Criminal charges possible in Scott County dead hogs case

SCOTT COUNTY, Mo. -- As early as Monday, cleanup operations will begin at an abandoned Scott County farm, where more than 50 dead hogs were discovered Tuesday in a metal barn.

Barry Cook, the Scott County Health Department's administrator, was the first on the scene after receiving two phone calls from neighbors of the hog farm.

"I went out there the same day, then I contacted the [Scott County] Sheriffs' department, [Missouri] Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources," he said. "I saw six to eight dead hogs -- but it didn't matter if it was 600, that's all I needed to see."

Capt. Gregg Ourth of Scott County Sheriff's Department is investigating. He arrived with an investigator from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. One long, L-shaped building, which Ourth called "the pig shed," was empty. In the barn used to fatten the pigs, he saw the remains of at least 50 animals, many weighing as much as 200 pounds when they died. The stench was so bad, Ourth said, he didn't linger inside.

"Criminal charges could stem from neglecting to properly dispose of the animals," he said.

State law requires carcasses to be disposed of within 24 hours. Ourth said it appears the hogs died in February, after the ice storm left the farm powerless for four days -- the animals had no food, water or adequate ventilation.

According to Ourth and Cook, without proper ventilation, ammonia fumes from the hogs' waste caused asphyxiation. Ourth said surviving animals were removed by the farmer less than 24 hours after the hogs died.

Investigators initially ran into a problem trying to locate who actually owned the farm, Ourth said. But he found an Illinois man -- whose identity Ourth declined to reveal -- who relinquished the farm to an Illinois bank. The bank has agreed to pay for the property to be cleaned up. The work must meet Department of Natural Resources standards before it can be sold.

Ourth said state investigators found "no breach of levees or overfill of the lagoons."

He said he can't recall handling a similar case.

Cook said the wells will be tested, but he suggested there was no risk because "that area has very deep wells."

Two of the three families living on County Road 232 remain concerned, in part because they say the farm was not well-run when it was in business.

"It's a shame that it took this may dead hogs to bring attention to this," Lori Glasstetter said, estimating the barns held at least 700 animals. She and her husband, Kenny Glasstetter, farm row crops and cattle. Their property adjoins the hog farm. On days when the animals were loaded onto trucks, she said their squeals were terrible to hear. When the farm was operating, eastern breezes carried the smell of the animal incinerator to her home, on a hill nearly a half-mile away.

She said she hopes the hog farm is cleaned up and sold -- but that the next farmer raises cattle.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

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Neighbors discuss abandoned hog farm

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