Enumclaw toxin situation not impacting area dairies

Owners being aware, but not living in fear

The news of an Enumclaw dairy being affected by unknown toxins is not having any direct impact on dairies in the Columbia Basin.

As was previously reported by the Associated Press, a dairy farmer in Enumclaw discovered ten sick cows with a red sticky substance on them. Three of the animals died and the other seven seem to be slowly recovering.

While not much was known about the situation at the time of the interviews — chemical tests have shown the substance to be "a strong oxidizing chromium compund," according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer — area dairy farmers were not too concerned about their own businesses.

"It's below our radar screen; we only heard about it on National Public Radio," said Wayne Bartelheimer, co-owner of the Bar-E Dairy.

Bartelheimer said that there were conversations about the situation in Enumclaw, but not concerning any impact that it might have on his farm.

"(It was) talked about it because it was the topic of the day," he said.

Regarding the Enumclaw farm, Bartelheimer said he assumed people would be sympathetic towards the victims of what he called "this kind of terrorism."

Gary Roylance, partner in the Roylance Brothers Dairy, said he did not know very much about the situation.

"If you're vulnerable, anybody could come in the middle of the night," Roylance said. "I feel pretty safe, being around this area. We haven't had any problems around here."

Jackie Behling, owner of the Behling Dairy Management, Inc., said that there hadn't been any impact that she and her husband, Jeff, knew of on their dairy and that they haven't heard anything from any officials.

"We always kind of have," she said, when asked if the dairy was going to be taking extra precautions. "You just make sure you see who's on your dairy, that kind of thing, make sure you know who's coming on and off. Just be aware."

Nor is the Bar-E Dairy taking any extra precautions.

"If it becomes a pattern, then that's a different issue, but this is an isolated incident," Bartelheimer said. "You can't live in fear all of the time. I think this is kind of a non-story, in my opinion. I think a week from now, we'll all be talking about something else."