We decided to fight the expansion of the Emerald Sky Dairy because our community does not need a toxic disaster in our back yard.
Emerald Dairy sold in 2016 to Todd Tuls of Nebraska, he is seeking to to take the farm to new heights. If he is successful with 6,000+ cows it will become a factory farm with no regards to the cows or even the humans who live in the area. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Double Dutch Dairy in Polk County which Tuls owns in Nebraska for four serious safety violations in connection with the death of an employee. Read More >
The violation reports are public records Available Here >
The Emerald dairy farm has its own violations too from the Department of health and Human Services under the watch of previous owner John Vriese. Read More >
On September 17, 19, and October 1, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an investigation of the dairy operation at Emerald Dairy II, LLC, located at 1450 250th Street, Emerald, Wisconsin. Notification was sent out in regards to the violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) that we found during our investigation of your operation.
They found that the operation run by John Vriese offered for sale an animal for slaughter as food that was adulterated. Under section 402(a)(2)(C)(ii) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(2)(C)(ii), a food is deemed to be adulterated if it bears or contains a new animal drug that is unsafe under section 512 of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360b. Further, under section 402(a)(4) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. § 342(a)(4), a food is deemed to be adulterated if it has been held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health.
Specifically, their investigation revealed that on or about June 3, 2014, former owner John Vriese sold a dairy cow identified with back tag #(b)(4), corresponding to his farm tag #(b)(4), for slaughter as food. On or about June 3, 2014, (b)(4), slaughtered this animal. United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) analysis of edible tissue from that cow identified the presence of 0.653 parts per million (ppm) of residues of penicillin in kidney tissue, and 0.199 ppm of residues of flunixin in liver tissue.
The few jobs produced in our community by the Emerald dairy farm, does not provide a justification to poison our water with manure contamination due to the bacteria contained in manure and suffer deadly diseases for years to come. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) is an operation where giant manure lagoons pose a serious threat to the water table. See Video >
"St. Croix County has a Natural Resources Vision...By 2035, St. Croix County has maintained and enhanced its natural resource base. The water quality for drinking and recreation is excellent. The streams, rivers and lakes are clean and vibrant with healthy fish and recreational opportunities....."
