BY PATRICIA WOLFF • of The Northwestern • 

RIPON - Hundreds of people attended a Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources public hearing at Royal Ridges Thursday night to voice their
opinions on the expansion of Rosendale Dairy from 4,000 cows to
8,000.

They alternately praised the high character and advanced farm
practices of the Rosendale Dairy owners or predicted dire consequences
for the environment as they filed up one at a time and took their
three minutes each at the microphone.

Comments for and against permit modifications for the huge dairy were
fairly well matched pro and con.

If the DNR approves the dairy's permit modifications Rosendale Dairy
near Picket will become the state's largest dairy.

It was easy to spot supporters of the expansion in the crowd. They
wore royal blue T-shirts with the words "Rosedale Dairy " and
"Wisconsin Jobs Matter," along with matching baseball caps, obviously
all brand new. Some of the cap-wearers donned them over their regular
caps.

Some of the opponents appeared in red neckerchiefs. Others came in cow
costumes.

Gordon Stevenson, chief of runoff management for the DNR, reminded
speakers to confine their comments to the modifications the dairy is
requesting to its wastewater discharge permit.

Some strayed into other areas. Several people who live near the dairy
spoke of increasing adverse living conditions, mainly from the odor of
cow manure and the noise of manure trucks, which would force them to
move away, they said.

"I foolishly bought a house on Olden Road," said Karen Krentz.

She asked what was the point of the hearing since the DNR had already
indicated at the time it issued a permit to Rosendale Dairy during the
first phase of development that it would approve the expansion. "It's
a done deal," she said.