The Greene County Board of Supervisors recently approved to continue to utilize a program through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The master matrix is a point system for any livestock producer that meets a number threshold to build a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). The program is administered by the DNR and allows for a public hearing with the county supervisors, with comments that are made and the recommendation from the supervisors are passed along to the DNR for final approval. 

Supervisor Chair John Muir shares the Board’s reason for why they are continuing to use the master matrix.

“Is it the perfect world with it, probably not. But it may be the best one offered to us as far as people being able to voice their concerns, us being able to hear both sides in the public setting.”

Muir explains that if the Board chose not to use the master matrix, there would be no public hearing and the plans for a new site would not have to be shared publicly.

“I just think that would be not a good avenue to go down where all of a sudden dirt work starts down the road and you wonder what’s going on, and have no knowledge if it’s going to be there. I mean having the knowledge isn’t going to stop it a lot of times. But at least people can start to share why they maybe don’t believe it should be in those locations.”

According to the DNR, Greene County has 109 CAFOs.