Convoy area dairy looking to expand

Ohio Dept. of Agriculture information

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is accepting public comments on a draft Permit to Install and a draft Permit to Operate (PTO) for Blue Stream Dairy located in Van Wert County, Tully Township, at 3242 Mentzer Church Road near Convoy. The farm, which is in the Auglaize Watershed, is owned and operated by Blue Stream Dairy Inc.

Any person may submit written comments on the Blue Stream Dairy draft permits and/or request a public meeting. Comments and requests for a public meeting must be in writing. Where there is significant public interest, the director will hold a public meeting. Written comments and/or public meeting requests must be received by the department no later than 5 p.m. on May 31. Comments and/or public meeting requests must be hand-delivered or mailed to the ODA Livestock Environmental Permitting Program (LEPP) at 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068.

Comments received after this date will not be considered by the director before issuing the final permits.

Copies of the draft PTI and draft PTO for Blue Stream Dairy may be reviewed or copies made at the ODA LEPP office. The permits can also be viewed at the Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District Office, 1185 Professional Drive in Van Wert. Those interested should call the SWCD office at 419.238.9591, and make an appointment. Written comments cannot be submitted to the Van Wert SWCD office.

Blue Stream Dairy currently houses 650 dairy cows in two free-stall barns. Under state law, the farm is allowed up to 699 dairy cows without requiring an ODA permit (click here for a fact sheet on the permits).