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An Addison County farm is asking the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets for permission to add almost 600 cows to their operation.

The proposal by the Vorsteveld Farm � owned by brothers Gerard, Rudy and Hans � drew skepticism from neighbors at a public hearing Thursday in Panton, where more than 60 people came to ask questions about the farm’s bid to expand its business.

Skeptics pointed to the farm's history of environmental violations, including and issues managing runoff.

The Vorsteveld Farm sits on roughly 2,800 acres across multiple locations in Panton, near Lake Champlain. The farmers are currently permitted to raise 1,500 mature dairy cows and 1,500 heifers.

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They’d like the flexibility to expand their operation over the next decade by growing to as many as 2,000 adult cows and 1,580 heifers.

Right now, those cows generate almost 20 million gallons of liquid waste every year; the proposal would raise that figure by about 7 million gallons, according to the Vorstevelds� permit application.

It would also allow them to produce more than 26,000 gallons of milk each year, something Gerard Vorsteveld says will help make their business more economically sustainable.

“What we're applying for now, it's not like we're going to get there right off. It's just for the future. We may never get to those full numbers,� Vorsteveld said in an interview following the meeting.

He says the farm has added more land in recent years, and feels it has the capacity for growth.

But that worries some neighbors.

Paulette Bogan is one of them.

“I've lived on the lake for over 20 years, and I have seen the deterioration of the lake just in our area from perfectly pristine, clear waters that I would swim in, to now, algae blooms,� Bogan said. “And I don't swim in it anymore.�

Still, other community members spoke in support of the farmers� plan on Thursday.

“These guys have done a great job for a very, very long time,� said Loren Wood, a dairy farmer who owns and operates Woodnotch Farms in Shoreham, Orwell and Addison. He said the Vorstevelds have been active members of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition and have taken many steps to protect water quality. “They’re basically on the cutting edge of new technology.�

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Past lawsuits over the Vorstevelds� practices and objections from neighbors have spurred concerns about farmers� ability to operate in peace, and .

Panton resident Glen Macri lives part of the time near the Vorsteveld Farm, and said he’s concerned about what the water quality impacts of the expansion might be. He’s examined data from the Vergennes Panton Water District, showing frequently elevated levels of chloroform in drinking water, which is drawn from Lake Champlain.

Glen Macri

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Courtesy

The carcinogenic substance is created when chlorine � used to sterilize drinking water � mixes with sediment from the lake.

And while he doesn’t blame the Vorstevelds or any other farm alone for the contamination, he thinks this permit application warrants a closer look as climate change brings more extreme rainfall to Vermont.

Macri would like to see Vermont require a federal Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permit for the expansion � something that would bring a stricter level of regulation under the Clean Water Act, but that Vermont has yet to do for any farm in the state. Vermont’s reluctance to do so has drawn scrutiny from federal regulators.

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“It's not just the Vorsteveld Farm creating the siltation. It’s larger storms. There's a climate change element to this,� he said.

The permit is open for public comment through April 10. After that, the Agency of Agriculture will review the application for water quality concerns before VAAFM makes its final decision.