Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members are concerned that the State Department of Natural Resources has allowed over 100 emergency exemptions for spreading of liquid manure on snow covered ground. ICCI State Policy Director Adam Mason says weather conditions led to full manure pits that had to be emptied leading to more water quality concerns.

He says allowing the liquid manure to be applied on snow covered or frozen ground cause runoff which leads to problems with more polluted water.

Mason says that all came about because there are too many large farming operations. He says that’s why they pushed for a moratorium on those large operations.

Mason says unfortunately because of legislative deadlines they weren’t able to get their moratorium bill passed this session so they’ll have to try again next session.