HARRISON, Ark. – The owners of a local hog farm are keeping their pigs but have been mandated to clean up and manage the waste better.

Judge Gail Ingman-Campbell made the ruling this week giving Sanders Farm near Western Grove until March 15th to comply with the court order.

During two inspections by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality last year, state officials reported seeing swine housed in barns with substantial piles of animal wastes next to, in and near the barns.

The ADEQ had sought to order the farm to clean up the manure and sell its pigs because manure was washing into a creek that empties into the Buffalo National River.

The owners of the hog farm say the problems began last year when they couldn’t sell their pigs because they were sick, and the number of hogs grew unexpectedly.

According to the court documents, the owners of the farm will no longer be able to let their hogs roam free, they will have to re-vegetate a certain area, and will need a nutrition management plan for the pigs by March 15th.

However, if they can complete those things and a couple of other minor stipulations, they can keep the farm.

(Shannon Cay, Hometowndailynews.com)