Neighbors voice concerns over nearby fertilizer plant

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) — A natural fertilizer operation is causing unnatural odors in and around a farming community northwest of Omaha.

Tons of corn milling byproduct stockpiled, then its spread on nearby farmland but to neighbors, that stinks.

The Dodge County Board let a half dozen neighbors air out their complaints.

Neighbor 1 said, “I could spend five minutes outside and my hair smells like it my clothes smell like it.”

Neighbor 2 said, “When you sit down to eat something you smell it, and you taste it.

Neighbor 3 said, “The flies are horrendous.”

Environment Land Management Director Nate Hansen sent the board a message that he’s COVID quarantined.

But the county board isn’t on the company and appointed a committee to find answers.

Bob Missel, a chairman, said, “Consider possible action the board could take legally work with the county attorney’s office to address this.”

And the stockpile operator is being notified to show up at the next board meeting.

It’s not just neighbor’s complaints about odor and flies. But a county commissioner raised a concern about the effects of all the truck traffic on county roads.

A fleet of semis hauling trailers full of corn byproduct travel a several mile radius to dump the fertilizer on farmland. Maintaining those roads costs dodge county an estimated hundred thousand dollars.

Lon Strand, Dodge Co. Supervisor said, “A hundred thousand might not be adequate, they tore roads up. I’ve asked them to stay off of a road and within half a day they turn around and find another road to destroy.”

And that truck traffic has increased compared to what I saw last week with two scoopers loading the trailers. That’s because some are hearing the company is clearing the stockpile in about 10 days.

Eric Hanson, a neighbor said, “10 days is considered to be good news to us, it’s forward progress so we’re excited to hear there is forward progress.”

Neighbors may soon breathe a sigh of relief.

In a message to the board, the stockpile operator says the byproduct saves area farmers money on fertilizer and keeps it out of landfills.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.