Kossuth County recommends DNR approve Buffalo Finisher construction permit after Master Matrix review

The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors on April 7 voted unanimously to recommend that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approve a construction permit application for Marlin and Nancy Brandt’s Buffalo Finisher confinement feeding operation, known as site #64482.

The board opened a public hearing on the application, with Vice‑Chairman Howard Haas calling for a roll‑call vote to open the hearing; Supervisors Josh Waechter, Amber Garman and Kyle Stecker all voted yes. Sanitarian Corey Petersen submitted a letter stating the Master Matrix scoring and required setbacks were met and that there were no public objections in person or in writing. Petersen told the board he had scored the matrix identically to the applicant.

Following the hearing, Supervisor Amber Garman moved, and Supervisor Kyle Stecker seconded, a resolution (No. 04‑07‑26‑01) recommending DNR approval of the construction permit for the Buffalo Finisher in the NE NW Quarter of Section 13 T97N R27W in Buffalo Township. Vice‑Chairman Haas called the roll; Waechter, Garman, Stecker and Haas each voted yes and the motion carried. The resolution records the facility’s Master Matrix score as 525 and directs Auditor Tammy Eden to notify the Iowa Department of Natural Resources of the board’s recommendation.

The board’s action is advisory: the county recommended approval to the state agency under its locally adopted Master Matrix process. The resolution and supporting matrix are on file with the Kossuth County Auditor; the DNR will make the final permitting decision.

Next steps: the county auditor will send notice of the board’s adopted recommendation to the Iowa DNR; no state decision was recorded at the April 7 meeting.