Klemme resigns from state committee after livestock debate
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
By Beverly Van Buskirk

Ralph Klemme, a member of the state's Environmental Protection Commission since April 2007, resigned his position effective Sept. 2, after serving just 1 1/2 years of an appointed our-year term.

The "final straw" he said was the commission's 6-2 decision to deny two livestock facility requests which had met all the matrix and Department of Natural Resources criteria. Klemme voted to approve the permits.

"I'm very comfortable with my decision (to resign)," Klemme said Monday. Read More

One of the biggest hurdles for families that want to expand their livestock operations hasn’t been meeting the regulations required of them, it has been to win a popularity contest. This contest throws all science and research out the window and sets up a scenario that discourages people, especially the next generation of producers, from getting into agriculture.