Beecher east of Henning Hwy and further east, before Morey Hwy, dumptrucks have heaped manure, load after load, in unplanted field. Dumptrucks also unloading heaps of Hartland manure on Dowling Hwy at Cadmus, third manure application on this one field in the last few weeks. Even driving by, the stench is horrific; neighbors on all sides of these fields are suffering, several report headaches, unable to open windows or work outside. Also today, Hoffland Farms is pivot irrigating liquid manure, west of the facility. 

Aug 4 – Blackwater in North Medina Drain, immediately downstream from Vreba-Hoff 1 fields. ECCSCM called DEQ Emergency hotline as possible discharge. At Vreba-Hoff 2 on US-127, field tile south of the facility is running gray water.

blackwater from North Medina Drain at Vreba-Hoff 1, 8-4-09; graywater from field tile along US-127 at Vreba-Hoff 2, 8-4-09

Aug 1-2 – Hartland Farms still spraying manure, dumping solids, and causing neighbors’ serious distress from emissions. Application east of the facility forced one neighbor to leave his home because of breathing problems; another reported sore throat, nausea, headache; and another removed a 16 mo. old baby from the home because emissions and stench were entering the home even through air-conditioning.

July 30 – Hartland Farms spraying liquid manure from tankers since early morning on Dowling mid-way between M-34 and Cadmus, and later, also spraying at corner of Dowling and Cadmus – on fields where manure applied previously. Fields are black; ponding at low end of field near Garrison Drain. Emissions are horrendous over several square miles E and NE of the field, with light wind from the W, SW. Family across from one field has small children; numerous elderly residents within a mile. “All my windows are shut, I can’t work outside. Horrible headache. The stench is unbearable. Unbreathable.”

7-30-09 – Tanker spraying Hartland Farms liquid manure; same field, black with manure ponding in low area adjacent to Garrison Drain (Bean/Tiffin Watershed)

July 16-17 – Ohio EPA reports major manure discharge and fish kill at Chesterfield Dairy (see main page for photos). Hartland Farms is pivot-gunning liquid manure along Hughes, near new lagoon, over Henning Drain. Terrible emissions, airborne particles, neighbors report feeling sick, suffering light-headedness. Just east of Hudson, Briskey trucks, one after another, are dumping Vreba-Hoff manure in heaps on cut wheat field across from Hi-Lex along M-34. Rank, intense emissions.

July 10 – Hartland Farms emissions are unbearable, in several directions, as wind shifted throughout the day – from spray application on no crop, north of Beecher Rd, south of Posey Lake. One neighbor writes, “It’s a warm night, and I had to shut every window in the house. Horrible eye-burning smell. I pity animals, having to breathe in the open, on a night like this.”

July 8 – Bad day for breathing at several locations. Numerous reports of continued “horrible dumping” by Chesterfield Dairy at Mulberry and Sand Creek Hwy. One neighbor writes, “We are experiencing burning eyes, unable to breathe outside because of the toxic fumes…So much for having our grandchildren or anyone else come to visit and play outside.” Another neighbor reports, “I noticed something in the field I’ve never saw before, about 10 turkey vultures around a low lying area with water. I was curious as to what attracted them, so I walked over. I found a fairly large piece of hide and large bones sprawled throughout the field. This section is some 300ft from the road and these items not readily visible. Also large numerous pieces of plastic sheeting (visqueen), white on one side and black on the other. In Michigan is this permissible to have animal parts laying in a field and dump your plastic sheeting? I’ve never known farmers that wanted plastic sheeting in their fields. After a few years it’ll look like a dump.”
Elsewhere, massive surface application of liquid waste by Hartland Farms along Beecher Rd west of Morey Hwy. “There are two semi tankers hauling to a tractor and tanker. Solids are being hauled seperately. This field has not been planted. The wind is out of the NE today putting us directly downwind. We were working outside today on our farm and will have to retreat to the house or leave due to emissions. We do not have air conditioning. My laundry will have to come off the clothesline and be rewashed, I do not have a dryer. My granddaughter cannot come over. I already have a headache, have a raspy voice, coughing, burning sinuses, dizzy, sore throat. My husband has had a quadruple by pass in the past 7 months.” And at Lime Lake, near White hog facility and Vreba-Hoff, “The putrid emissions just creep into every spot they can find in the early morning air. If it were visible, I am sure it would look like a blanket covering the entire area. You can’t hide from it outdoors. Not a day has gone by in the past 3 weeks without the need to close my windows or apologize to my guests about the foul emissions they were forced to breath if they wanted to try to enjoy some of the nicest and longest days of the summer.”

July 6 – Monday (state agency furlough day) – Neighbors near Bruinsma Dairy on Mulberry Rd report that “at about 11pm we were inside our house with all the windows open, suddenly there was a terrible smell of manure. It made our noses burn and our eyes water. Our whole house was flooded with the stench of manure in a matter of a couple of minutes. We quickly closed all of our windows. The smell outside is even worse. There is no way anyone could be outside right now. The stench is unbearable.” Are they applying at night? Also along Mulberry, Chesterfield Dairy (Lyons, OH) has been hauling to Michigan and spreading at Mulberry and Sand Creek. Vreba-Hoff is spray-irrigating liquid manure on soy beans near the facility, black circles, west and east of US-127; also surface-appying at several locations along Acker Rd north and south of Donnelly. Emissions terrible for families all along Acker, Donnelly.

July 1-5 – Against recommendations for odor control, immediately before the 4th of July holiday (a state holiday tomorrow July 3/also MDA and DEQ state employee furlough on Monday, that will be 4 days without agency response) – Hartland Farms has been spraying tanker after tanker of liquid manure for 2 days on their property on Dowling Hwy south of Beecher Rd. Neighbors in six residences are getting downwind emissions today (July2), intense, nauseating, “really horrible.” One house is right at the edge of the field on Dowling, others within 3/4mi. Also, Hartland Farms is still hauling solids to field at Dowling and Cadmus (same place as last week–see entry below); no incorporation. And — still more– Hartland Farms is spraying manure on cut hay field east of Hughes, south of Beecher. Guess they’ll dump everything everywhere this holiday weekend.

June 24-27 – Putrid, “sickening” emissions downwind from Hartland Farms application of solids/sludge at Dowling and Cadmus Rds. Temps in the 90’s, high humidities, putrescent air–”shut all the windows tight and thank god IF you have air conditioning. Pity anybody who doesn’t,” one neighbor says.

June 24 – Emissions reported from New Flevo applying liquid manure on field west of Seneca, north of Plank. Also stench at both Vreba-Hoff facilities, with numerous travel irrigators spraying on saturated fields, two irrigators across from Vreba-Hoff 2 facility on US-127 (“it stinks to high heaven in Hudson this morning”) and north of Vreba-Hoff 1 on Dillon.

June 5 – Hartlands Farms draglining, again, south of Beecher, east of Hughes. Stench also reported from New Flevo manure application.

May 23 – 25 – Bakerlads applying the entire holiday weekend west of Morey, north side of Cadmus, then planted directly into the waste, no incorporation. The field drains to South Branch of the River Raisin. Nearby resident reports they could not be outside with guests from out of state “due to emissions from animal waste…The emissions caused headache, nausea, sore throat, burning sinuses.” 

May 6 – horrible emissions continue from Bruinsma manure spraying. Manure-haulers are still going non-stop over the field at Seneca and Weston, tankers spraying liquid manure and also dry-haulers kicking out solids. A large field along Ridgeville is also black and wet with manure, completely around and behind one residence. Terrible particulate matter over several square miles– from the spray, fecal dust, field dust, road dust. “It’s eye-watering. The place looks as bad as it feels. My voice went hoarse within a few minutes.”

May 5 – Email to ECCSCM reports, “Horrendous stench in several areas: spraying liquid manure/spreading manure, field is black, hard to breathe, at Seneca Hwy and Weston Rd.” That’s Bruinsma territory. Many other CAFOs are spraying today, emissions are terrible all over – from Bakerlads, New Flevo, Hoffland, Vreba-Hoff, Hartland Farms.

May 4 – Bakerlads draglining east of the facility near standing water. Strong emissions.

April 28 – “Strong feces odor today. 8 on scale of 10,” resident reports from Lime Lake, downwind from Vreba-Hoff.

April 26 – Stench from Vreba-Hoff on US-127 “almost unbearable.” A neighbor reports his wife has respiratory problems and the emissions ‘compounds it greatly.”

April 24 – Hartland Farms, second manure application within a week, same location, south of Beecher east side of Hughes. One neighbor had company, strong winds out of the southwest. “Had to close doors and windows, sickly emissions.” Another neighbor stopped by, “sat there ten minutes and became nauseated, dizzy, headache, sore throat and burning sinuses.”

April 19 – stench hanging in the air from Hartland Farms manure application near off of Hughes and Cadmus, “eyes watered on the way to the bird feeder, it was that bad,” one neighbor reported. Another neighbor on Beecher Rd reported emissions “were so bad that we could no longer walk with our one year old granddaughter in her stroller on our property. My husband is recovering from open heart surgery and part of his rehab is walking. The emissions were so unbearable that he could not take the risk of walking on the back of our farm in fear for his health.”

Feb 23 – Hoffland Farms spraying manure on snow-covered fields, sw of facility. Freezing now, Monday, 24 degrees, but thaw predicted by Wednesday.

Jan 5 – stench from Hartland Farms application on frozen ground at Beecher and Hughes. Field is black, no incorporation.

2008

Nov 5 – Vreba Hoff stench from application at Packard and Bothwell; Chesterfield CAFO is draglining on State Line Farms, Morenci.

November 3 – ferocious stench west of Hudson along M-34 near Elm, Vreba-Hoff; still stinks from Bakerlad application north of Clayton, Morey and Beecher.

end of October, horrendous emissions in many locations, with warm dry weather and liquid waste applications throughout the area, including — Oct 23, Hartland Farms applying with no incorporation south of the facility east and west of Hughes; no incorporation from application almost two weeks ago south of Beecher east of Hughes on harvested corn stalks. A neighbor called about stench, north side of Plank Road west of Hughes near Little Posey Lake, the field is not in Hartland CNMP. Vreba Hoff hauling east on Ridgeville Road. New Flevo hauling west on Plank Road probably to corner of Forrester and Posey Lake according to phone call. Bakerlad Farms applied to the corner of Morey and Beecher, still no incorporation after a week. Oct 31, sharp, nauseating emissions near Wheeler and M-34.

