(Radio Iowa) – A reward is being offered for information on an attempt to vandalize hog barns in northeast Iowa’s Alllamakee County. Brian Waddingham of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers says there’s a total of 15-thousand dollars in reward money for the incident in late December or early January. “Someone attempted to throw Molotov cocktails through the tunnel fan openings and light the barns on fire,” he says. Waddingham says the arson attempt failed. “The buildings weren’t heavily damaged there was no fire the pigs were all fine — but it’s certainly a wake up call that we can’t tolerate this kind of vandalism — especially when it not only destroys public or personal property but also could jeopardize the lives of so many pigs,” Waddingham says.

He says they are unsure if the vandalism was random or targeted. “The sheriff’s office is still looking into things. Kind of right now we really don’t have a good indication one way or the other,” he says. “By offering that reward we’re hopeful that somebody does know the person or persons responsible for trying to cause that damage. They do come forward and contact the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Department.”

The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers put in ten-thousand dollars and another five-thousand was added from local sources.