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<br /> Northwest manteca residents
<br /> ,may get relief next summer
<br /> ..............
<br /> NANCY MAYER
<br /> north of the cheese factory, A&J
<br /> '
<br /> i I Foods,to a pond owned by longtime
<br /> :Of The Manteca Bulletin N
<br /> South County farmcrJerry DeGroot.
<br /> Connoisseurs of farm odors The California Regional Water
<br /> understand the difference between Quality Control Board says The
<br /> chicken, hog, and cow manure, but DeGroot family has until July 1,
<br /> :even lifelong farmers were stumped 1992 to control the odor, probably
<br /> about three years ago when a pun- with new equipment that extracts
<br /> :gent newcomer joined the blend. whey fromwastewater during the
<br /> d
<br /> Acqusafions flew faster than the an process.
<br /> :wind,
<br /> some appearing on the Mante- Former Southern Californian,4� .7i
<br /> :ca Bulletin's editorial pages and in -Greg Gaglio has owned the cheese
<br /> :the Tell it to the Bulletin call-inbusiness for the e past three years,but
<br /> column. the DeGroot family,which operated
<br /> But it's not the Simplot fertilizer - the-ch6ese businrsg-betwecri"19811 4'
<br /> plant,Hayre's Eggs,thacticese fac- and' 1980, still owns the la'nd' the i
<br /> tory on Airport Road, or goats. A building,
<br /> and the waste.
<br /> state agency,one of several to field The smell tends to be worse'after
<br /> numerous complaints about a smell sundown, when oxygen levels are
<br /> so strong it wakes up farmers in the lower,because the bacteria are dor '
<br /> middle of the night, is pointing I., I worse when hot
<br /> '77", -,- I I
<br /> official finger at a three million gal- because malodoro6s gases are more
<br /> Ion wastewater pond in the county easily released at higher tempera x,
<br /> between Lathrop and ...... ag
<br /> Vanteca. turcis. Waste from Chiron Corpora-
<br /> Deep in the northeast.corner of tion,a pharmaceutical coin
<br /> pany next
<br /> Airport Way and Lathrop Road,bid- to the cheese factory,alsodischiirges
<br /> den among vineyards and fields of, into the pond, but officials said its
<br /> alfalfa,is a frothy,white topping on contribution is minimal.
<br /> a pond edged with orange, waxy- 'Members of the DeGroot family, P
<br /> looking chunks. Lifelong farmers question the fairness of singling Out
<br /> cannot describe the smell; they just one agricultural smell as worse than
<br /> :shut their windows—even if they any other,but Jerry DeGroot admits
<br /> NANCY MAYER Y,
<br /> have no air conditioning—when it that every cheesd factory he knows., Deep In the.riortheast corner of Airport Way and Lathrop Road, hidden among vineyards and fields of alfalfa, Is a frothy,white topping on a pond
<br /> wafts 'their way on hot summer of is installing equipment that sepa-. edged with orange,waxy-looking chunks.State officials contend the pond Is the source of offensive smells that are annoying northwest Manteca
<br /> nights. rates whey. Most wastewater treat- residents. e
<br /> Air pollution, water quality, and ment facilities won'taccept whey.If
<br /> health officials agree the culprit is they do, they charge more for it.
<br /> cheese whey.It travels underground Many cheesemakers sell whey as
<br /> through a pipe under Airport Way cattle feed.
<br /> V1 J.
<br /> ffensive -
<br /> Smell- was less p
<br /> when it mixed with manure
<br /> Gaglio, who are the namesakes for
<br /> NANCY MAYER A&J Foods.The bulk of the family's
<br /> Of The Manteca Bulletin' assets are in Southern California.
<br /> I
<br /> %The cheese factory. on' Airport Greg Gaglio came north to operate
<br /> Way north of Lathrop Road didn't the local A&J Foods plant on his
<br /> create the same stink some three own.
<br /> years ago as it does today because
<br /> smelly byproducts were over-- Neither family has used equip-
<br /> whelmed by, less pungent cattle ment that would eliminate the odor,
<br /> waste, longtime South County far- but the DeGroots used to operate a
<br /> mer Jerry DeGroot said. dairy in conjunction with the cheese
<br /> The DeGroot family made jack: business. DeGroot estimates the
<br /> and cheddar cheese for eight years wastewater pond's contents used to
<br /> before selling the business to Greg be two-thirds cattle waste and one
<br /> Gaglio, formerly of Southern Cali- third whey. Air pollution, water
<br /> fornia, who makes mozzarella quality, and health officials have
<br /> cheese. He sells it to wholesalers' confirmed that mostly-undiluted
<br /> who supply pizza restaurants. ' whey is causing distinctive new
<br /> Gaglio is the son of longtime odors that have prompted numerous
<br /> cheese makers Amelia and Joe nuisance complaints.
<br /> par-pow
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