Oct 1 – Vreba-Hoff spraying liquid manure, tanker after tanker, on field adjacent to illegally drained wetland, east of Hudson on M-34 opposite Hi-Lex.

Sept 27 – Awful emissions from Vreba-Hoff liquid waste application upslope of Posey Lake. Residents downwind are suffering “horrible” stench, “eye-watering, sickening” emissions.

Sept 10 – Terrible emissions reported from Bakerlads spraying manure on Cadmus Rd field, next to South Branch of the River Raisin.

Sept 3 – in 94 degree heat, just before heavy rains, stench was horrible downwind from Hartland Farms. One neighbor reports, “had to shut all the windows, even in that heat.”

month of August – Lime Lake residents endured almost a month of stench and disruption to family and work life from Vreba-Hoff spray-irrigating starting from the first week of August. One Wright Twp resident writes, “clearly the GAAMPS are not working but harming families exposed to 7 years of massive amounts of liquid cow manure and by products.” 

Aug 22-23 – “Nauseating stench” in Pittsford Twp from liquid manure applied on fields on M-34. Local farmer writes that the stench “disrupted nursery work, halting preparations for plant sales until emissions dissipated.”

Aug 14 – Hartland Farms is now dumping waste from large dump trucks, heaps of manure in the middle of the same field on Dowling where liquid waste has been sprayed since July 31. Email report from Fairfield Twp —Chesterfield Dairy is still hauling, “continuous spreading of manure …for 3-4 weeks and they have made no effort to work it into the ground. There is a 40 acre field on Lyons Hwy. about a quarter of a mile south of Weston Road on the east side and another field just south of this field at the Mulberry Rd. / Lyons Hwy. intersection and also on Morse Hwy. off of Mulberry Rd. I thought that they were suppose to have rules to work this into the ground within 48 hours? I have been told that they are paying the farmers, going along with this pollution, $400 per acre to spread the manure and will also contract with them to buy the crops raised on these fields for additional money, is this true? I know we farmers have had a rough time and this money may make the difference in some cases of continuing to farm, but at what cost to our health and our neighborhoods.”

Aug 12 – Hillsdale Co resident driving from Adrian emails, “Driving home at 10 pm tonight I experienced nauseating stench that filled the car on 34 and Cadmus and nauseating stench filled car again on 34 and Dowling. I got sick to my stomach the second time and still feel nauseated after being home for a half hour.” Also, report from a resident of Posey Lake tonight that stench from manure has been “nonstop for two weeks. One woman’s son said the water smelled like manure when he went swimming even though it was coming from the air.” When will DEQ take over air quality enforcement? MDA does nothing and has no monitoring equiment or expertise. The state has abdicated its responsibility to the people of Michigan who live in rurual areas, writes one area resident. “WE pay taxes too! We pay your salaries and you let us breathe air that makes us sick. If an oil well spewed out hydrogen sulfide that made people sick you’d be all over them but if it’s Vreba Hoff or Hartland Farms or Bruinsma or Hoffland or Flevo or any of the 200 plus CAFOs in Michigan you ignore it. You allow them to harm children and old people.”

Aug 11 – intense emissions at numerous locations — Forrister & Hawkins, where 2 CAFOs are applying waste on the same field — Hartland Farms spraying liquid manure,New Flevo dumping solids. New Flevo also applying at Hoddinot & Forrister. Hartland is spraying several additional fields: from a gun-irrigator west of Hughes, norht of the facility; east of Hughes north of Cadmus; and at the corner of Cadmus & Hughes on wheat stubble. No incorporation. Hartland has STILL NOT INCORPORATED waste on Dowling near M-34. Hoffland Farms is pivot-irrigating waste between dikes of lagoons, awful stench at Haley & Wheeler. Vreba-Hoff stench from travel irrigator spraying on Acker — part of the field drains to Bean Creek, part to Durfee Lake–and spraying across the road from the Dillon facility, a field which also drains to Durfee Lake.

Aug 9 – Emissions from Marvin Farms waste, along M-34 from Beecher to Cadmus. “It was nauseating and spread close to several houses.” Also continuing “putrid and nauseating” stench from Hartland Farms waste on Dowling, same as all week–the field is now black, “spread near several houses, some with young children.”

Aug 8 – emails on CAFO stench come in from around Michigan, including this from the Port Austin, Lake Huron area: “very bad, ammonia-like stench from large cafo in Port Austin, Michigan (just east of the town, near Pointe aux Barques road) blowing toward residential area of Pointe aux Barques nightly, and in the early morning, when breezes off of Lake Huron die down. one wakes up in the middle of the night and as one person said, ‘they could taste it’ in the air, throughout July and August of 2008.”

Aug 7 – STILL terrible stench along M-34 east of Hudson from Hartland Farms‘ waste-spraying on Dowling, 4th day in a row, constant tanker traffic on the dirt road, dust & particulates as well as emissions. On US-127 south of Hudson, drivers report stench at Vreba-Hoff facility from Squawfield Rd to Donelly. Keep driving south, it doesn’t get better — emissions from manure application near Hartley Rd.

Aug 5 – “Putrid, nauseating” emissions drifting over US-127 from Vreba-Hoff liquid waste irrigation booms in fields south and north of the facility. Also, voters in Hudson Twp had to breathe foul emissions at the Grange Hall voting station, stench from Hartland Farms waste-dumping on Dowling Hwy — still dumping (since July 31).

Aug 4 – “Had to shut the windows, stop the breeze, which wasn’t breathable. Awful pollution coming into the house,” a resident reports from Hudson Twp near Dowling and M-34. Emissions from Hartland Farms waste on Dowling, from Vreba-Hoff at Posey Lake & Lawrence Rds. Also Vreba-Hoff waste application across from the US-127 facility. Marvin Farms is pivot-irrigating waste — just rained this morning, more rain predicted tonight. Near Morenci, west of M-156 on Ridgeville, State Line has been hauling hog waste for a week, neighbors report, still hauling today — “unbearable” stench, emissions.

Aug 2 – emissions continue along Beecher Rd east of Hughes from Hartland Farms liquid waste.

July 31 – Stench alerts from Ohio to Michigan today as many CAFOs haul liquid manure to cut wheat and hay fields. Severe pollution with the heat, dust, aerosolized waste, particulates. No incorporation of waste is required on hay fields — the mess will sit there and pollute the air, harm residents’ health for days. Hartland Farms is hauling on cut hay along Beecher Rd east of Hughes; one resident must stay indoors, in air conditioning, with oxygen. Lenawee Health Dept. has been notified. Hartland Farms is also hauling tanker after tanker to cut wheat field on Dowling Hwy near M-34. Vreba-Hoff is knifing in liquid waste at US-127 and Beecher, a new application field, upslope from St. Joseph Creek, a tributary of Bean Creek, where several native mussel species of “special concern” have been documented. Chesterfield Dairy is “dumping again today” in Michigan, on cut wheat field on Mulberry between Morse and Lyons Hwys. A resident on Sand Creek Hwy reports pathetic corn crop in a field where “Chesterfield Dairy dumped tremendous amounts of waste” [see May 22 entry below]. The corn in said field pales in comparison to a field of corn planted without Chesterfield’s waste. It’s stunted in height, irregular throughout its 100+ acres, some stalks show little or no corn husks. I’ve never seen a poorer corn crop. I’m not any kind of expert but I saw how much “fertilizer” they applied and my conclusion is that it was far too much, burning the soil. I don’t know who, if anyone can use this info to highlight the fact that this is pure waste disposal and not farming.”

July 28-31 – Chesterfield Dairy in Lyons, Ohio “started hauling liquid waste Monday July 28 from daylight until dusk” to a field on the east side of Lyons Hwy, south of Weston Rd across from Hayes Road. “They have hauled for 4 day straight and are still hauling [July 31],” a resident reports.

July 23 – Emissions alert for Lime Lake. Vreba-Hoff stench. Resident reports, “I cannot open the windows. Don’t know if the odor is from the shit pits or they are doing something else.”

July 16 – 21 – numerous reports of stench, emissions from fields where liquid manure is being sprayed on cut wheat or hay, also from facilities and lagoons during this stretch of hot, humid weather: Hartland Farms along Cadmus Rd, Bruinsma on Mulberry Rd, Waldron/Vreba-Hoff at Camden and US-127, Vreba-Hoff 2 on US-127, Marvin Farms,Bakerlads facility. And, of course, Vreba-Hoff still hauling and spraying tankers of liquids along M-34, same as below.

July 16 – “horrendous emissions” reported by residents near the intersection of M-34 and M-156, with Vreba-Hoff hauling tankers of manure, one after another, and spraying onto a cut field.

May 22 – horror stories from residents along Sand Creek Hwy who testified at a CAFO hearing in Hudson and reported intense emissions, day after day for a month — dust, airborne fecal particles, sickening stench inside their houses — from Chesterfield Dairy in Lyons, OH, hauling to several fields in Michigan. Fields were spread with liquid waste for 11 days in late April and early May, then again this week. Neighbors report sore throats, headaches, nausea from an inversion holding the emissions over their houses. Some animals were sickened. Most days 4-5 waste haulers were operating, 6 a.m. to dusk. Both fields are upslope of Nile Creek, which drains to Black Creek and the River Raisin.Chesterfield also hauled liquid waste to Seneca Twp, to a field crossed by Sanborn Drain which flows to Silver Creek and Bean/Tiffin/Maumee watershed. Again, 4-5 tractors and waste tankers were operating for 8 days straight.

May 5 – emissions from Hartland Farms surface application of animal waste on Hughes Hwy south of Beecher Road is “unbearable,” a neighbor writes. “We had to stop farming because of the emissions. I instantly had burning sinuses, headache, sore throat, cough.”

