To the editor:

We want to thank the Brown County Commissioners for making the right decision by not supporting the request of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to help provide free well water testing. The commissioners correctly recognized that there is no such thing as a “free” lunch.

Taxpayers are paying for this free well testing. In addition, the test results from this free well testing will be public information and will be used to trigger nitrogen fertilizer regulations by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), and ultimately the MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) would further restrict manure management.

Rural land owners should be encouraged to know their well water quality. Most do know their well water quality. If their wells are contaminated by nitrates or bacteria, the contamination is most likely a very isolated source around the well. Ultimately, all wells deteriorate over time and are subject to site-specific contamination. Therefore, domestic wells are not an indicator of aquifer water quality and should not be used for this.

The MDA, MDH and other Agency efforts to push the Township well testing programs are shameful, because they know there isn’t any creditable research to support a linkage of high nitrates in domestic wells with farm field fertilizer or manure use.

We encourage everyone to take the time and effort to thank your Brown County Commissioners for having the knowledge and understanding to make the right decision regarding the proposed Township well testing program.

Keith Lendt, President

Brown County Corn and Soybean Growers Association

Greg Bartz, President

Brown County Farm Bureau