Dairymen face new CAFO regulations

By MANDY SPIKES | Central Texas Edition

Sam Feagley discusses CAFO information to Central Texas dairymen. Photo by Mandy Spikes -Staff photo by Mandy Spikes

Aptil 3, 2003 -- Important information on the new Contained Animal Farm Operation (CAFO) regulations was the topic of interest at the afternoon session of the Farm/Ranch and Dairy Day held in Comanche, March 27.

Earl Dotson, president and CEO of Environmental Management Solutions, explained the importance of having a comprehensive nutrient management plan. Dr. Sam Feagley, Extension environmental specialist with Texas A&M University, talked about producers' requirements in the dairy outreach program area.

"Environmental Management Solutions (EMS) is a national organization that does assessments, audits, and environmental consulting for beef, pork, and dairy farmers," stated Dotson.

He explained that EMS is available for farmers to create a comprehensive nutrient management plan for their farm, to help explain to producers any confusing problems they might encounter, and help explain the new CAFO regulations.

"You must keep in mind that once you have a problem with waste management in the industry, you can never go back and be the good guys again."

He stated that with the new CAFO regulations, comes new rules. One new rule is that a farmer must now develop and implement a nutrient management plan in their operation. The elements of the plans include information such as:

• Ensure adequate storage,

• Ensure clean water diverted from the production area,

• Testing of manure, litter, waste water, and soil,

• Equipment inspection requirement, and

• Land application setbacks.

"Record keeping is now very important. You must create and maintain records and make those records available to the state upon request.

"You should begin preparing by having an on-farm environmental assessment done on your land. This will help find your farm's strengths and challenges. This is a free assessment."

He said after the assessment, it is advantageous to start working on a comprehensive nutrient management plan. "The plan is around to help provide water quality and protection, erosion control, and reduction in odor emissions. The plan is valuable because it helps you make solid business decisions that can be considered as an environmental plan for operations.

"The people involved in your plan should be the producer, team expert, your consultant, and a nutrient specialist. I think all these individuals should be certified for you to get the best results."

Dotson stated that the time it takes to complete the plan depends on the different variables on the farm.

"There is important information for you to know when dealing with the Dairy Outreach Program Area (DOPA). In Central Texas, the counties include Bosque, Comanche, Erath, Hamilton, and Johnson," Feagley said.

"Any CAFO owner or operator within 12 months of receiving authorization needs to complete an eight-hour course, or the equivalent, on animal waste management. You also need to complete an additional eight hours of continuing animal waste management education for each of the two-year period after the first 12 months."

He stated that with the new CAFO regulations, all inspections on the farm, as well as maintenance activities, now need to be documented and recorded and kept on site for five years, instead of three years.

"If you have discharge from your place, you need to monitor and report it to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Executive Director. There needs to be a description and the cause of the discharge, as well as an estimation of the flow and volume discharged."

Feagley also explained the proper protocol for soil sampling. "The ideal way to take a soil sample is to take out of the soil series. You should collect 15 random samples according to the relative percentages of each soil series. After you do that, mix these samples together and make one general sample.

"You should try to avoid taking a sample around cow piles. Move over a little and then take the sample. That is why I like the stratified random sampling, you have the ability to move around the field."