Riverview Farms given permit by North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality for construction of dairy farm south of Fargo

Image courtesy of North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

Riverview Farms will advance with the construction of a 12,500 head dairy farm south of Fargo in a move that will cost $90 million. The move is allowed after the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality issued a state animal feeding operation permit last week.

The number of dairies in North Dakota has been on a decline for decade, and Riverview Farms is hoping to counteract this movement. The proposed dairy was controversial for residents around towns in southeast North Dakota, however. Those like Wahpeton, Breckenridge and Abercrombie pushed back on this move.

The dairy is supposed to be built on top of the Wahpeton Buried Valley Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to almost 30 wells.