April 25 – manure-spraying all over the place, emissions coming from many directions. In warm high winds, the stench seeps and gathers in many residents’ houses, causing headaches, watery eyes, dizziness. At Hudson City limits, ferocious stench from Vreba-Hoff applications on Munson Hwy, just south of M-34. East of Hudson, “I couldn’t work in the garden, had to leave the house, the stink just got worse and worse in there.” West of Hudson, Nye Rd and M-34, Vreba-Hoff/Waldron manure reeks. Residents across the road have been suffering for days, “It just makes you sick.” North of Hudson, Bleich is draglining both sides of US 127. Northeast of Hudson, Hartland Farms is applying on Glen Hill Hwy north of Forrester Road, draglining north of Plank Rd, north of the facility, south of facility, south of Beecher east of Hughes, north of Cadmus; and New Flevo is draglining from 4 semis on Rome Road east of Glen Hill. Near Clayton, Hoffland is draglining northeast of facility near Tomer and Whaley Roads, and Bakerlads is applying east of Morey south of Beecher Road. Also, Vreba Hoff I applying along Canandaigua Road, and along Packard south side east of Hughes. Chesterfield Dairy from Ohio is still applying on Clement Hwy in Michigan.

April 23 – horrendous stench in several areas: Bakerlads spraying liquid manure, field is black, hard to breathe, at Beecher and Morey Hwy. “Feculent stench” on Union Rd. from 7:30 pm on from Vreba Hoff/Waldron Dairy spreading liquid manure on the corner of Nye and M 34 on the south side of the road. Neighbor reports, “All the trees on the property line have been cut down in the last several months and the remaining tree limbs have been burning today and into this evening adding to the visible air pollution. It’s an amazing look at modern agriculture, burning trees and liquid waste all on the same fields. It’s only going to get worse when Waldron becomes as large as Vreba Hoff 1 and 2. Same owners, same shit. Windows had to be closed to keep it out of the house as much as possible. We were unable to sit outside and enjoy this fine spring evening due to stench. This is a great way to devitalize the rural areas.”

week of April 14 – neighbors report Chesterfield Dairy in Lyons, OH (which receives Vreba-Hoff manure) is transporting manure back to Michigan, spraying in Seneca Twp. Numerous complaints from residents to ECCSCM and local officials.

April 12, 13 – with north wind, intense stench from Vreba-Hoff reaching Lime Lake residents. “It’s happening again…” one email says, “…rancid emissions.”

March 3 – rain started late morning. Almost immediately, Hartland Farms manure was discharging to Bear Creek from Hughes Hwy application, Bakerlads manure was discharging to South Branch of the River Raisin from Cadmus & Morey application, road is flooded, and Bakerlads are still spreading, in the rain.

March 2 – with rain and snowmelt predicted for tomorrow, numerous CAFO applications of waste, including Bakerlad Farms s. side of Cadmus w. of Morey; Marvin Farms along Beecher w. of Benner Hwy near pond. On Saturday March 1, Chesterfield Dairy was stockpiling waste with dump trucks at corner of Mulberry and Sand Creek Hwy (property recently purchased by Midwest Ag Investments LLC, with the address at the Vreba-Hoff office in Wauseon Ohio). Last week, Hartland Farms applied waste east side of Hughes north of Cadmus.

Feb 21 – Hartland Farms applying manure on frozen ground east side of Huges, north of Cadmus. The field drains to Bear Creek, Lake Hudson.

Feb 7 – Lyons, OH, just east of CR-M and CR-13, manure sprayed on frozen, flooded ground. Notes from neighbors: “There was a mountain of megacrap stacked up in the center of the field”… “Recently learned the megamanure is being sprayed onto the field while the tractor drives through the ponded water on the field – i.e. the flooded frozen field. For the last two days there has been major flooding across the northern portion of the State (Ohio). Hancock County has issued a Level 3 advisory which means NO ONE is allowed to enter the county (due to the flooding). Presently there are several major rivers that are 5′ above flood stage level. Blanchard River, Tiffin River, Maumee River, Portage River. Also River Raisin in Michigan, and St. Joseph River (originating in Indiana) are also above flood levels.”

2007

Nov 19 through Thanksgiving – stench from Bakerlads surface application of slurry/solids on soybean stubble with no incorporation. Waste within 50 feet of several homes, Skinner and Plank Rds. — “about as unneighborly as a farmer can get to do this to neighbors the week of thanksgiving. Instead of celebrating the harvest, [they] had to endure toxic waste.” Application resulted in a discharge to the South Branch of the River Raisin.

Nov 5 – Veteran’s Day holiday – DEQ out of office, Waldron Dairy hauling in RAIN, Packard and Munson.

Nov 3 – Hartland Farms spreading with semis at Dowling and Beecher, not incorporated after 3 days. Stench downwind.

Oct 10 – beautiful cool fall day & “it’s impossible to work outside downwind” from Hartland Farms manure DUMPING, huge heaps in the field dumped from dump trucks at M-34 and Dowling. Dump trucks are hauling load after load, Hughes to Cadmus to Dowling, driving into the center of the field, dumping heaps. This stench and dumping repeats the unforgivable mess of last year, bottom-of-the-lagoon, worst foulness & putrescence imaginable (same truck-dumping on the same field — see Sept. 15, 16, 2006 entry & photos below).

Oct 9 – horrendous emissions from Hartland Farms waste application along Beecher at Hughes –“terrible stink came right in the car, stank bad for at least 2 miles, had to open the windows and drive another 2 miles to air out the car. Think of the people living near that field. Who could breathe? Don’t we have the right to breathe anymore?”

Sept 29 – Waldron Dairy spraying waste east of US-127 along Ridgeville Rd.  Intense emissions in that vicinity.

Sept 26-28 – Bakerlads STILL (see Sept 22-23) spraying the field at the corner of Beecher and Morey Hwy.  Horrible emissions, one house completely surrounded by black fields.

Sept 24 – Hartland Farms spraying all over the place: at Dowling and M-34 AGAIN (see July 13, July 25-26). Awful emissions downwind. Dowling Hwy pulverized to sand pits at several locations from the heavy hauling and dry conditions. Also spreading east of Hughes south of Beecher and surface applying at the corner of Henning and Beecher. Bruinsmaapplying liquid waste with drag line on NE corner of Seneca and Ridgeville.  Vreba-Hoff tractor with yellow manure tanker at the top of the satellite lagoon on Packard between and 7 and 7:30 this evening. Putting in or taking out? All this spreading right before a rain, go figure. New Flevo has surface applied on the south side of Forrester Road from Wilkinson Hwy all the way to the facility, almost a 1/2 mile. Also surface applying south side of Forrester east of Hawkins Hwy. Bakerlads is surface applying again (see Aug 13 below) northwest corner of Beecher and Morey, also southeast corner of Cadmus and Morey.

Sept 22-24 – massive manure hauling, silage hauling along US-127 by Vreba-Hoff, stirs up clouds of fine particulates, fecal dust, stench for many square miles. The CAFO facility is shrouded in dust. Temp is near 90 on Monday, dry weather. Semis & tankers & manure-haulers barreling fast, back and forth on dusty dirt roads to the US-127 facility–industrial trucking–causes serious air pollution. No one monitors the particulates.  Neighbors have been breathing foul dust and particulates, day after day.

Sept 22-23 – Bakerlads surface applying liquid waste at the northwest corner of Beecher and Morey, no incorporation–“ponded near road and major stench.” Also applying southeast corner of Cadmus and Morey Hwy, surface application with no incorporation.

Sept 22 – Hartland Farms spreading starting at 11:30am north of Beecher west of Henning Hwy. 
Neighbor says, “It is sad that my son will have to come home to the stench of cowshit on his wedding night.”  Also Vreba-Hoff is applying solids, which appears to be sand laden manure, south of Squawfield and east of Tuttle. A Lime Lake resident reports, “Many, many loads. Quite a nasty odor for those downwind.” Bill White Farm is spreading liquids just south of VH-2 and east of Elm.

Sept 19-22 – Bleich Farms applying along US-127 makes driving by a breathing hazard. Also Marvin Farms along Beecher, manure sprayed on hayfield is black, not incorporated, stench hangs in the air.

Sept 15 – stench from Hartland Farms application north of Beecher. “Awful. Windows closed…air is heavy.”

Aug 1 – 92 degrees, extreme high humidity, air is steamy and still -HORRIBLE day for manure emissions, at multiple locations: Hartland Farms applying along Beecher east of Dowling, and on Dowling Hwy as well. Everybody downwind has to shut windows, no matter how hot, and it is HOT, STIFLING. Stagnant toxic air 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. CAFOS are NOT good neighbors. This lack of care for neighbors’ health is irresponsible, negligent, immoral. It’s making people sick. Is that an “acceptable” agricultural practice?  Vreba-Hoff 1 is spraying on hayfield at Packard and Bothwell; New Flevo surface-applying on Plank Rd east of Benner; State Line applying on Ridgville east of Dodge.

July 25 -26 – intense emissions at several locations: 3 ppm hydrogen sulfide at Chesterfield Dairy after days of application south of the facility; emissions from Hartland Farms application on Dowling Hwy at M-34, stink in the wind, through the windows, a neighbor “stuffed towels under the door, it didn’t help.” More Hartland Farms stench from manure along Dowling just south of Beecher, and also west of Morey Hwy on Cadmus; stench from Vreba-Hoff application west of Hudson on M-34 near Nye Rd; Vreba-Hoff 1 is hauling into Ohio on County Rd T, applying on Waldron Dairy property. Waldron Dairy is applying at Broom Rd and US-127.

July 23 – stench along Beecher Road east of Dowling from Hartland Farms surface application.

July 20-21 – Days of stench from Vreba-Hoff – neighbor 1/2 mi. away reports “Lime Lake in Hillsdale County and everything southwest of Acker Hwy and Donnelly [Lenawee County] reeks of feces and ammonia. Instant headache from the foulness. Vreba Hoff is surface applying on cut hay. Emissions can be detected as far as Tuttle and Burt Rd. more than 5 miles away. So much for the good neighbor policy.”  Emissions affecting neighbors of State Line Farms on Saturday.

July 17 – Lime Lake residents suffering from Vreba-Hoff stench. “The emissions…are trespassing into my home from a mile away. No spreading appears to be happening so it appears to be coming from the lagoons.”

July 13, Friday the 13th – bad luck, Hartland Farms emissions are worse than two previous days from liquid waste application, Dowling Hwy. Early morning, very still air, “emissions have settled over the whole area.” Neighbors feel dizzy, nauseated, eyes watering; forced to leave the house. “Even with all the windows shut all night, the stench seeps in…Where can people go for a day, two days, three days? and still do their own work, make their own living? — will MDA set up shelters for victims of this environmental injustice?”  Noon, slight breeze, Hartland Farms begin waste application on wheat stubble on another field, other end of Dowling Hwy at M-34.

