Operators of a large hog farm near the Buffalo River that’s drawn concern about its potential impact on the watershed have agreed to shut down their facility in exchange for $6.2 million from the state and a private group, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday.
Hutchinson, a Republican, said the state signed an agreement with the operators of the C&H Hog Farm and will receive a conservation easement that will permanently prohibit similar farming operations on its site. The 6,500-hog farm in Vendor, about 95 miles (153 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, has been the source of controversy since it was permitted several years ago. The shutdown will occur over the next few months, Hutchinson said. He also said the state will make permanent a temporary ban on large hog farms in the Buffalo River watershed.