Riverview

ATTENTION: MPCA Extends Comment Deadline to May 7

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has extended the public comment period for Minnesota’s largest proposed dairy, owned by Riverview LLP, for a second time.

The deadline has been moved from April 9 to May 7.

This extension reflects, in part, the strong engagement of concerned farmers and community members from across Minnesota who have actively made their voices heard — not only through the MPCA website, where nearly 900 comments have been submitted to date, but also through letters-to-the-editor, social media discussions, and outreach to local elected officials. We extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who has taken action thus far. Your efforts are having a meaningful impact.

As we approach this next critical milestone, the Land Stewardship Project encourages you to continue building on this momentum. Below are several opportunities to remain engaged and to ensure your voice continues to be heard.

What: MPCA Public Meeting on Riverview Permit
When: Tuesday, April 28, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Who: Open to All Minnesotans
Where: The South Side Event Center and Reception Hall at Old No. 1 Bar and Grill, 412 Atlantic Ave.,Morris, MN 56267

This public MPCA meeting is open to all concerned citizens and provides an opportunity to share comments in person.

The meeting will be held in Morris, where Riverview LLP is headquartered. While the location is local, the proposal carries statewide significance and would set an important precedent for how we regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) throughout Minnesota. We encourage you to attend and make your voice heard.

What: MPCA Public Comment Period
When: New deadline closes comments on Thursday, May 7
Who: Open to All Minnesotans
Where: Make your comments on the MPCA website at this link
Submit Comments to MPCA
The public comment period, originally opened on Feb. 10 and scheduled to close on March 12, has been extended for a second time to May 7.

This extension followed the identification of omissions in the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), including missing aquifer flow test reports and revised greenhouse gas emissions estimates. Notably, the “most recent” aquifer tests added to the EAW were conducted in 2007 and are nearly two decades old.

What: LSP Animal Ag Connect
Who: Open to All Concerned Citizens
Where: Use this link below to join our Animal Ag Connect e-mail list and receive updates and opportunities for deeper engagement on this issue.

Overview:

Minnesota’s largest dairy entity, Riverview LLP, has proposed the state’s first livestock operation exceeding 26,000 animal units—an unprecedented concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) housing nearly 19,000 dairy cattle at a single site. At more than 60 times the size of the average Minnesota dairy, this Riverview proposal represents a fundamentally new threat to the environment and rural economies.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), which is the agency that issues Minnesota’s feedlot permits, must recognize the fundamentally new nature of this threat and give this permit greater scrutiny than it ever has to previous proposals. This proposal by Riverview must be required to undergo a full environmental impact statement (EIS).

CONTACT THE MPCA HERE

LSP is following the Riverview situation closely and will be providing regular updates. If you would like to be included in those updates, sign up here:

ANIMAL AG UPDATE SIGN-UP

About Riverview LLP:

Riverview LLP, based out of Morris, Minn., is one of the largest milk producers in the country. The firm now owns 16 permitted dairy CAFOs in Minnesota alone, and these facilities house a total of more than 135,000 cows, according to the Star Tribune. That accounts for nearly a third of the state’s entire dairy herd. Riverview also has a major presence in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Riverview’s Market Concentration
• Riverview LLP operates 16 large-scale dairy facilities across Minnesota, collectively housing approximately 135,000 cows.
• This concentration represents roughly one-third of Minnesota’s total dairy herd, all under the ownership and control of a single entity.
• Notably, the 14 largest dairy operations in the state are all owned by Riverview, including at least one facility with a herd exceeding 12,000 cows.
• The proposed West River site would surpass all existing operations in size, making it the largest concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) ever constructed in Minnesota.

Impact on Family Farms
• In 1995, Minnesota was home to approximately 9,000 dairy farms, reflecting a widely distributed, family-based agricultural economy.
• By 2025, that number had fallen to just 1,605 farms, illustrating decades of accelerated consolidation within the dairy industry.
• Today, the average Minnesota dairy farm maintains a herd of about 274 cows.
• In contrast, Riverview’s combined operations are nearly 500 times larger than the state average, placing them far outside the scale of traditional family farming and fundamentally altering the structure of the dairy sector.

Jobs and Local Economies
• Riverview estimates that the proposed 18,500-cow facility would generate approximately 40 permanent jobs.
• By comparison, distributing the same number of cows among farms of average size could sustain roughly 70 family-owned dairy farms — each supporting local suppliers, schools, service providers, and rural communities, and contributing to a more resilient local economy.

Riverview’s West River Dairy CAFO Proposal:

Extraordinary water use threatens local resources: The proposed Stevens County facility would be permitted to pump up to 226 million gallons of groundwater per year and would use a total of 319 gallons per year according to their permit application, nearly rivaling the nearby city of Morris’s 300 million‑gallon annual limit for a population of over 5,000 people.

Massive manure production poses contamination risks: The expansion would involve 250 million gallons of liquid manure storage and require spreading waste across 13,200 acres of farmland, increasing the risk of runoff and groundwater pollution.

Sensitive and already impaired waters are at risk: The site lies within the Pomme de Terre River watershed, near eight protected wildlife and waterfowl areas, and close to waterways already listed as impaired by the MPCA.

Critical groundwater data is missing: Stevens County lacks a completed County Geologic Atlas, meaning key information about aquifers and groundwater vulnerability is not yet available to guide permitting decisions.

Documented compliance and pollution concerns: In February 2025, Riverview reported a manure spill at its Pennock, Minnesota facility, raising concerns about operational safety and spill prevention.

History of excessive water use: Riverview recently agreed to pay $11 million to Arizona residents after the state’s Attorney General found the company had over‑pumped regional water supplies.

Calls for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): Land Stewardship Project and others argue that an EIS is essential to fully assess environmental risks, evaluate alternatives, and identify mitigation strategies before permits are approved.

Legislative momentum supports stronger review: Proposed Minnesota legislation would require an EIS for feedlots with 10,000 or more animal units, directly relevant to this project.

Pattern of controversial expansion: Riverview’s rapid growth across the Upper Midwest has sparked opposition, including lawsuits in North Dakota over water‑quality impacts of large dairy proposals. Similar concerns have already delayed Riverview’s 25,000‑cow proposal in South Dakota, underscoring unresolved questions about environmental and regulatory impacts.

Over the past five years, the Land Stewardship Project has been building a farmer-led campaign to address this consolidation problem and to take action. Our goal is to stop the problem in its tracks and build a better system of animal agriculture in Minnesota that helps small and mid-sized producers get a fair shake, keeps the land and water healthy, and puts more farmers on the land. Right now, that work involves pushing back against this unprecedented operation.

Support our work in keeping more farmers on the land and keeping Big Ag accountable by becoming a member here.