July 11- 13 – Chesterfield Dairy – the “stench of 1,750 cows! PU! PU! PU! All day long (sunrise/sunset and into the night)… thanks to the westward winds. (I guess the flies are still looking for the dung here, it’s strong.) It’s great to have such wonderful neighbors.”

July 11 – heat finally broke, a cool wind from the northwest blowing in – Hartland Farms stench! sickening emissions from tanker-application on wheat stubble, Dowling Hwy south of Beecher. “Awful stink, it’s making me gag…had to close all the north windows, and that cut the cooling to the whole house.”  Terrahaven Farms CAFO, Wolf Creek Hwy, Adrian, application so intense neighbor reports “trouble breathing…sinuses started to swell, called the doctor.”

July 3-4 – Chesterfield Dairy “Fly Infestation. So many flies outside. It’s a race to the door to see who gets in first… us or them. Thanks, again.”  On the 4th, “No, that’s not the BBQ you smell… that’s cow dung blowing and cooking in the hot summer air. Celebrate! Celebrate! Would you watch the food and keep the flies off it. Thanks. The neighbors would have felt right at home here. (I killed 8 flies inside the house today… the shiny “green backed” variety. Some were full of maggot eggs).”

June 29-July3 – Another holiday, another seige of stench.  Want to picnic near a CAFO?  On the 29th, Chesterfield Dairy “Moo-Poo has taken over our house ! So strong ! … it has invaded the privacy of our home.
It is ‘thick’… undiluted, it has overcome the backyard and entered into our home through the window screens.
We were watching tv that night when it ‘entered’ the livingroom. By then most of the house was filled with the smell.So offensive, we had to close the windows and doors ! (It made us gag.) The gift that keeps on giving! Merry Christmas !”  A neighbor of Vreba-Hoff 2 writes, “emissions have been plaguing us since Saturday [June 30]. Open window. Close window. Woke up this morning with our home smelling like sh–.”   Vreba-Hoff 1 applying waste, for the 3rd time, at Canandaigua and Ingall. Hoffland pivot-irrigating over the dike north of the facility.

June 28 – strong emissions from State Line Farms, neighbors suffering, called DEQ.

June 27- rain on the horizon, horrendous stench NE of Vreba-Hoff 1, Medina Rd & Ingall Hwy. Emissions continue along Beecher near Hughes from Hartland Farms applicaiton.

June 26 – hot and humid, temps in 90s, it stinks all over the place. Massive manure applications at numerous locations before predicted rainfall:Vreba Hoff I and Vreba Hoff IIsurface applying on cut hay ground, north side of the South Medina Drain, an impaired stream, at Vreba Hoff I facility. Hartland Farms surface applying on cut hay ground on the west side of Hughes Hwy south of Beecher Rd over the Henning Drain near the open waterway. Field is black. Hydrogen sulfide meter registered 3ppm at a neighbor’s residence.

June 25 – Hartland Farms surface applying liquid animal waste on Cadmus Rd west of Morey Hwy 1/4 mile on cut hay ground near the south branch of the River Raisin; Hoffland Dairy pivot irrigating south of the earthen lagoons on growing corn west of the facility;New Flevo Dairy applying liquid animal waste to the northeast of the facility.

June 20-23 – three days and three nights of extreme emissions reaching Lime Lake residents from Vreba-Hoff at US-127.  One neighbor writes on Friday, “Tonight is really bad, coming through closed windows in the house…” DEQ notified.

June 19, 20, 21 – Chesterfield Dairy — “Strong Odor of Moo-Poo in the afternoon air all three days.”

June 14 – horrendous Vreba-Hoff emissions continue for 4th day for neighbors south of the facility and Lime Lake area — one neighbor wrote to local representatives, “I hope you all are enjoying the nice weather. I am now in day 4 of being unable to open windows or go outside…I wish there were “scratch and sniff” emails so you could experience what my family and neighbors have been going through for the past 80 hrs.” Neighbors of State Line Farms, Morenci, also report serious emissions from the (unathorized) hog barns at Ridgeville and M-156..

June 13 – hot dry weather continues. Stench is “unbearable” at numerous locations, including southwest of Hartland Farms along Beecher, and southwest of Vreba-Hoff 2manure application along US-127. One neighbor writes: CAFO Riddle: How much animal waste can a CAFO spread on a single field?  Answer: Apparently as much as they want. Here is VH 2 spreading yet more waste on the field across from the facility…They are also spreading liquids on the field just east of this field. The northeast wind is making thisunbearable at my home. No incorporation is taking place.”
 
6-13-07 Vreba-Hoff spreading untreated solids, third time in a month, on this field at US-127.

June 12 – “Today’s stench is overwhelming,” one neighbor of Vreba-Hoff writes.”Today we cannot open our windows or even go outside without being choked by the gagging emissions.”

June 11 – “horrendous” – northeast winds blowing Vreba-Hoff stench, emissions to Lime Lake neighbors. More CAFO stench near Bakerlads. A neighbor reports, “When I came home I had left the windows open getting the fresh air into the house. I was wrong! The whole house smells like cowsh–. I had to take the fan from the window (we don’t have air conditioning) We can’t eat outside on our porch because the stench is horrendous.”

June 7 – a beautiful summer morning? Guess again. It looks that way, but open the door — you’re hit with a wall of stink if you’re north of Vreba-Hoff 1.  Breeze is from the south, and neighbors have to change outdoor plans: “can’t mow yard, can’t work in the garden, can’t open the south windows! What’s his sh– doing on our property? Call it what it is — trespass.”

June 2 – another summer weekend, very hot and humid – intermittent thunderstorms. CAFOs are out in force, however, in spite of rain, in spite of forecast of 1/2″ or more rain.  Stench, emissions are interfering with outdoor activities in many locations. Stench over several square miles, as far as four miles away from Vreba-Hoff 1 on Dillon, from massive manure applications all around wetlands south of the facility, along Durfee Creek (where spray-irrigation was prohibited following discharges to the impaired stream);also at Territorial and US-127, again. Foul solids being applied, again, along US-127 (some falling onto the roadway again) from Vreba-Hoff 2. Stench also from Hoffland spray-irrigating liquid manure near the dike along Haley. And New Flevo is applying solids on hay west of the facility.

May 31 – stench and emissions “horrendous” from CAFOs in this heat (90 degrees, high humidity). “Air stinks” on Packard, south of Vreba-Hoff 1 facility. Liquid manure applications, emissions continue at many locations: Vreba-Hoff at Territorial and US 127 as well as along Ridgeville east of US-127. Bakerlads along Morey Hwy; Marvins at Benner and M-34.

May 30 – strong manure emissions from Bakerlads application along Morey Hwy; also extreme emissions from State Line (neighbors called DEQ PEAS Hotline), with ECCSCM hydrogen sulfide meter registering 3 ppm. Vreba-Hoff also applying near the Ohio border, Territorial and US-127.

May 24 – Vreba-Hoff 1 surface-spraying liquid manure along Medina Rd on a cut hay field, so this manure will not be incorporated at all. There’s a high wind, temp in the 90’s, erosolized emissions, stench – for miles.
  
5-24-07 Vreba-Hoff spraying manure in high wind, temp in the 90’s – horrible emissions

May 21 – unbelievably putrescent gag-ifying animal waste application (“composted” dead cow goo?) along US-127 opposite Vreba-Hoff 2 facility. Applying as late as 9:30 p.m. Passersby report “instant headache, nausea.”   “It smells like corpses, a field of rotting corpses…What are they putting in there?” 

May 18 – intense emissions from Vreba-Hoff Waldron Dairy (formerly Mericam) draglining at US-127 and Camden Rd. Field is black, “appalling” eye-watering stink. Stench along Packard, Dillon Hwy, from Vreba-Hoff 1 (for residents who can get their cars through the “impassable” areas, gouged by Vreba-Hoff manure haulers).
 
May 18, 2007 – Packard Road

May 10 – hot & humid, extreme stench at Lime Lake from Vreba-Hoff, and along US-127 at Bleich CAFO.

May 3 – high winds, dry air, and stench affecting residents over many square miles, including horrific State Line stench north of Morenci at Ridgeville–neighbors called DEQ Air Division; Hartland Farms emissions continue from Hughes Hwy application; and “nauseating” emissions from Bakerlads application on Beecher at Morey.

May1 – Stench for several miles downwind from Hartland Farms manure application along Hughes Hwy.

April 20-21 – Bruinsma Dairy applying animal waste along Dodge Hwy, Ridgeville Rd. Neighbors report there was so much dust and particulate matter in the air they “could not stand to be outside and it was getting into the house.” One family with a year-old baby visiting grandparents in the area had to leave because of the stench.  Many other CAFOsapplying waste in hot, dry weather the last two days, creating a haze of fecal dust, serious emissions causing headaches, burning sinuses, sore throats, dizziness, nausea. 
 
4-21-07 – intense emissions, suspended particulates, fecal dust,from Bruinsma manure application 

April 20 – stench at Lime Lake just south of Vreba-Hoff on US-127.

Easter Weekend, April 7-9 – holiday manure applications, all over the place: Hartland Farms on
west side of Glen Hill Hwy north of Forrister Rd, surface application on harvested soybean field; Hoffland Dairy on Wheeler Hwy south of Tomer Road; Bleich Dairy on west side of US-127, north of Beecher Road; New Flevo Dairy on north side of Forrister Road just west of facility, heavy liquid surface application, and also south side of Forrister Road just west of facility, steaming solids application; Vreba Hoff II on east side of Acker Hwy north of Donnelly Rd, also corner of Morenci Hwy and US-127; Vreba Hoff I on north side of Canandaigua Road east of Ingall Hwy; Chesterfield Dairy, neighbor notes: “PHEW! Strong manure in the air! Manure hauled these days. Spread on field at CR RS & 14 … liquid manure spread very slowly across the field. Easter Sunday (8th) STRONG manure smells present in our yard most of the day.”

April 4 – Vreba Hoff spreading on Elm Rd. and M34 today. Heavy black application on hay field in very high winds. Stench at Spielman’s hardware. Several homes and one church on M34 very close to area of application. Chesterfield Dairy, neighbor “detected strong manure odor in the frozen air… winds at 40 mph all day.”

