We share some of the concerns of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) about what might lie ahead for our state’s Environmental Protection Commission.

In appointing four members to that body, Gov. Terry Branstad made a clear commitment to large-scale agriculture, and that’s not surprising. Concentration and economies of scale have defined the course of every other American industry, so why not farming?

But aside from the pontification about the loss of “family farms” and what that means for the character of the state, there’s a more easily quantifiable concern here.

Those other industries have taught us that concentration of production can lead to huge and intractable pollution problems.

CCI was alarmed to see the governor appoint Brent Rastetter, Dolores Mertz and Mary Boote as new members of the Environmental Protection Commission and reappoint Eugene Ver Steeg.

Rastetter “is the owner and CEO of Quality Ag Construction, a company he and his brother, Bruce Rastetter, created in 1992,” noted the website Bleeding Heartland. “Quality Ag Construction’s market niche has been building hog confinement facilities. … It’s also worth noting that Bruce Rastetter built a business empire in large-scale hog production.”

In a press release, CCI said of Mertz: “Her sons Peter and David own a 4,000-head hog factory in southern Kossuth County. They have owned and operated the site for at least 10 years and have been cited for five violations in the last five years.”

We want Iowa’s hog farmers to have the freedom to produce efficiently and expand prudently. Hog production should remain a vital part of our economy.

However, odor complaints and fish-killing manure spills damage our larger efforts in economic development. Businesses are understandably wary of locating in areas with such problems.

All we ask is that the Environmental Protection Commission live up to its name.