By Lori Ehde
Eight years ago, Rock County basked in the glow of statewide recognition for its successful feedlot permitting program.
Today, local officials are struggling to maintain the integrity of the program under a cloud of federal bribery charges against former feedlot officer John Burgers.
Knee-deep in the county's subsequent Level III state audit of all its feedlots, current land management director Eric Hartman says heÕs glad to be here.
"When I applied for this job, Rock County was the county all others compared themselves to in feedlot permitting and environmental services," Hartman said.
"That was one of the reasons I was excited about coming into this job. I like the fact that I am in what is still a progressive program. I have no regrets about taking this job.
"I think the integrity is here in the program, and my goal is to have Rock County back on top again."
Further, he praised the staff at the Land Management Office. "I do not doubt the integrity of the staff here and the work they're doing," Hartman said. "As far as what I've witnessed first-hand and heard, they bust their buns for the county and the producers. It's good to see that in my co-workers."
The current audit of all local feedlots was prompted by the bribery scandal involving Burgers and Global Enterprises, but Hartman is quick to point out, this audit was on the horizon for Rock County anyway.
"This was the county's goal back in 1997, but it's a tough pill to swallow to be told to do it in two and half years," Hartman said.
"We're going to go through something no other county has gone through before, as far as gathering this kind of information. Every other county in the state will have to have this done, but they'll get seven to 10 years to do it."
The audit is necessary for Rock County to keep its feedlot permitting ability and state funding.
In the end, Hartman said, Rock County's producers and the environment will be better off for having it done. "It gives the county a clean bill of health in the feedlot program and the environment."
Meanwhile, producers and county staff hope the existing program remains in tact.
"Yes, we've had some problems, but let's not throw out the baby with the bath water," said Rock County livestock producer Richard Bakken.
Bakken, a member of the Rock Nobles Cattlemen's Association, was one of the producers who was helped by Rock County's feedlot program in the early 1990s.
He remembers that being a time when livestock producers were fearful of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which was enforcing new feedlot management guidelines.
Producers feared MPCA fines, but many were unable to afford the necessary construction to bring their feedlots into compliance.
Serving as a liaison between producers and the state, Burgers sought funding support and provided technical know-how to get the work done.
The 1994 Minnesota County Achievement Award recognized Rock County's inter-agency feedlot program as an innovation that "improved the quality of life for people in Minnesota."
In addition, Burgers established a feedlot ordinance for new construction or expansion of existing operations that became a template for counties statewide that were also balancing agribusiness and environmental concerns.
In 1995, Burgers' feedlot work earned him further state recognition as the "Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District Employee."
The bottom line, and the most positive result, is that more than 600 Rock County feedlots went on the record as being environmentally friendly.
For example, some that used to drain directly into nearby creeks and waterways, were outfitted with structures to protect water supplies.
Bakken said the audit process could take years, likely producing minimal discrepancies, and meanwhile, he fears it will send the program in the wrong direction.
"Everybody now is kind of waiting to see what develops," Bakken said. "It took so long to build up trust for people to come into the office, and now they'll probably hang back. Instead of making progress for the next two years, nobody's going to do anything for fear of doing something wrong."
Complicating the audit is that MPCA staff involved in the original permitting of Rock County feedlots may have interpreted the law differently than those auditing those operations today.
That, and personality conflicts could make for a long summer.
"There's a decent way of doing it and thereÕs the Gestapo way of saying 'You guys are going to get in line.' If they hadn't come down here with that attitude, it would have been different," Bakken said.
"We don't need to draw a line in the sand - we need cooperation, and for that to happen, we need trust on both sides.
Bakken, too, hopes no one loses sight of value Rock County's feedlot program still holds.
"You take a look at what we've got and what we've lost and you go forward," he said. "I think when you look at what we've got, we're still by far and wide the best program in the state."