Fall 2004
Iowa plan for open feedlots beef producers should prepare for compliance
by Rachel E. Martin, Iowa Beef Center
Three years ago, the Iowa Department of Cattlemen’s Association, National Resource Conservation Service, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Iowa Plan for Open Feedlots, which intends to bring Iowa cattle producers into compliance with the Clean Water Act by 2006.
Components of the
Iowa Plan for Open Feedlots are:
1. Feedlots of 1000-head capacity and greater were allowed to register
by December 31, 2001 in order become part of the program and receive protection
from EPA visits.
2. An in-house environmental assessment is conducted by Iowa DNR to determine
the environmental risk associated with each lot. Lots are ranked as high,
medium, or low environmental risk.
3. An on-site visit is conducted by Iowa DNR to review the in-house assessment
and discuss compliance options and a compliance schedule for the feedlot.
4. The feedlot follows the compliance schedule to install manure control
structures, with all feedlots in compliance by 2006.
Solids settling basin on feedlot with less than 1,000 animal units
According to a recent assessment by the EPA, much work remains to be done in order to get all registered facilities into compliance. As a result, the Iowa DNR is stepping up efforts to assist producers in becoming compliant. All feedlots of 1000-head capacity and greater have been, or will be, visited for their on-site assessment by the end of this summer.
This feedlot has more than 1,000 animal units and is required to capture
all manure
Following the on-site visit, the following timeline for submittal of information is applied to the large-capacity feedlots:
- 45 days to designate a licensed professional engineer registered in Iowa or NRCS personnel (an engineer is only required if a construction permit will be necessary)
- six months to submit a plan of action
- 12 months to have the feedlot in compliance, or moving toward compliance using a phased approach
- failure to submit the required information by the appropriate deadline will result in a notice of violation
- failure to submit the required information within 45 days of the notice of violation will result in an administrative order, which may include a penalty.
What’s on the horizon for smaller feedlots?
CAFO
Implications
According to Gene Tinker, Iowa DNR’s Animal Feeding Operations Coordinator,
open lots with less than 1000-head capacity won’t need to have a
nutrient management plan, since CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operations)
regulations are restricted mostly to confinement operations. However,
Tinker does stress that all operations will need to settle solids. The
Iowa DNR is in the process of visiting these smaller operations, which
number in the thousands.
A plan for settling solids will need to involve a good plan for removing effluent off the solid-settling system. Tinker cautions producers to be aware that if their plan involves draining effluent directly into a water of the state, that automatically designates the feedlot operation as a CAFO, and therefore concrete basins will be necessary.
Assistance
is available
Feedlot owners and managers should be in touch with the Iowa DNR throughout
this progression, and can also use ISU Extension ag engineers and beef
field specialists throughout the compliance process. For more information,
visit the Iowa Beef Center Web site at www.iowabeefcenter.org
or call (515) 294- BEEF.
