Iowa counties have until the end of January each year to adopt and submit construction evaluation resolutions to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) if they wish to have a say in proposed animal feeding operation permits. These resolutions grant counties the ability to offer formal recommendations to the DNR, participate in site inspections, appeal permitting decisions, and implement stricter requirements through the state’s master matrix.

However, not all counties are submitting the resolutions, thereby forfeiting their role in the process.

Caitlin Golle, a community organizer with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI), stressed the importance of these resolutions. “Without passing this resolution, there’s virtually no way for the county to provide input or fight to protect their community,” Golle said.

The master matrix system, which applies to counties with resolutions, requires proposed operations to meet specific criteria, scoring at least 440 out of 880 points. According to DNR documents, this ensures operations adhere to “higher standards than required by law,” such as stricter manure management plans and greater separation distances.

Still, Golle noted that the system has limitations. “For most people, a 50% grade is failing, but for factory farms requesting to build a new or expanding factory farm, they only need that 50%,” she said. “It’s intended to hold factory farms to a higher standard than what the law requires, where really the law should be requiring these higher standards.”

Counties are tasked with verifying the matrix scoring submitted by applicants and ensuring compliance with additional local requirements. Golle emphasized the importance of this oversight: “We want there to be that opportunity where, if (applicants) are not fully truthful … we can catch them on anything where points can be reduced, or where the permit can be denied.”

Despite the benefits, some counties choose not to participate. Reasons include the additional work involved in evaluating the master matrix, skepticism about the effectiveness of their input, or reliance on DNR’s final authority.

“Oftentimes supervisors can feel like their hands are tied, but still giving that input can make a big difference,” Golle said, highlighting cases where county evaluations and public feedback led to permit denials or withdrawals.

DNR maintains maps of counties that have submitted resolutions, showing that most of Iowa’s 99 counties have done so in recent years. Still, about 15 counties have not.

Kelli Book, an attorney with DNR, said counties are reminded each December of the process. “Most counties that have the master matrix have done permits before, so they’re well aware of the process, but our engineers do send it to them,” Book said.

Golle underscored the importance of the master matrix in giving communities a voice. “It is one of the greatest strengths — a tool that they have in order to give their input,” she said. “So they have that opportunity to stand up and make a public stance on how they feel about this specific permit request.”