Although Westfield Township supervisors in Dodge County expressed concern regarding the cost to adopt local planning and zoning, they have incurred thousands of dollars in professional fees by engaging Minneapolis attorney Jack Perry. It's considerably more than the township would have incurred to adopt local planning and zoning.
Perry is not a township attorney; he is an attorney for Big Ag. Perry is a lobbyist and testified earlier this legislative session in defense of changes to Minnesota's nuisance laws, changes that benefit Big Ag and make it more difficult for neighboring farm families to fight installation of factory farms. Not surprisingly, Mr. Perry also represents a number of large hog producers, including the Masching family, the largest hog producers in Dodge County and Westfield Township.
One thing is clear in Dodge County and Westfield Township: Pigs and profit are more important than people.
Brad Trom
Blooming Prairie
