Sept 4, 2018

SD DENR Feedlot Program

Joe Foss Building
523 E Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501 – 3182

Subject: Notice of intent to Construct an Animal Feeding Operation

Jay Cutts
Jay Cutts Swine Operations
44681 309th St.
Mission Hill, SD 57046

AFO Location:
Northeast ¼ of Section 4, Mission Hill N Township, 94 North, Range 55 West, Yankton County
Manure Application Fields:
Section 3 and 4 in Mission Hill N Township, 94 North, Range 55 West, and Section 33, Mission Hill N
Township, 95 North, Range 55 West, all in Yankton County

Dear Sirs:

I am asking for your help and consideration regarding the Jay Cutts 2400 head swine finishing operation.

In my opinion, this application should never have been approved in its proposed location. It is surrounded by
wetlands, which could contaminate our aquifer, when the manure containment system eventually leaks or
possibly overflows due to a torrential rainfall or other storm event. When the concrete eventually fails, it will
drain downhill and contaminate the neighbor’s stock dam and the James River. Dave Hacecky’s land and stock
dam are also at risk from runoff when manure from the Hog AFO is spread on tiled fields next to his property.
What about the health of Dave Hacecky’s livestock? Don’t those animals deserve clean water to drink?

This location is too close to a floodplain. We need to protect the waters of the state. This location puts the
safety of our ground water and surface waters at risk of contamination. Many of the surrounding neighbors and
landowners are concerned about this. I drink well water, many of my neighbors do as well.

If you decide to approve this application I request that the Cutts application meet the following conditions:

➢ A modern “state of the art” facility must be required – an enclosed barn with properly installed and
maintained bio filters. Bio filters can reduce harmful emissions by over 90% when maintained
properly. Why should we accept an open curtain barn, technology from the 1970s? They can do so
much better!
➢ A buffer strip of evergreen trees, of sufficient size to deflect the wind away from the neighbor’s
property. See the enclosure ”New Barn Technology” which references Iowa Select Farms practice of
using buffer strips to keep the air flow on the farm.
➢ Electrostatic fences to capture toxic particulate matter. Again, see the enclosed article “New Barn
Technology” Iowa Select Farms, one of Iowa’s major pork producers requires its suppliers to install
electrostatic fences.
 ➢ Feed and manure pit additives to reduce odor.
➢ Mandatory air monitoring for hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and methane.
➢ An effective means of insect elimination or control. Vectors can carry disease for miles.
➢ Ground water monitoring to detect pollution from unknown or undetectable leaks in the manure pit.
➢ Semi-annual soil testing of manure application sites to a depth of 4 feet to detect potential pollution
of shallow aquifers and neighboring wells.
➢ Berms of correct material, height, and location to contain the results of a catastrophic breach in the
manure pit.
➢ Extra notification for manure application, so affected residents will know what to expect and when.
➢ A minimum 50 foot grass buffer strip on all sides of manure application fields. Senate Bill 66,
approved by Governor Daugaard, recommends grass buffer strips to improve water quality near lakes,
rivers, streams and wetlands.
➢ No manure application in winter, or when the ground is frozen, to prevent spring runoff.
➢ No manure applications on slopes greater than 10% to prevent runoff.
➢ Post application soil testing to detect over application of nitrogen or phosphorous.
➢ Annual facility inspection by SD DENR, because the applicant has no previous experience with large
scale feeding operations.
➢ Mandatory state AFO or CAFO training, because the applicant has no previous experience with large
scale feeding operations.
➢ Because this facility and others being built by the applicant will use common areas and common
systems for manure disposal, this facility and the applicant’s other facilities should be considered a
single Animal Feeding Operation and ALL should be regulated by the SD DENR.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I know that you will understand how vitally important your help is
in keeping our air and water safe, for everyone.

Respectfully Yours,