Golden Sands Mega-Dairy Asks Wisconsin Supreme Court To Overturn Ruling

The owners of a proposed central Wisconsin mega-dairy are asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that blocked the project.

In April, the 4th District Court of Appeals ruled that although the dairy has the right to put buildings on its land, it does not have the right to use 6,300 acres away from the building site for agriculture and manure spreading.

“We reject the arguments Golden Sands makes to support its claim of vested rights in agricultural use of all land identified in its building application,” said the court.

In a written statement Thursday, Golden Sands owner and chief financial officer Jim Wysocki said “the Court of Appeals failed to properly apply the law of vested rights in Wisconsin.”

“If not challenged, businesses may not be able to rely on the rules in place at the time they invest in growth and jobs,” Wysocki wrote.

Attorney Paul Kent said the Town of Saratoga anticipated Wysocki’s petition, and will file a response asking the Supreme Court not to take the case.

“We think the Court of Appeals ruling is consistent with existing law and there is no reason for the Supreme Court to have to review it,” Kent said.

Rhonda Carrell, leader of the local citizen action group Protect Wood County and its Neighbors, contends that the mega-dairy could pollute groundwater.

“We’re fully prepared to take this for however many years that it has to go to preserve our community, and I believe our town board is also,” Carrell said.

The Town of Saratoga has 14 days to file its response.