DNR Lays Off Livestock Enforcement Field Officers

One third of the DNR's animal confinement enforcement field officers have been laid off because of state budget cuts to the agency according to a Radio Iowa article. The six officers were responsible for monitoring livestock confinements.

Wayne Gieselman, head of the DNR's environmental services division, said the 15% agency budget reduction amounts to a $1.2 million loss. Programs that drew federal matching funds were given first priority and everything else was reduced.

According to Representative Mark Kuhn, chairman of the subcommittee that drafts the agency's budget, the DNR had discretion to explore several ways to make the numbers work and said the state legislature will review the DNR's decisions.

He also expressed concerns that the DNR may not have enough personnel to enforce the new law forbidding the application of liquid manure on frozen farmland.

Iowa CCI member Sonia Skidmore reports that prior to the layoffs, the DNR already had difficulties in meeting their all their enforcement needs, such as responding to manure application problems or dead hogs in waterways.