Has your county passed the Matrix?

To be able to appeal or stop factory farm construction near you, your County Board of Supervisors must adopt the Master Matrix resolution and mail it in by Jan. 31.

 The "Master Matrix" is a tool counties can utilize to evaluate proposed factory farm construction sites large enough to require permits.  It's important as it gives counties the right to appeal factory farm permits and in some cases stop factory farms from being built. While the master matrix is not local control – it allows counties to comment on and evaluate permit applications and requires that factory farm operators meet higher standards for our environment and community.

Call your county courthouse and tell your supervisors to use the Matrix today!

Right now it's the only defense counties are granted to stop the spread of factory farms.  Counties that choose not to pass the Matrix cannot file formal appeals on permits with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Environmental Protection Commission.

Last year, 89 out of Iowa’s 99 counties passed the construction evaluation resolution in order to use the master matrix. This was the highest number of counties that have passed the resolution. But we need every county to pass it!

1. Call your county courthouse today and ask them to pass the Matrix at their January meeting.

2. Click here for a copy of the Matrix resolution.

3. Follow up to be sure the Matrix construction evaluation resolution gets mailed by Jan. 31 to:

Jerah Sheets, Dept. of Natural Resources
Wallace State Office Building
502 E 9th St, Des Moines, IA 50319

4. We're keeping track! Please let us know if your County passes the Master Matrix.

 Any questions? Don't hesitate to contact the Iowa CCI office at 515-282-0484 or iowacci@iowacci.org.