Letter to the editor concerning the Erath dairies

The following letter to the editor has been sent to the Waco Trib about the dairy industry. It has run in the Stephenville and Dublin papers and is scheduled to appear in the Goldthwaite, Hamilton, Hico, Comanche and De Leon papers.

Dear Editor;

I am writing in response to J. B. Smith’s June 17, front page story of the Waco Tribune Herald on the Erath dairies. Evidently Ken Wagner of ENSR has been bought and paid for with the $1.8 million because his “solid” study is not scientific by any stretch of the wildest imagination. He evidently went or was sent to get evidence to support a desired conclusion. There is absolutely no way anyone can prove the source of the phosphorus in the North Bosque River. What can be proven is the sources of the bacteria in the river. It is logical that there is a direct connection between the source of bacteria and of phosphorus. 48% of the bacteria is traced to wildlife, 17% to humans, 14% to cattle (not just dairy cows) according to TCEQ. If all cattle only produce 14% of the bacteria, how can dairy cows be said to have produced 55% of the phosphorus. If Ken Wagner had actually done any research, he would have learned that the wild hog population was exploding as the dairies were doing all that was asked of them in an attempt to control their waste. Wild hogs produce phosphorus contamination as do urban dwellers who over fertilize their lawns. It is time that the “Big Bully” City of Waco and its hired guns stop trying to destroy the economy of Erath and other counties and face the facts. The wildlife in the watershed, especially the feral hogs, followed by the overzealous lawn groomer are the real sources of the problem for the river.

Ernie Casbeer, Candidate for House District 59
Oglesby, Texas