Letter to the Editor

Mar 22, 2024

To the Editor:

Rural America is a community of its own. Rural America has rights, freedoms, and liberties that urban communities do not have.

We can construct barns to house livestock. Odors, flies and noise comes with the freedom that we as farmers experience in that choice.

We can construct grain bins to dry and store our grain. Dust and loud noises accompany that freedom as well.

Both of these examples are to feed the urban communities and small towns.

In Buchanan County Iowa, non-farming citizens feel that have the right and power to dictate to us rural farmers what we can’t do with our properties.

The Buchanan County P&Z committee has made ordinances that are both ridiculous and arbitrary to prevent farm owners from ever being able to construct wind turbines on their properties. They feel they are following the wishes of “the community.” There is no consideration to the farmers in the county.

Many farmers wish to produce energy. Energy that will provide for future needs of these same “communities.”

It is the three Supervisors of Buchanan County that will make the final decision in this matter. The P&Z committee is strictly an advisory board to the Supervisors.

As a farmer/landowner of Buchanan County I want the farmers and citizens to understand what is happening in our county.