This Is Not a Family Farm — It’s an Industrial Facility

Our community in the Town of Trenton is facing a decision that will permanently alter our quality of life.

Rob-n-Cin (Roden) Farms is seeking to expand from under 999 animal units to approximately 2,500 animal units, transforming the operation into a large industrial factory farm (CAFO). At this scale, the farm will generate millions of gallons of liquid manure every year, bringing impacts far beyond the property line.

Yet county and state officials continue to treat this proposal as if it were a traditional family farm. It is not.

This Is a Densely Populated Residential Area — Not Remote Farmland

• 25 homes directly across the road
• Another 20 homes less than one mile away
• Families rely on private drinking water wells
• Children live, play, and wait for school buses here
• Local roads were built for residential traffic, not constant heavy trucking

Placing a factory-scale livestock operation here would fundamentally change the character of our town and impose daily burdens on residents who had no reason to expect industrial activity next door.

The Dangerous Misunderstanding: Family Farm vs. Factory Farm

A family farm and a factory farm are not the same thing.

At 2,500 animal units, this operation would:

• Store massive volumes of liquid manure in large pits
• Operate industrial ventilation fans continuously
• Require frequent heavy truck traffic for feed, manure hauling, and spreading
• Spread manure at volumes far exceeding traditional agricultural practices

The impacts include:

• Persistent odor
• Air pollution from manure gases
• Noise pollution
• Increased risk to groundwater
• Declining property values
• Loss of outdoor enjoyment and quality of life

These are not minor inconveniences — they are documented harms experienced by communities near industrial livestock operations across Wisconsin.

Manure Is a Public Health Risk — Not Just a Nuisance

Large manure storage pits emit gases such as:

• Ammonia
• Hydrogen sulfide
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

These pollutants are associated with:

• Respiratory irritation
• Headaches and nausea
• Worsening asthma
• Stress and sleep disruption
• Reduced quality of life for nearby residents

Residents have no ability to avoid these exposures once an industrial operation is approved next to their homes.

The DNR Permit Does Not Protect Our Community

In November 2025, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a WPDES permit allowing Rob-n-Cin Farms to operate as a CAFO.

In December 2025, residents and Milwaukee Riverkeeper filed a contested case hearing, which the DNR granted. This means the permit is now headed to a trial-like administrative proceeding.

The WPDES permit:

• Only regulates water pollution
• Does not regulate air pollution, odor, or noise
• Does not regulate truck traffic
• Does not consider neighborhood compatibility or quality of life

Why AE Zoning Is Not Appropriate Here — By the Town’s Own Code

The Town of Trenton zoning code clearly explains the intent of the Agricultural Enterprise (AE) District:

• AE is designed to support a full range of agricultural uses, including more intensive livestock and processing operations.
• Because of the more intensive nature of the uses allowed, AE is not intended to be applied near moderately to densely populated areas.
• AE is not intended to accommodate residential uses as principal uses.

Approving AE zoning in our neighborhoods would directly contradict the ordinance’s stated purpose.

“Who Was Here First” Is the Wrong Question

Many homes in this area were built in the 1990s. The Rodens purchased:

• The farmhouse in 2005
• The remaining property in 2006

This is a decision to dramatically change the intensity and impact of an operation years after families already lived here. No one expected industrial manure lagoons, toxic air emissions, heavy truck traffic, or permanent odor exposure.

This Is an Urgent Moment

If this expansion and rezoning are approved:

• Impacts will be permanent
• Local control will be lost
• Residents will have no meaningful recourse
• Our community’s quality of life will be irreversibly damaged

This is not anti-farm. It is about recognizing that industrial facilities do not belong in residential communities.

Documented & Scientific References