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Greene County hog farm seeks expansion approval
Pitstick Pork Farms near Fairborn wants to house about 4,700 market hogs.
Monday, November 03, 2008
BATH TWP., Greene County — A hog farm near Fairborn is seeking state permits to house nearly 4,700 market hogs and become Ohio's eighth largest swine operation.
Tom Pitstick, president of family-owned Pitstick Pork Farms Inc., said the farm needs to grow to remain competitive and will raise hogs under contract for Pork Champs of Waldo.
Pitstick said the expansion would be accomplished by converting existing buildings at 1146 Herr Road, with no new building construction.
In addition to housing 4,695 market hogs at one time, up from 1,900 previously, Pitstick Pork Farms will continue to house up to 2,400 nursery pigs weighing under 55 pounds, bringing the farm's total capacity to 7,095 pigs.
Those hogs would generate an estimated 2.2 million gallons of manure annually, according to the farm's Oct. 15 application.
Pitstick said the farm for more than 40 years raised hogs "farrow to finish," or from the time they were born until the time they went to market. For the past 12 years, the farm raised hogs from the time they were born until they weighed about 50 pounds.
But the family was at the mercy of the market, and with the cost of feed such as corn soaring, Pitstick Pork decided contracting hogs was a better fit, said Pitstick, whose family also farms 1,800 acres.
"We'll know what our cash flow is going to be," he said.
Pitstick said he has spoken with most neighbors about the expansion and noted the hog operation, unlike before, would begin operating under strict state oversight. In Ohio, farms with more than 2,500 market hogs must have state permits.
"Yes, there's going to be a larger number of (hogs), but I don't anticipate any more environmental concerns," he said. And, he added, "Whenever you've got livestock, you've got some odor."
The state's largest proposed hog farm is Ringler Livestock in Morrow County, which is seeking to expand its capacity to 11,000 pigs.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7457 or bsutherly@DaytonDaily
News.com.
Comments
By Hebble Creek resident
November 6, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
Hebble Creek runs behind the Pitstick farm, around Rona Hills, behind the Little League park, through a neighborhood and on to WPAF Base. The creek already has a high e-coli count and nitrate count. The people that live along this creek need to be made aware of the proposal and should tell their children to not play in the creek. The residents in the Fairborn Senior Center and Houseing should also stay out of the creek. Ptistick doesn’t anticipate any environmental concerns??
By Former Ag Teacher
November 3, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
In reply to Lucy Fuschino, I must say:
I have visited hog farms. Lots of them. And I have observed that raising hogs in confinement is a very humane plan. The pigs are not crowed. Building designs are such that adequate floor, feeder & waterer space and ventilation is built to accomadate the well being of the pigs. The pigs are protected from weather extremes and from predators and parasites. If confinement raising wasn’t good for the pigs, they wouldn’t grow so fast.
By Former Ag Teacher
November 3, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
Samuel, you may have lived near hog feeding operations. But it looks like you got a very slighted view.
Many feeders live close to and even right next to their feeding floors or farrowing operations.
Agricultural land values don’t plummet, they increase. That is because farmers have an increased corn market when feeding operations are located neary by. They can afford to pay more for the land because they have a lower cost source of fertilizer and better markets.
By Ed
November 3, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
Looks like it is in a good, rural farm location. Good luck! Hope you get the expansion permit. Support our farmers!
By Mary
November 3, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
Hey, this is my brother, and he lives right next to his pigs, not miles away. He takes really good care of them too. I love his pulled pork! Somebody has to raise the pigs for the bacon on your BLT. Give it a chance!
By lucy fuschino
November 3, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
I would say terrible also, to increase the number of hogs from 1,900 to 4,695 is not a humane thing to do. The hogs don’t have any room as it is. Go visit a hog farm and see if you think it is humane!
By Porcius
November 3, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
This idea really stinks!
By Samuel
November 3, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
I used to live in a town with large hog farms. The farmers would build them miles from their house because whenever they are built, property values PLUMMET in the vicinity. They also bring an extremely foul stench along with disease and hormone ridden runoff that destroys the environment. Expanding a hog farm is a terrible idea.
By john
November 3, 2008 7:21 AM | Link to this
Go for it!!