Feedlot comes under fire

The Capital Press reports that Double C Farms near Oakley, Idaho, has racked up more than $800,000 in state fines for alleged violations that include the injection of waste lagoon run-off directly into the aquifer.
The feedlot was found to be in violation of the Idaho Beef Cattle Environmental Control Act and the Idaho Waste Disposal and Injection Wells Act, state officials said.
The shallow aquifer has tested negative for total coliform bacteria and E. Coli., while the deep aquifer has tested positive for both contaminates, DEQ groundwater manager Dave Hovland said.
The IDWR is seeking civil penalties of $214,700 against Double C Farms and an associated business, Lambert Produce Inc., for the alleged violations. The operation also faces fines of $643,000 from the state agricultural department for roughly 33 violations.
The alleged violations by Double C Farms aren’t representative of how most Idaho cattle feedlots are operated, representatives of the Idaho Cattle Association said.