March 21-22 – Chesterfield Dairy, neighbor notes: “large black flies appear outside on the back porch (warming themselves in the sun). Manure odor strong.”

Feb 8 – Chesterfield Dairy spread more manure. Weather very cold, neighbor notes: “can still inhale the manure odor.”

Feb 1 – Chesterfield Dairy, Lyons — neighbor reports overwhelming stench: “Drove right into it… as if hitting a ‘brick wall’… SMACK! and P U !!… Odor came into the car even though the windows were rolled up due to the cold temperature outside. The manure ‘fog bank’ was so thick, it followed me right into my garage and just hung in the air outside ! Strong !”

Jan 9-10-11 – With lagoons on the brink of overflowing, Vreba-Hoff is hauling manure to mutliple sites, trucking, spraying through pivot-irrigators, etc., in violation of the court order prohibiting winter application.  Emissions are horrendous along Ingall Hwy, Packard, Dillon. Tankers trucking manure to Elm & M-34, to M-34 just west of the Clayton/M156 intersection, to Packard & Dillon; pivot-irrigating along Elm Rd behind the V-H 2 facility, and along Dillon Hwy at V-H 1 facility. DEQ investigators on the scene Jan 9 and 10.  ECCSCM calls for an injunction to stop the illegal dumping, and asks DEQ to shut the CAFO down (after years of mis-management and repeated violations, at least 75 documented before this current onslaught of violations).

2006

Dec 29, 31 – emissions intense from State Line Farms. Neighbors suffering symptoms called emergency PEAS hotline twice over the weekend. ECCSCM had a reading of 4ppm H2S opposite the facility on New Year’s Eve.

Nov 29 – liquid manure applications at many locations, emissions affecting residents in many square miles. New Flevo applying west of Hawkins on north side of Woerner;Bakerlads draglining north of facility on Morey Hwy; Bleich applying north of Forrester; Hartland Farms applying on Cadmus east of Hughes, both sides of the road; Mericam“plastering all around the facility” on US-127; Vreba-Hoff 2 applying east of the facility on US-127.

Nov 26 – Thanksgiving weekend – major emissions from field applications at several locations: north and south of Vreba-Hoff 1 facility (Medina Rd, from Dillon to Ingall; Packard Rd,from Ingall to US-127), stench at Vreba-Hoff discharge site on Canandaigua Rd near Bothwell (see News); strong morning stench south of White hog facility and Vreba-Hoff 2 at Lime Lake; stench on Henning Hwy, Beecher, Forrester near Posey Lake, from Hartland Farms and New Flevo field application.

Nov 7 – Waldron Dairy (formerly Mericam) manure applications, discharging to drain leading to Toad Creek.

Nov 4 – Vreba-Hoff 1 pivot-irrigation of liquid manure along Ingall Hwy–field is black–has turned water black in the tributary to Lime Creek. Strong manure smell in the water, dead snails floating. Several residents called DEQ’s emergency PEAS hotline for manure discharge. Just across the road, intense stench, emissions from Vreba-Hoff 1 application of liquid manure along Packard Rd between Dillon and Ingall.  Eye-watering, sickening after just a minute with car windows open.  Several households suffer across the road; it would be impossible to work outside at these homes. Emissions from this field extend over a large area downwind. Vreba-Hoff 2 also applying on Munson Hwy at Hudson City limits.

Oct 31, Nov 1, 2 – “strong manure on/in the air” from Chesterfield Dairy east of Morenci in Lyon, OH.

Oct 14 – major manure applications at many locations, stench all around: Hoffland Dairy, Waldron (formerly Mericam) Dairy, Bruinsma.

Oct 10 – emissions along Dillon Hwy with Vreba-Hoff draglining opposite the facility; also Vreba-Hoff stench on Lickley south of Squawfield Rd in Hillsdale Co.  New Flevoemissions from field application at Posey Lake Rd and Forrester.

Sept 17 (Sunday) – Hartland Farms manure heaps at Dowling and M-34 are being spread with a front-end loader filling 2 haulers, all afternoon. East half of the field is black — how thick is this waste? Hartland Farms also dumping at another location today, north on Dowling near Beecher Rd. Emissions are horrendous along Cadmus Rd and Beecher;H2S meter found 3 ppm at Cadmus and Posey Lake Hwy.  Households affected include older residents and one family with an infant.  One resident reports stuffing doors with towels and locking windows – stench still seeps into the house and causes distress. “You can’t work outside either, there’s no way. Think what this does to the CAFO guys, too. You breathe it in, it goes straight to your brain.” 
Yes, it does:
           “About 700,000 Americans working in CAFOs are exposed to degrading manure and bedding that can create a toxic mixture of gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and airborne particles containing dust from animal feed, hair and dander, feces, bacteria and bacterial toxins. Extensive evidence demonstrates harm to workers from these exposures. Asthma, bronchitis, sinus infections, and short-term and persistent declines in lung function are widespread. High concentrations of H2S gas from manure pits have killed dozens. Routine, long-term exposure to H2S, even at much lower levels, may lead to permanent declines in brain and nervous system function, and depression and other mood changes.” (Environmental Observatory)

Sept 16 (Saturday) – rank, permeating stench from Hartland Farms manure dumping along Dowling Hwy near M-34.  Trucks are hauling non-stop again today. This is agronomic rate of application?  This is best ag practice? – no, it’s dumping: a costly, inefficient, agonizing for neighbors, worst agricultural practice. MDA, DEQ called. No response.   Also, emissions from Vreba-Hoff draglinging along Dillon Hwy across from the facility.

Sept 15 – Rising Excavating 10-ton dump trunks are hauling Hartland Farms solids, dumping load after load in heaps in the field at M-34 and Dowling, 8 hrs so far.

Emissions are intense at the facility, where solids and liquid application continues north of the facility on Hughes Hwy.  Hartland Farms has STILL NOT INCORPORATED manure application along Beecher Rd (see Sept 9, Aug 25 entries), also STILL NO INCORPORATION along Dowling Hwy (see Sept 4,5 entry). 

Sept 14 – fierce emissions from Vreba-Hoff liquid manure application along Packard Rd between Dillon and Ingall.

Sept 9 – continued emissions from Bleich application along US-127; also stench from Hartland Farms field application along Beecher east of Dowling.

Sept 8- Bleich Farms draglinging liquid manure along US-127 north of Hudson. Incredible stench over the highway and rolling east.

Sept 4, 5 – eye-watering emissions from Hartland Farms application of liquid manure along west side of Dowling Hwy, south of Beecher. Field is black, and the stench is intense, nauseating, gagging residents and people driving by. With variable north, northwest winds, stench is horrendous for neighbors in several directions, along Dowling, Cadmus, Beecher, Posey Lake, with many neighbors having to shut windows. One resident reports, “I not only had to shut the north windows last night, but LOCK them because the stink leaked in through cracks.”  STILL NO INCORPORATION OF MANURE (9/8/06)

Aug 25 – stench, emissions from Hartland Farms application of liquid manure and solids, Beecher Rd, before predicted rainfall.

Aug 22 – emissions (and application to hay) from Bakerlads continues.  Neighbor reports “extreme headache, dizziness, burning sinuses, raspy voice, nauseated.” Lenawee County Health Dept. notified, and Department of Environmental Quality PEAS Hotline called for air pollution.

Aug 21 – intense emissions along several miles of Beecher Rd from all-day liquid manure application on growing hay by Bakerlads Farms. No incorporation, of course. How long will the stench affect this neighborhood?  When will this hay be cut?  What animals will eat this manure-drenched hay?

Aug 14 – continuing, intense emissions from Hartland Farms. Two neighbors affected so severely, they went to the doctor and filed Health Department complaints for symptoms from air emissions. An ECCSCM volunteer reported getting sick while visiting a neighbor, “I was nauseated. [Symptoms] didn’t disappear until after several hours. Only sat there for 35-40 min but it was evening and no breeze.”

Aug 12 – all-day stench from Hartland Farms draglining, as far as 3 miles away. In the evening, “nauseating and eye watering” emissions along Beecher to Posey Lake Hwy and beyond. One driver reported, “It was sickening and disgusting and nobody, absolutely nobody should have to live with it.” Also State Line stench reported, with DEQ finding “definite and distinct swine odors.”

Aug 11 – Hartland Farms draglining liquid manure along Hughes and Beecher.  A beautiful summer weekend — and now incredible stench, rank emissions spreading downwind for miles. “Shame! Shame! How can they destroy neighbors’ lives? Aren’t they ashamed when they stink up the whole neighborhood?”  Good questions. Ask them often. Emissions as intense as these destroy summer days, force children indoors, sicken the elderly. Why this contempt for neighbors, for children living nearby?  Where is the care for others, the care for the community?  CAFOs say the stench doesn’t bother them — they say, it’s the smell of money. (Whose money? — why, their money, of course.  Nobody else’s.)  To everybody else, it’s the stench of greed, of contempt. In the houses of neighbors, it’s the stink of despair, sickness, loss.

Aug 8-10 – continuing, intense emissions in multiple locations – from Hartland Farms application along Cadmus Rd between Hughes and Morey Hwy. The morning of Aug 10, stench so intense neighbors closed windows 2 miles away, reported burning eyes — “you can’twork outside in this sh–. If you’re smelling it, you’re breathing it into your lungs.”  Also, serious emissions from State Line Farms north of Morenci on Aug 8 and 9; neighbors called DEQ Air Division.  Vreba-Hoff stench from liquid manure application Aug 8, 9 (and terragator overflow Aug 8) along Acker Hwy near Donnelly. More emissions from Vreba-Hoff on Lime Lake Rd.,Elm Rd. Zimmerman Rd, Prattville Rd. A neighbor said “it descends on you in the morning when the air is heavy, like a fog. You have to close the windows.” Also stench from White hog operation along Coman Rd.

July 28 – State Line Farms stench; DEQ investigation found “strong definite and distinct swine odors.”

July 22- 24 – intense emissions from weekend manure applications on wheat stubble by Hartland Farms, Beecher and Hughes Hwy. One adult neighbor lost his voice, also another neighbor’s 3-yr old child. Nearby residents report symptoms — sore throat, headache — from the stench. Manure application going on every evening since Saturday, solids applied first, and then liquid waste starting Monday evening. Field overlies the Henning County Drain — and rainfall is predicted. At least 2 residents called the DEQ PEAS hotline.

