Ixonia dairy farm plans 1,100 cow expansion

By Steve Sharp of the Daily Times staff
Friday, May 23, 2008 12:37 PM CDT

Ixonia dairy farmer Kevin Griswold has seen his family’s business grow steadily since its inception in 1966. Currently tending 450 head of cattle, the business owner anticipates a potential increase to more than 1,500 head within several years. (JOHN HART/Daily Times)

IXONIA - The co-owner of an Ixonia dairy farm planning a $2 million, 1,100-cow expansion told the Daily Times the business will continue to be a good neighbor as well as positive influence in the dairy industry and community if it is granted permission by the state to grow.

The Tag Lane Dairy Farm, N8934 River Valley Road, is a second-generation family dairy operation located just west of the Jefferson/Waukesha county line in the town of Ixonia. The operation is run by Tom Griswold, his wife Elaine and son Kevin. Kevin Griswold said this morning the family hopes to grow from its current 450-cow operation to 900 by the end of the year. Griswold said the business might expand to 1,550 animals in three to four years.

According to information provided on the World Dairy Expo Web site, goals of the Griswold operation include, “a lower cost of milk production by increasing production per cow, improvement of milk quality and labor efficiency, continued long-term growth while having a positive impact on the community and improvement of the environment through proper nutrient management and reduced tillage practices.”

Griswold said he and his father plan to expand by building a new dairy barn with a milking center, as well as creating additional manure storage that could contain up to six months of manure generated by the additional cows. Griswold said the business would likely add eight full-time employees if it is granted permission to expand to 900 cows. The next phase of growth, to 1,550 animals might mean the business would add a half-dozen more workers. At the present time, Tag Lane employs seven full time workers and a couple part-time.

Griswold, age 41 and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said his father moved to Ixonia in 1966. Griswold grew up on the family farm.

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“I've been here all my life. I went to college for a few years, but I returned in 1992,” he said.

Griswold said that, although Tag Lane is a large dairy operation, it is by no means the largest in Jefferson County, even if it were to undergo expansion.

“Several other dairy farms and poultry farms are larger,” he said. “We will be in the ballpark with some of the larger ones if we expand, but we will still not be the largest even after that.”

Tag Lane's milk is sold to the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and that clearinghouse sends it to several different places including distributors in Cedarburg and West Bend. Griswold said that chain of getting milk to the public would be unlikely to change under the proposed expansion.

“We're anticipating to still send our milk to DFA, but we will look at the competition to make an evaluation. We don't anticipate any change at this time,” he said.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administrative code for the environmental impact process makes provisions for public comment and review of all environmental assessments including the one that is applicable to Tag Lane's proposed expansion.

The DNR has prepared an environmental analysis associated with Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permitting and approval actions for the proposed expansion, as well as an associated review and evaluation of activities associated with the manure storage and runoff control facilities proposed. Tag Lane has not held a WPDES permit in the past. The proposed effective date of the permit is Oct. 1, 2008, and the proposed expiration date is Sept. 30, 2013.

According to the DNR, Tag Lane currently houses its 450 dairy cows on sand bedding in a typical free-stall barn. The business also has varying sizes and ages for on-site young stock. The facility is at approximately 848 animal units.

In addition to the increase in milking and dry cows, the facility will also expand the number of calves and heifers of varying sizes, bringing the total animal unit count for the facility to 2,865 when it is at its final expansion total.

The DNR reported that Tag Lane Dairy Farm currently has one manure storage lagoon that will be evaluated for compliance with state rules and codes. The operation has also proposed the addition of a two-stage manure storage facility with an estimated combined total of 14.67 million gallons of manure storage capacity. This new storage facility will provide Tag Lane Dairy Farm more than 180 days of manure storage.

“The proposed project is not anticipated to cause significant adverse environmental effects,” a DNR media release stated today. “The department has made a preliminary determination that an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required for this action.”

The recommendation by the DNR does not represent approval from other DNR sections, which may also require a review of the project.

Comments on the proposed project are welcome and should be received by Bryan Ellefson of the DNR no later than 4:30 p.m. on June 12. Comments may be submitted either verbally or in written form. Ellefson may be reached at (920) 387-7869; DNR, Horicon Service Center, N7725 Highway 28, Horicon, WI 53032.

Griswold said the expansion, if approved, would be handled with care by Tag Lane.

“I definitely want this to be a positive impact on the community,” he said. “We're trying to maintain a dairy and business that is in a position for success and long term growth, with a focus on the well-being of the animals. That is why we want to move forward with the expansion.”