PREDICTIONS: To be checked for accuracy two years from now...

I respect the decision regarding the Mega-dairy by the Commissioners although I do not agree with it.

Here are predictions about the economic development that the Van Bedaf dairy will bring:

No Foster County contractor will receive any contract for the construction of any part of the dairy in excess of $5,000.  In other words, other than some handyman-type job, all the large contracts will go to a contractor from out of the county and maybe out of the state.

No Foster County farm implement dealer will ever sell the dairy one piece of large equipment.  No sales will be made to the dairy other than minor parts for equipment that was purchased out of the county.

No feed or grain products will be purchased from any Foster County feed dealer or farmer once the mega-dairy is fully established.  This type of Mega-farm will get their feed in pellet form from the same company (or subsidiary) that buys their milk.  These are cash-cows. They’re quite regulated... no hay required.

No persons currently living in Foster County will be employed by this dairy after two years of its startup.  A majority of their employees will be provided by a labor contractor, and their labor will not speak English as their primary language.

None of the employees of this dairy will have health insurance (this is a sure thing since the Van Bedaf’s have already said so) thus causing a drain on tax payers and our local hospital.  Workers in dairies seem to develop respiratory diseases due to the dust, methane gas and other air pollution more frequently than other farming operations.

When the non-English speaking families move in, Carrington Schools will have to employ bilingual specialists or face a Federal Law suit.  This will mean increased property taxes and/or a cut back in programs, such as their sports programs.

The roads leading to the dairy will be in constant disrepair and be another tax burden upon the citizens.  The tax payers will have to spend money to upgrade the roads.  Remember, this dairy will have at least three semi-tractor trailers coming and going every day of the year, regardless of the conditions of the roads.

All of the tax-draining aspects of this dairy will rest completely upon the rest of the citizens of this county since there will actually be a tax decrease on the property that the dairy occupies.

I will keep this list of these predictions on the www.StinkFreeCarrington.com web site for the next few years.  I hope and pray for the contractors, implement dealers, feed dealers, job seekers and taxpayers that I’m wrong.  I do know I’m right on one item: THERE WILL BE NO TAX GAIN FROM BRINGING IN THE MEGA-DAIRY, SINCE THEY WILL USE AND ABUSE THE ROADS.