July 18 – intense stench from State Line Farms. One neighbor reported his wife “suffering from headaches,” and DEQ found “the odors were very strong.” Another neighbor reported the hog stench was a “little gamey,” and his wife told DEQ “there were days when she would have to close the windows in her house to keep the odors out. She also reported there have been worse days than this one.”

July 14-17 – weekend stench at numerous locations affected life for many rural residents: Lime Lake, just south of Vreba-Hoff, people “had to go in the house,” the emissions were so intense; also Beecher Rd area of Hartland Farms, strong emissions downwind from the facility. 

July 11, 12, 13, 14 – North of Morenci, serious air quality concerns from State Line Farms facility and manure application along Ridgeville Rd — several neighbors called DEQ about air pollution which “about knocked a person out,” with symptoms of dizziness and headaches reported. One resident “almost passed out” going from the barn to the house. Several DEQ investigations found “strong hog manure odor…very strong” on July 11; on July 13 DEQ staff person and his wife sat in the car with windows down: “The odors would come and go with the wind, but were detectable more than they were not. I noted that the odors were strong, distinct and definite, a ‘2’ on the odors scale. As we sat there for several more minutes my wife commented that, ‘You couldn’t sit outside for very long with that smell.’  On the 14th, one neighbor reported “the hog smell is heavy and sickening,” making her sick to her stomach. Another caller reported the hog smell “was so bad it was making him dizzy.”  Another neighbor said he walked to his barn in the morning and “didn’t think he would be able to make it back to the house. He said odors from the hog barns were making him dizzy and nauseous.” Still another neighbor called DEQ reporting he was not feeling well due to the odor from the hogs. DEQ staffer noted “The odors were nearly continuous while I was standing in ___’s front yard. After several minutes, I began to notice as the odors intensified I began to feel a little nauseous. I departed the area…”

July 11 – stench at Manitou Waters south of Vreba-Hoff on US-127; also stench from Vreba-Hoff on Dillon, as far as 3 miles downwind.

July 7 – neighbor of State Line Farms reported to DEQ the hog stench was so bad [Friday, the 7th] “he started feeling ill and by evening he broke out into a cold sweat and felt like he was going to pass out. He went to the doctor on Monday and by Tuesday/Wednesday he was starting to feel better.  Then he said he started smelling the hogs the last couple of days and started feeling bad again.”

June 29 – neighbor of Chesterfield Dairy reports, “This morning and this afternoon, the air is saturated with the smell of raw dairy sewage. The smell is thick and ‘pockets-up,’ becoming condensed against surfaces such as the back of our house, and is trapped under low hanging branches in the yard. If I leave the house door open it is very noticeable the odor is streaming through the screened door ‘pouring’ into the house.”

June 26, 27 – intense stench from State Line Farms. DEQ found “strong, definite and distinct hog/hog manure odor.”

June 17 – 90 degree heat and wind from the south, stench from Vreba-Hoff reaches M-34 and Cadmus Rds, 4-5 miles away. Residents report going inside, stopping yard work because of emissions, and closing windows in this overwhelming heat.

June 14 – Lime Lake residents report Vreba-Hoff stench still overpowering from repeated application along US-127. “Odors started Friday – Real bad over the weekend – had to close the windows at 2am last night.” Also, stench alert reported – “NASTY this morning” – northwest of New Flevo, north side of Forrister, liquid application on wheat stubble.

June 13 – Vreba-Hoff still spreading untreated, uncomposted stinking solids opposite the facility on US-127. Incredible stench. Why no composting in this new “treatment system”?

June 11 – horrendous stench at both Vreba-Hoff CAFOs. At Vreba-Hoff 1 on Dillon, intense silage emissions downwind.  At the Vreba-Hoff 2 facility on US-12, a witch’s brew of stench: west of the CAFO, on Elm Rd, sickly dead animal/manure/silage emissions; and east of the CAFO along US-127, eye-watering emissions from land application.  Is this application the so-called “treated, composted” solids?  Composted cow manure does not smell.  This stinks! Stupefying stench. 

June 10 – State Line stench, again.

June 2 – State Line Farms hog stench; called DEQ.

May 26 – Chesterfield Dairy, Lyons, OH, east of Morenci, manure stench, emissions “floating in the breeze,” polluting neighbors’ property, morning & early afternoon.

May 17, 18, 19, 20 – Chesterfield Dairy manure emissions. On the 17th so strong, a neighbor reports it “burnt the hairs in my nose all day long.”

May 16 – State Line Farms stench – DEQ responds to complaints, finds “strong, distinct and definite swine odor.”

May 10 – stench permeates the air along Hughes and Cadmus Rds from Hartland Farms – intense, nauseating, impossible to be outside. Same on Packard Rd from Vreba-Hoff.  Some rain already, more predicted tonight.  These applications, before 1/2″ predicted rainfall, violate Consent Judgments against both facilities. Stench also reported in the City of Morenci from State Line Farms.

May 9 – with rain predicted tonight, massive manure applications all day, stench in numerous locations: Hartland Farms, more waste east side of Hughes, north of Cadmus;Hoffland Farms spreading south of lagoon; and Vreba-Hoff (treated? untreated? — it stinks bad!) south of Canadaigua, east of Ingall.

May 8 – State Line Farms stench; neighbors call DEQ.

May 7, 8 – fierce stench from Hartland Farms draglining liquid manure north & south of the facility on Hughes. No incorporation. Ponding of manure in low areas. Neighboring farmers driven out of fields by Hartland emissions. ECCSCM hydrogen sulfide meter registered 3 ppm at one manure field (photo below); 4 ppm at another site. One farmer suffering eye irritation went to doctor, diagnosed with sinus infection, inflammation from emissions. Lungs were impacted, as measured by spriometer. Depending which way the wind was blowing, neighbors to the west as far as Posey Lake suffered, also along Plank Rd, and to the east, along Beecher Rd.  Complaints filed with MDA; no response as of this posting. 

Hartland Farms manure field, 5-7-06; 3 ppm Hydrogen sulfide

May 5 – Chesterfield Dairy, manure emissions all afternoon/early evening.

May 1, 2 – State Line Farms stench; neighbors call DEQ.

April 29 – strong emissions at numerous locations: manure & silage stench along Dillon Hwy south of Vreba-Hoff facility, also from application of solids west side of Dillon — slopping across the road; air complaint filed with DEQ for State Line Farms –ECCSCM Hydrogen Sulfide meter read 4 ppm; emissions from Hoffland Dairy applying waste on Tomer Road north side, west of Wheeler; from Bakerlad Farms, a hose pumping from a tractor east of the facility. Hartland Farms has dragline straight to the north of facility north of Plank Road, east of Hughes Hwy. Rain is predicted for next 3 days.

April 28, 29, 30 – State Line Farms stench all three days. DEQ investigation found “definite and distinctive odor,” “strong pig odor.” Also manure emissions from Bruinsma field application.

April 25 – “Definite manure odor” noted in DEQ report after Bruinsma field application.

April 24 – Chesterfield Dairy manure stench All Day Long.

April 22 – Chesterfield Dairy manure stench in the morning.

April 21- Chesterfield Dairy, stink from manure in afternoon.

April 20 – Neighbor of State Line Farms reports to DEQ she had to “retreat into her house…she can’t open her windows…Her farm house is over one hundred years old and she can’t believe this new hog vacility is driving her out.” Several other neighbors called DEQ – one reported “terrible hog manure smell since the morning” and another said the stench was “really bad today.”

April 19 – massive manure applications, emptying waste lagoons: stench along Cadmus Rd from Bakerlads draglining manure, east of facility; stench from Hoffland application at two locations, along Tomer Rd west of Wheeler and also from east side of Wheeler. Winds carrying stench from facilities as well: State Line Farms cited by DEQ for emissions yesterday, and reported again today; stench west of Vreba-Hoff 2 along Elm Rd.  Intense emissions from Vreba-Hoff 1 along Dillon Hwy — burns eyes, sickly stench, “nauseating,” “You can’t live with this. This is hell.” 

April 18 – stench from Bleich Farms along US-127 north of Hudson; State Line Farms north of Moernci.

April 10, 11 – Chesterfield Dairy hauling liquid manure (three tractors with tankers), strong emissions, stench, spreading near US 20 & CR 14 south of dairy.

April 6 – State Line hog stench. 

April 5 – Chesterfield Dairy hauling liquid manure, very strong stench.

April 4 – high winds, emissions noticeable several miles from facilities and from land applications. Stench from Hartland Farms land application, along Beecher Rd east of facility; emissions from Vreba-Hoff 1 along Dillon Hwy and foul silage/manure emissions from Vreba-Hoff 2, worst in front of the facility.

April 3, 4  – Chesterfield Dairy, strong manure stench.

March 31 – intense emissions from State Line Farms, again.

March 24 – State Line Farms stench.

March 23 – State Line Farms hog stench.

March 14 – Chesterfield Dairy, continuing manure stench.

Mar 13 – deep brown unconfirmed fluid pouring from Chesterfield Dairy field tile into creek on CR 13-1 near CR – RS (other field tile running clear in same creek). Iincident reported to Ohio EPA.

March 12 – 1″ rain (storms). First warm spring day, and eye-watering manure stench from State Line Farms, both old and new hog facilities along M-156 north of Morenci.

Mar 4, 6 – Chesterfield Dairy, manure stench.

March 1, 2- neighbors report stench from Mericam draglining liquid manure in field at southeast corner of Burt Road and Seeley Road; also excessive application, ponding of liquid manure, at Camden and Seeley.

Feb 24 – State Line Farms, hog stench.

Feb 23 – heavy stench forcing drivers to roll up windows from White hog CAFO manure on Prattville and Waldron Rd. “The city of Prattville is awful.”  State Line Farms spreading liquid manure from hog CAFO on Dodge Rd. north side and Dodge and Wolf Rds. Heavy hog stench.

Feb 21 – State Line Farms, bad hog stench. DEQ found “distinct and definite hog odor.”

Feb 16 – Stench from State Line Farms. Neighbors called DEQ.

Feb 13 – stench from spray-applications of waste on frozen ground, with rain and thaw predicted: Hartland Farms at Beecher & Hughes; Mericam at Camden Rd & US-127.

Jan 31 – Chesterfield Dairy, 2:00 pm, strong manure emissions.

