Ridglan Farms cited for unpermitted manure trench amid protest

Ridglan Farms was cited for constructing or altering a manure storage facility without a permit after roughly 1,000 protesters descended on the Blue Mounds facility; the event unfolds amid ongoing animal-welfare concerns over beagles and past DATCP violations, including a 2025 settlement that allowed the facility to continue operating as a research site. Ridglan says it did not build a manure storage facility and characterizes the trench around the perimeter as a safety measure to deter a potential break-in.