Nobles County Planning Commission gives preliminary approval for livestock site

Apr. 24—WORTHINGTON — In a roughly five-minute meeting Wednesday evening, the Nobles County Planning Commission gave preliminary approval for an after-the-fact conditional use permit for a livestock production site in Larkin Township.

Kent Slater, Rushmore, appeared before the commission to seek a permit after converting two hog finishing barns to cattle finishing barns on a site in the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 11, Larkin Township.

Slater was granted a state permit for the renovation last December, but Nobles County Feedlot Officer Emily Erickson said the project fell through the cracks locally and he should have appeared before the Planning Commission last year for a permit. The permit is required when a livestock site could exceed 1,000 animal units. As a swine farm, Erickson said Slater had 780 animal units on site (finishing pigs are considered .3 animal units, while weaning pigs are considered .05 animal units). Cattle are at a 1:1 ratio — one head is equal to one animal unit.

Slater said he can fit 450 head of cattle per barn, for a total of 900 head. However, there's a third barn on the site, previously used as a swine nursery. If that barn is converted for cattle production, he will have more than 1,000 animal units on the site.

Commission members gave preliminary approval of the renovated site at the conclusion of their discussion. The request will advance to the Nobles County Board of Commissioners' May 7 meeting for final approval.