Javascript is required to use this website.

Iowa dairy successful in $4.75M stray voltage case

By Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Jun 26, 2024
Jun 26, 2024

Iowa dairy stray voltage — The cattle at Vagts Dairy near West Union behaved bizarrely after a natural gas pipeline company altered an electrical system meant to prevent corrosion.
Photo courtesy of Iowa Courts Online

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch

The Iowa Supreme Court on June 21 backed a jury’s $4.75 million award to a northeast Iowa dairy that for years suffered from stray electrical current in the ground from a nearby natural gas pipeline.

kAm%96 ;FDE:46D F?2?:>@FD=J C6;64E65 2? 2AA62= 3J E96 }@CE96C? }2EFC2= v2D r@>A2?J[ 3FE E96J 5:D28C665 23@FE 9@H D:>:=2C =2HDF:ED D9@F=5 36 =:E:82E65 :? E96 7FEFC6]k^Am

kAm'28ED s2:CJ[ @7 (6DE &?:@?[ x@H2[ 2?5 :ED @A6C2E@CD |2C<[ y@2? 2?5 p?5C6H '28ED 7:=65 DF:E :? a_a` 282:?DE E96 82D 4@>A2?J[ D66<:?8 52>286D 7@C E96 2==6865 6=64EC:42= ?F:D2?46 42FD65 3J :ED A:A6=:?6]k^Am

kAm%96 A:A6=:?6 H2D 3F:=E e_ J62CD 28@ 2?5 CF?D 7@C 23@FE `c[___ >:=6D 7C@> %6I2D E@ |:49:82?[ 4@FCE C64@C5D D9@H] xE :?4=F56D 2? 6=64EC:42= DJDE6> E92E A2DD6D D>2== 2>@F?ED @7 4FCC6?E E9C@F89 E96 A:A6=:?6 E@ AC@E64E 282:?DE 4@CC@D:@?[ H9:49 :D C6BF:C65 3J 7656C2= C68F=2E:@?]k^Am

kAm%96 '28ED’ AC65646DD@CD 925 D:8?65 62D6>6?ED H:E9 E96 4@>A2?J E@ 2==@H :E E@ =2J E96 A:A6=:?6 2?5 :?DE2== E96 4@CC@D:@?\AC@E64E:@? DJDE6> @? E96:C AC@A6CEJ]k^Am

kAmx? a_`b — 27E6C E96 4@>A2?J C6A=2465 A2CE @7 E92E 6=64EC:42= DJDE6> — E96 '28ED’ 4@HD 3682? E@ 92G6 “3:K2CC6[ 23?@C>2= 3692G:@C[” 4@FCE C64@C5D D9@H] %96J D9F4<65 >:=<:?8 6BF:A>6?E[ DE@@5 :? H2E6C6CD E@ 86E E96:C 9@@G6D @77 E96 8C@F?5[ 3642>6 :==[ AC@5F465 =6DD >:=< 2?5 @77DAC:?8[ 2?5 925 EC:A=6 E96 ?@C>2==J 6IA64E65 >@CE2=:EJ C2E6]k^Am

kAm#6D62C49 92D D9@H? E92E 4@HD 2C6 >@C6 DFD46AE:3=6 E92? 9F>2?D E@ 6=64EC:4 4FCC6?E :? E96 8C@F?5[ 2?5 :ED 67764ED 2C6 H6== 5@4F>6?E65 2?5 >@DE=J 2C:D6 7C@> 72F=EJ 6=64EC:42= DJDE6>D] xE 42? 36 “42E2DEC@A9:4 E@ 2 52:CJ 72C>[” 4@FCE C64@C5D D9@H]k^Am

k5:G 4=2DDlQDF3D4C:36$9@CE4@56r@?E2:?6CQmk5:G 4=2DDlQDF3D4C:36%6IEr@?E2:?6CQmkAmx? a_`f E96 '28ED 6IA2?565 E96:C 52:CJ @A6C2E:@? E@ d__ 42EE=6 2?5 6IE6?565 2 52:CJ 32C? 4=@D6C E@ E96 6=64EC:42= DJDE6>] %96 6IA2?D:@? :?4=F565 >6E2=\C6:?7@C465 4@?4C6E6 E92E 3642>6 492C865 3J E92E DJDE6>[ 4@FCE C64@C5D D9@H]k^Amk^5:Gmk^5:Gm

People are also reading…

Understanding mineral tags can help cattle producers better understand what to provide
Bull breeding soundness exams should not be overlooked
Guthrie County, Iowa, woman continues family farm legacy
Trend of growing production expenses troubling for agriculture
Spring rains will struggle to make up for deficits
Bieber Fever Performance Yearling Bull Sale
Rollins highlights trade, farm policy progress during Commodity Classic general session
Gustin's Diamond Gelbvieh Annual Production Sale
MacDonald Ranches Performance Power 2026 Sale
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Feeder cattle prices hit temporary plateau
Sandmeier Charolais 45th Annual Bull Sale
Thorstenson's Lazy TV Ranch 45th Annual Bull Sale
Heart River Ranch Annual Production Sale
Pederson's Broken Heart Ranch 48th Annual Production Sale