Jan 27 – Chesterfield Dairy, Lyons OH, east of Moernci – stench late afternoon/early evening

Jan 17 – intense silage stench in fog, rain along Dillon Hwy from Vreba-Hoff; also silage-manure emissions severe along US-127 Vreba-Hoff facility. DEQ called, found “strong swine odor” near State Line Farms.

Jan 1, 11, 16 – State Line Farms, Morenci, cited for stench, air emissions again after residents called DEQ Hotline.

2005 (see map of critical exposure zones for April 14, 2005)

Dec. 28 – intense hog odors from State Line Farms. Neighbors called DEQ.

Dec 4 – Resident of Lime Lake, Lenore Rd., near Vreba-Hoff, went outside Sunday morning to shovel snow and smelled manure stench that forced him indoors. “Now what are they doing spreading on snow?”  He called PEAS Hotline and MDA, stated ” I have to smell manure all summer long and now I have to smell it in the winter too? Why is my health being jeopardized so these guys can get rich?” MDA will not investigate until Tuesday 12/6/05.

Nov 25 – day after Thanksgiving – stench alerts on highway 14 near Chesterfield Dairy. Hartland Farms spreading on snow, Henning Hwy & Beecher, on a newly tiled field that leads to a drain that goes to the south branch of the River Raisin. Spreading within a 100′ of the drain with 50% chance of showers Sunday and Monday. Bakerladsspreading on snow on fields east side of Morey south of Beecher approximately 200′ of the S. Branch of the River Raisin 50% chance of rain Sunday and Monday.

Nov 23 – Chesterfield Dairy in Lyons, Ohio, near Morenci, spreading the evening before Thanksgiving in snow in the dark south of the facility east of 14 near a creek.

Nov 8 – “very strong, constant, definite and distinct pig manure-like odor” north of Morenci at State Line Farms (DEQ complaint History)

Nov 5 – stench alert at US-127 and Channel Drive, Lime Lake. DEQ PEAS Hotline called, no response.

Nov 4 – emissions from Hartland Farms field application at Beecher Rd & Henning Hwy, also along Hughes Hwy, south of Cadmus near Bear Creek unincorporated before the rain of November 15 (1.8″). One resident stated “stench returns with rain.”  Foul stench from Bakerlads — again — same site as earlier in the week on Beecher Rd, and also at the NW intersection of Morey Hwy and Beecher.

Oct 31 – Halloween – Horrible emissions – children will be out trick or treating in stench, at several locations where Bakerlads is hauling dump truck loads of animal waste, five different field locations along Beecher Rd, Morey Hwy, Cadmus Rd, and draglining east of facility with additional slurry applied on top. 70% predicted rainfall within 24 hours. Stench since Oct. 27. On Beecher Rd, children with reported headaches.  High priority air quality concern.

Oct 28 – Continued stench east of Hudson along M-34, Dowling Hwy.

Oct 27 – Residents along US-127 and Camden Rds. report incapacitating, nauseating feculent stench all day long from heavy spreading of thickly applied, unincorporated liquid manure from bottom of Mericam lagoon. Wind blowing out of the northwest, emissions engulfing a residence immediately south of facility. Verified by volunteer RN who experienced nausea and light-headedness after standing outside of car on road right-of-way for 5 minutes while writing observations. Nausea persisted for about 40 minutes after removal from scene. Another passenger witnessing spreading began to experience hoarseness. DEQ notified and air monitoring requested. No response to request as of 4:30 pm.  Elsewhere, CAFO emissions from Bakerlads spreading east of Henning Hwy south side of Beecher. Stench on Henning Hwy. Hartland Farms emissions from application along M-34 near Dowling Hwy, tanker trucks back and forth all day. Vreba-Hoff stench alert east side of Lickley Rd. south of Squawfield.

Oct 22 – continuing stench along M-156 and within Morenci city limits.

Oct 21 – “Very strong, definite & distinct swine odor” (DEQ Complaint History for State Line Farms)

Oct 20 – strong emissions along M-156 north of Morenci from State Line Farms. “Strong, definite and distinct pig odor” (DEQ Complaint History)

Oct 19 – Stench all day from Vreba-Hoff on Zimmerman Rd, Lime Lake, numerous residents affected. 
Hartland Farms and New Flevo spreading, emissions at 3 locations – Forrester Rd and Hawkins, Bates and Forrester, Henning Hwy. Bakerlads draglining stench on Cadmus Rd.

Oct 13 – stench reported in Pittsford Twp several miles northwest of Vreba-Hoff.

Oct 12-14 – emissions from State Line Farms facility and Bruinsma liquid manure-spraying, stench reported along M-156 north of Morenci and also within the City of Morenci, “a gagging smell at times that really makes breathing uncomfortable.”  Hartland Farms spreading liquid manure slurry every few days leaving it unincorporated on Henning Rd. north of Beecher west side of road. Neighbors have complained of foul stench and repeated exposure to emissions.

Oct 10 – “we’re dying here,” reports a resident of Lime Lake, with repeated applications of CAFO waste along US-127 at the Vreba-Hoff facility. Light rain is falling, emissions are horrendous.

Oct 9 – emissions along M-156 at State Line Farms, Morenci.

Sept 15 – resident reports “tremendous reeking odors at Lime Lake this morning and on Lime Creek Rd just east of Munson.”

Sept 12 – 90 degrees – stench all over the place: neighbors report “horrendous” stench along Hawkins Hwy from New Flevo application; Vreba Hoff surface applying at the southeast corner of US 127 and Medina Road;on the south side of Packard Road east of Dillon Hwy; drag-lining west side of Ingall Hwy east of the facility. Mericam surface applying both to the northwest and to the southeast of the facility;Hoffland Dairy (formerly Vander Hoff Haley Dairy) incorporating on the north side of Haley Road west of Wheeler Hwy, also has applied south of Haley Road west of Wheeler Hwy. Bleich Dairy is surface applying with semi at the northwest corner of Stewart and Gardner Road.Bakerlads surface applying south of the facility east of Morey Hwy.

Sept 8 – “Strong, definite and distinct swine manure odor” at State Line Farms (DEQ Complaint History)

Aug 29 – “Strong, definite and distinct, objectionable hog waste odors” at State Line Farms (DEQ Complaint History)

Aug 27 – “Strong, definite and distinct pig odor” at State Line Farms (DEQ Complaint History)

Aug 8, 9 – Several days of liquid application by Hartland Farms, with no incorporation, causes severe emissions in hot weather.  These notes were written 8-9-05 by a local R.N. in response to calls about stench: “I drove to and by the homes of those affected by the horrendous emissions and stench from CAFO’s last night and again this morning. I saw the fields of alfalfa spread thick with untreated feces and urine from Hartland Farms CAFO that will later likely be fed to the very same cows. Thick, over applied, and unincorporated, untreated liquid feces and urine applied to fields on Beecher Rd, Cadmus Rd, Hughes Highway, and Plank Rd. Many residences are affected. The stench and fumes were so nauseating I could not stay in the area for more than a few moments. I saw children outside surrounded by this nauseating stench and exposed to emissions of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and dust and particulate in the air. It was hot, no breeze, with dust particles in the heavy air. I counted several houses with children and elderly. One man with leukemia directly downwind of the emissions. Another 3 elderly with health problems. People in the area are too intimidated by the CAFOs to complain and who do they complain to anyway?”

Aug 5 – Unbearable stench at Lime Lake, Emery Rd and Prattville Rd – resident reports he was outside watering plants and had to go inside; called MDA who (in spite of new agreement to handle air emission complaints) referred him to DEQ. Will DEQ respond?

Aug 4 – Horrendous emissions, at numerous Vreba-Hoff locations, with liquid applications continuing, heat and high humidity:  along US-127 from Broom to Squawfield; also west on Squawfield from US-127 to Waldron Rd.  Hartland Farms continuing application with no incorporation, overpowering stench along Beecher, Hughes, Henning Hwy.

Aug 2 – Foul emissions, stench from Hartland Farms application, NW of facility along Hughes and Plank.

Aug 1 -Fierce stench in the evening in Adrian, at Meijer and at Lowe’s along US-223. Light wind.

July 25 – Stench along M-34 near Beecher at Marvin’s Farms, with spray-irrigation of untreated liquid manure.

July 18 – Heat index at 100 today. Horrific stench on Plank Rd between Hughes and Henning Hwy  from Hartland Farms surface applyication of liquid waste on wheat stubble, east side of Hughes Hwy north of Beecher Road.  Residents on Henning Hwy cannot work outside, report headache, dizziness, sore throat, burning sinuses.

July 14 – Emissions from State Line Farms “3 to 4 on odor scale, caused burning sensation in nose” (DEQ Complaint History)

July 11-12 – Strong “definite and distinct” emissions from State Line Farms (DEQ Complaint History)

June 24 – Hartland Farms spraying liquid manure on hay field at corner of Hughes and Cadmus. Temp is 90 degrees, heat index is 94.  Downwind, neighbor reports extreme headache, sore throat, sinus burning, throat swelling, dizzy.

June 23 – Vreba-Hoff applying on hay field at Ingall Hwy & Lime Creek Rd, next to Lime Creek. Hot day, wind, stench from emissions intense.

June 2 – with east wind, emissions very severe from State Line Farms new hog facility, along M-156 at Ridgeville. Drivers shut car windows, immediate discomfort in the eyes;Vreba-Hoff spray-irrigating behind the facility on Dillon Hwy.

June 1 – emissions from Godfrey Farms, west of the facility along Beecher Rd

May 25 – stench all around from Vreba-Hoff, New Flevo, Bleich: in the City of Hudson; along US-127 near Culbert; on Plank Road west of Seneca; on Ingall Hwy south of Canandaigua Road; and on Lickley Road south of Squawfield.

May 11 – this morning, just before rain (80% chance forecast), several CAFOs are applying liquid manure, with emissions severe at several locations: at Seneca and Plank, fromNew Flevo pivot irrigating; continuing Vreba-Hoff application along Canandaigua and also Ridgeville and Munson; Hartland Farms applying at Cadmus and Hughes.

May 10 – emissions from Vreba-Hoff liquid waste application at several locations including Canandaigua Rd, and at Ridgeville and Munson.

