Secret Plan to Dump Slaughterhouse Waste Blindsided Residents of Iowa’s Loess Hills

A secret plan to construct a massive lagoon for storing slaughterhouse waste has sparked outrage among residents of Castana, Iowa, located within the scenic Loess Hills region. In a span of days, a dirt pit the size of five football fields emerged near the weathered headstones of Center Cemetery, catching locals off guard. This area, part of a 200-mile corridor of craggy bluffs and ridges along the Mississippi River valley, is renowned for its unique geological formations shaped by glacial deposits from the last Ice Age. Scott Koepsell, whose family owns farmland close to the site, described the situation as a mere rumor initially. However, the sudden appearance of the excavation site raised concerns among the community. On one day in late June, Alison Manz from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' field office received four separate complaints regarding construction activities at the location. Unaware of any such project, Manz reached out to Hawthorn Land Holdings, the private equity group that owns the land. Brian Gallup of Hawthorn Land Holdings informed Manz that they were constructing a solid waste pit to store "industrial byproduct waste" from the Seaboard Triumph Foods pork processing facility in Sioux City, approximately 50 miles away. According to Iowa regulations, the waste would be used as fertilizer on nearby farmland at a rate below two tons per acre annually, which does not necessitate a permit. As tensions rose in Monona County, County Supervisor Bo Fox learned about the project through a concerned resident who lives adjacent to the site. He organized a town hall meeting on July 14th to discuss the issue, expressing frustration that neither the developer nor the Iowa DNR had informed the county about the project beforehand. During the meeting, Jay Layman, manager of Hawthorn Land Holdings, claimed that the project team had communicated with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources prior to starting construction. However, these communications were solely with staff at the central Des Moines office, not with the regional field office overseeing DNR permitting, inspections, and compliance in Monona County. It wasn't until residents filed complaints that the regional DNR field office became aware of the project. Layman also explained that the site would house DAFcake, the solid residue resulting from the dehydration of liquid hog manure during a process called "dissolved air flotation." Although Hawthorn Land Holdings did not disclose the source of the manure to local officials or residents, public records indicate a connection to Seaboard Triumph Foods, a major meatpacking plant owned by Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods. Employing nearly 3,000 individuals, the facility is the largest employer in Sioux City, processing over 110,000 hogs weekly. Notes in the DNR's complaint database reveal that Gallup explicitly stated the project was for Seaboard Triumph Foods. Later, he inquired if their conversation was public record, indicating a desire to avoid mentioning Seaboard directly. Additionally, an employee of ProAg Engineering, the engineering firm advising on the project, sent Manz chemical analyses of the waste being considered for storage at the site. These analyses were conducted to assess potential environmental impacts. Residents remain anxious about the implications of this unannounced project, fearing possible contamination of groundwater and disruption of the delicate ecosystem in the Loess Hills. As discussions continue, the community awaits further information and assurances from both the developers and regulatory agencies.