kAmx? a_aa[ >@C6 E92? `fT @7 E96 '28ED’ 52:CJ 96C5 5:65] %96 EJA:42= >@CE2=:EJ C2E6 7@C 2 52:CJ :D dT]k^Am

kAm“$@>6E:>6D J@F 86E E@ E96 A@:?E J@F 5@?’E 6G6? H2?E E@ 86E FA :? E96 >@C?:?8 3642FD6 J@F 5@?’E <?@H H92E J@F’C6 8@:?8 E@ 7:?5 @FE E96C6[” |2C< '28ED E6DE:7:65 2E E96 =2HDF:E EC:2= :? y2?F2CJ a_ab]k^Am

kAmw:D D@?[ p?5C6H[ E6DE:7:65i “(92E C62==J DF4<D :D E6==:?8 >J <:5D H9J E96:C 72:C 42=7 925 E@ 36 D9@E @C AFE 5@H? @C D@=5]”k^Am

kAmp ;FCJ 564:565 E92E }@CE96C? }2EFC2= v2D r@>A2?J 4C62E65 2 ?F:D2?46 E92E 42FD65 52>286D 2?5 D:8?:7:42?E 92C>[ 4@FCE C64@C5D D9@H] xE 2H2C565 E96 '28ED Sb >:==:@? 7@C 64@?@>:4 52>286D[ S`]ad >:==:@? 7@C A6CD@?2= :?4@?G6?:6?46 2?5 5:D4@>7@CE 2?5 Sd__[___ 7@C =@DD @7 FD6 2?5 6?;@J>6?E @7 E96 AC@A6CEJ]k^Am

kAmpE EC:2=[ E96 4@>A2?J 5:DAFE65 H96E96C :E 42FD65 E96 AC@3=6> H:E9 E96 4@HD 2?5 E96 G2=F6 @7 E96 52>286D] ~? 2AA62=[ :E 2C8F65 E96 '28ED ?66565 E@ AC@G6 :E H2D ?68=:86?E :? 4C62E:?8 E96 ?F:D2?46 2?5 E92E E96 2>@F?E @7 E96 >@?6E2CJ 2H2C5 =24<65 6G:56?46 E@ DFAA@CE :E]k^Am

kAmyFDE:46 r9C:DE@A96C |4s@?2=5[ H9@ HC@E6 E96 >2;@C:EJ @A:?:@?[ 5:D28C665i “}6:E96C E96 5:DEC:4E 4@FCE[ ?@C E9:D 4@FCE[ D9@F=5 5:DEFC3 E96 ;FCJ’D G6C5:4E F?=6DD :E :D 7=28C2?E=J 6I46DD:G6 @C :?256BF2E6 @C D@ @FE @7 C62D@? D@ 2D E@ D9@4< E96 4@?D4:6?46] … %96 ;FCJ’D G6C5:4E :D DFAA@CE65 3J E96 C64@C5 H96? G:6H65 :? E96 =:89E >@DE 72G@C23=6 E@ E96 A=2:?E:77D[ 2?5 E96 5:DEC:4E 4@FCE 5:5 ?@E 23FD6 :ED 5:D4C6E:@? :? 564=:?:?8 E@ 5:DEFC3 :E]”k^Am

kAm|4s@?2=5 D2:5 E96 =2H 5@6D ?@E C6BF:C6 2 7:?5:?8 @7 ?68=:86?46 7@C 4C62E:?8 2 ?F:D2?46 :? E9:D 42D6]k^Am

kAmyFDE:46 t5H2C5 |2?D7:6=5 5:D28C665] w6 2?5 EH@ @E96C ;FDE:46D F=E:>2E6=J D:565 H:E9 E96 >2;@C:EJ @A:?:@? 3FE D2:5 :E H2D 3642FD6 E96 4@>A2?J’D 2EE@C?6JD “5:5?’E C2:D6 E96 ?646DD2CJ 2C8F>6?ED[ 2?5 E96 5:DEC:4E 4@FCE CF=65 4@CC64E=J 8:G6? H92E H2D 367@C6 :E]”k^Am

kAm|2?D7:6=5 HC@E6 E92E 3642FD6 52:CJ 42EE=6 2C6 6DA64:2==J DFD46AE:3=6 E@ E96 6=64EC:42= 4FCC6?ED[ E96 ?F:D2?46 D:EF2E:@? H2D 23?@C>2= 2?5 ?68=:86?46 D9@F=5 92G6 366? 4@?D:56C65] w6 D2:5 E96 >2;@C:EJ C6=:65 @? 2? 6CC2?E $FAC6>6 r@FCE 564:D:@? 7C@> EH@ 564256D 28@ E92E 4@?7=:4ED H:E9 E96 4@FCE’D @E96C CF=:?8D]k^Am

kAm%96 4@>A2?J “:D ?@E 6?E:E=65 E@ 2 ?6H EC:2=[” |2?D7:6=5 HC@E6[ “3FE H6 D9@F=5 36 42C67F= ?@E E@ 6IA2?5 E96 =2H @7 DEC:4E\=:23:=:EJ ?F:D2?46 4@?EC2CJ E@ @FC `f_ J62CD @7 AC64656?E]”k^Am