April 18 – horrendous emissions with east wind from Hartland Farms along Hughes Hwy and also Beecher Rd west of Posey Lake Hwy; also, in Pittsford Twp, reaching Union Rd, from Vreba-Hoff application.

April 16-17 – weekend stench along US-127 and Hillside from Bleich liquid application; Vreba-Hoff emissions noticeable as far as 3 miles away.

April 15 – serious air emissions from Hartland Farms draglining yesterday and last night- hydrogen sulfide readings of 3 ppm at one resident’s house, 5 ppm nearby at 8 a.m. this morning. Resident called the PEAS hotline last evening.  Lynn Henning, Sierra Club Water Sentinel who lives 1 mile from Hartland Farms, reports, “I am again asking for help, my in-laws are sick, my husband has all the symptoms of H2S poisoning, and I myself will be going to the doctor today for severe headache, nausea, sore throat, burning sinuses, I am losing my taste and smell, my eyes water, my bronchitis is back, I have lost my voice…”   Also, reports of stench in the village of Clayton, vicinity of Bakerlads.

April 14 – Hartland Farms draglining at Hughes and Beecher Rd.  Neighbor reports “headache, sore throat, burning sinuses.”  With east/northeast wind, stench extends 3 miles downwind. Many other application areas — see listing with map of exposure zones.

April 13 – Stench Alert, east end of Lime Lake! – residents report stench for “more than 6 days and it will continue until the wind shifts as Vreba-Hoff is spreading continually east of the 127 facility.”

April 8 – stench continues from multiple liquid manure applications — Vreba-Hoff at Morenci Rd and US-127; Mericam draglining south of Camden Rd at US-127; Hartland Farms along Cadmus Rd east of Hughes; Bakerlads at northwest corner of Beecher Rd and Morey Hwy. Serious accident with manure hauler/semi and small pick-up truck on Benner Hwy.

April 4, 5 – stench all around, with liquid manure applications from most CAFOs.  It’s the first warm dry weather of April, should be the best time to work outside. Farmers, gardeners in the area need to work in fields, kids are outside playing, but depending which way the wind is blowing, the beautiful weather is fouled with eye-watering CAFO air pollution. Worst air emissions: Beecher Rd west of US-127 from Godfrey Farms pivot-irrigating hog waste; several square miles of stench south of Hudson from Vreba-Hoffspray-application at Acker & Donnelly, solids at US-127 across from the facility (Vreba-Hoff is also trucking waste 30 mi. north! to Moscow Rd, Hanover-Horton). Further south, incredible stench from Mericam, spraying manure across the state line in Ohio, on County Road T.

March 30 – Foul air, all along Beecher Rd from turn off M-34: Marvin Farms first, then Stoutcrest, then Bakerlads, then Hartland Farms.

Feb. 21 -stench, foul air at Lime Lake — Fox Point, Lenore Drive, Lime Lake Rd –downwind of White’s hog facility.

Feb. 3, 2005- stench along Beecher Rd & Morey Hwy from Bakerlads liquid manure, sprayed on snow & frozen field.

2004

Dec. 17, 18 – stench from Hartland Farms draglining along Hughes Hwy.  Unincorporated, 1 week before Christmas.  Drivers along Beecher Rd report horrendous stench 2-3 miles away, also along Cadmus Rd. Air quality complaint called in to DEQ. Lime Lake residents also report stench from Vreba-Hoff manure applications.

Nov. 9 – stench all over the place, near State Line Farms, Ridgeville and M156; Vreba Hoff I application at Canandaigua and Ingall; Vreba Hoff II at several locations: terragator in field, semis dumping liquid manure in box along Packard east of Acker; also slurry being surface-applied at Donnelly east of US 127 across from 127 facility slurry; and at Medina Rd and US 127 surface-applying liquids.  Also New Flevo surface-applying slurry on south side of Hoddinott east of Wilkinson Hwy.

October 24 – 28 – State Line Farms emissions – 5 ppm Hydrogen sulfide reading at M-156 (10/28). 45 schoolchildren in the vicinity, visiting old school house across the road from State Line hog operation. Local residents report 4 days in a row of stench.

October 21, 22 – Squawfield Rd. at Elm and Elm and Tamarack, and Tuttle and Tamarack, Vreba-Hoff applying liquid manure. Neighbors reported stench 3 miles away.

October – State Line Farms, Morenci – Hydrogen sulfide readings at Ridgeville Rd and M-156. Wind was out of the east on most of these days. The emissions are strongest through the night and early morning, the cooler the air the heavier the odor. Neighbors reported stench on several other days, but these were days they felt they could not stand it. They reported dizziness, severe headaches. ECCSCM volunteer also got headaches, sore throat, watering eyes just monitoring.

10/4/04 at 7:36 am – 4 ppm
10/12/04 at 7:44 pm – 6 ppm
10/18/04 10:40 am – 7 ppm
10/19/04 5:09 pm – 3 ppm
10/21/04 4:14 pm – 6 ppm
10/22/04 3:37pm – 7 ppm
10/23/04 11:07am – 7 ppm
10/23/04 11:08 am – 8 ppm
10/24/04 9:07 am – 4 ppm

week of September 20, Jelsma/Mericam spread liquid waste on most of their acreage surrounding the facility. Unincorporated even after 48 hours odor hanging in the air for several miles. Neighbors had to keep windows closed.

September 24 – 28 and ongoing, State Line Farms – emissions on Ridgeville and M-156 very bad in evenings starting around 8pm until 9-10 am in morning. Residents report symptoms of nausea, vomiting, sore throats, headache. Stench described as “intolerable” by local residents. Hydrogen sulfide readings from hand-held meter, 3 to 5 ppm on Friday (9/24).

September 14 – stench all around, from Vreba-Hoff liquid manure applications: west of the new lagoon at the US-127 facility; west side of Munson just south of Medina Road; also draglining north of Canandaigua Road east of Ingall Hwy.  VanderHoff Haley is applying west of Wheeler south of Haley Road. Hartland Farms is applying along Hughes Hwy north of Cadmus.

September 11 – Vreba-Hoff applying again on Acker Hwy, tankerloads of liquid manure sprayed on bare ground, no incorporation. Wind from the southwest. Stench is horrendous in the immediate vicinity, and very foul downwind 4-6 miles, east side of Hudson and further towards Posey Lake.

Labor Day holiday, September 6 – Vreba-Hoff applications at three locations: at Pittsford & Squawfield Rds, at Acker Hwy east of the largest facility on US-127, and also draglining along Dillion Hwy, with stench drifting as far as 4 miles away.  Stench also from VanderHoff Haley manure applications south of Haley Rd, west of Wheeler.

September 1 – eye-watering emissions from Hartland Farms manure application at Cadmus Rd & Hughes Hwy. Neighbors downwind had to shut all windows. Brief time outside caused headaches, nausea.

August 31- as evening air cools and settles, stench returns along Dowling Hwy; also along Plank Rd east of Hughes Hwy where Hartland Farms applied manure today. Nearby residents could not work outside; also along Cadmus Rd east of Morey Hwy, where Bakerlads was draglining liquid manure.

August 30 – Dowling Hwy, stench drifting to Beecher and Cadmus Rds, downwind from Hartland Farms manure application, cut wheat field, along Garrison Drain. So bad for 18 hrs, 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 a.m. (cooler air holds stench low to the ground) that windows had to be shut, work outside was almost impossible.  DEQ found Hydrogen sulfide levels along Dowling at 7 ppb around noon on Aug. 31.

August 27 – stench along Hughes and Cadmus (and 2 miles away, downwind) from Hartland Farms manure application; along Ingall Hwy, also Packard from Vreba-Hoffapplication.

July 23 – stench and dust along M-34 from Benner to Cadmus Rd. Emissions pick up again from Seneca to Clayton.

foul week of July 12 – stench along Henning Hwy after repeated, unincorporated manure application by Hartland Farms; stench from Vreba-Hoff liquid manure at several locations– Ingall and Packard Rds (air complaint called) Medina Rd and M-156 (air complaint called), and repeated spreading at Squawfield and Pittsford Rds; New Flevo dumping 4 ft heaps of manure at the facility, Forrister Rd; Mericam liquid manure application at Waldron and Camden Rds.

July 4th weekend — stench alert following Vreba-Hoff liquid manure application, Pittsford and Squawfield Rds.; also Hartland Farms manure application, several days without incorporation, Henning Hwy and Beecher Rd. 

April 28 — Mericam draglining along Seely Rd — stench “turns your eyebrows” a local farmer says.

April 20 — Hughes Hwy, Cadmus Rd, Beecher Rd — sickening stench in several directions, after draglining of liquid manure, Hartland Farms.

April 9, Good Friday — Tuttle Rd. north of Tamarack, Vreba-Hoff liquid manure application.

April 1, 2, 3…Vreba-Hoff manure tankers are driving 30 miles north of the facility to spray liquid manure on fields in Jackson County, just west of Brooklyn, MI, and east of Clark Lake, on Jefferson Road.  It’s not just Hudson anymore.   Nobody’s in the clear — every watershed is at risk. 

weekend of March 13 – stench! Hartland Farms applying liquid manure to fields along Hughes, Cadmus, and Plank Rds.  Hand-held Draeger hydrogen sulfide meter reads 2 ppm and 3 ppm at locations adjacent to fields.

Jan. 23 – Bates Hwy, New Flevo liquid manure application – stench was “horrible,” caused eyes to water, nausea.

Jan. 14– Stench alert on corner of Hoddinot and Wilkinson today from New Flevo spreading thickly.

2003
Dec. 16 – through Christmas holiday – intense stench, air quality concerns, from Vreba-Hoff and Bill White manure application, again, at Elm, Tamarack, & Coman Rds.  Also,New Flevo manure application at Hoddinot and Wilkinson.

Dec. 8 – stench at Elm,Tamarack, & Coman Roads, from Vreba-Hoff field application; odor reported 4-5 miles away.

Dec. 2 — intense stench, public health threats including nausea, headache, breathing difficulties, from intense spraying and surface drag-lining of liquid manure– Hartland Farms, along Beecher Rd; Bleich Dairy along both sides of Hillside; Vreba-Hoff, along Ridgeville Rd. 

Nov. 21 — after 2 inches of rain this week, Bakerlads Dairy is spray-irrigating liquid manure (photo below) on saturated fields, including a sloping area with tile riser and connection to the South Branch of the River Raisin.