To the editor:

I have lived in Wright County most of my life and I choose to raise my family here because of the quality of life, values, honesty, and integrity. Change is constant, and many times change allows for growth. However, I do feel we need to be cautious in what change we allow, as it always comes with a price. Earlier this year, Eagle Grove and Vincent community members came forth with complaints of the intense fly population. I live with the fly nuisance daily and pick flies out of my family’s food daily. It is absolutely disgusting. The neighboring large factory farm where these flies seem to be coming from, in the beginning promised fly control and that they would be “friendly” neighbors and would not be a nuisance when they built the farm. Now we face the proposal of Prestage’s meat packing plant coming to the same area. I understand the economic growth that the community is in support of, but is it truly worth the changes in our quality of life that will also come? They say they will control the smell and flies will not be bad. Who can truly believe this? How long before our waters and air are polluted, crime rates increase, poverty levels increase? What is the change we truly want to see in our community?

Fawn Roberts

Eagle Grove