Summer 2003
Regional Animal Manure Management Working Group
by John Lawrence, Iowa Beef Center
The Heartland Regional Water Quality Coordination Initiative is a USDA-funded project to coordinate water quality efforts of land grant universities, EPA, USDA, and regulatory agencies in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. The project will strengthen multistate and interagency partnerships and enhance resources focused on federal, state, and local water quality improvement efforts in EPA Region 7. The project will target three primary water quality themes: animal manure management (AMM), nutrient and pesticide management, and community involvement in watershed management. Visit our Web site at http://www.heartlandwq.iastate.edu.
Dewatering solids settling basin at beef feedlot.
The AMM theme has two main objectives centered on recent changes in federal regulations and national guidelines:
- Assist state regulatory agencies and federal partners within EPA Region 7 with integration of new federal concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) regulations and comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP) guidelines into state rules.
- Expand the understanding of public and private sector livestock industry advisors concerning federal and state CAFO regulations and the tools to implement those regulations.
Each state in the Heartland region will evaluate their current CAFO regulations and make necessary changes to comply with the new federal rules. Likewise, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has implemented new guidelines in CNMPs and Technical Service Providers. There are opportunities for states to learn from one another as well as for the scientific community to learn how to address these changes.
The AMM working group is collecting appropriate resources relevant to the implementation of proposed CAFO regulations and CNMP guidelines. These resources will be reviewed and shared electronically via the project Web site. Outreach efforts targeting private and public sector advisors for the purpose of introducing CAFO regulations and appropriate implementation tools are being coordinated on a regional basis. Additional needs and opportunities will be identified for communication of land-grant university science with regulatory staff to support implementation plans.
The AMM group has already well under way with three activities. First, a steering committee with representation from regulatory agencies and extension in each state, NRCS, and EPA have been identified and are holding monthly conference calls to share information and identify priorities for the group.
Second, the steering committee identified an immediate need for a workshop to facilitate regional discussions about implementation of CAFO regulations and consistency between state regulatory agencies. Held April 21 and 22 in Nebraska City, NE, the workshop gathered state agency regulatory staff, NRCS representatives, and extension staff to share current scientific-based and related resources relevant to implementation of the CAFO regulations. The presentations focused on four specific CAFO topics: phosphorous regulation, setback requirements, alternative performance standards, and NRCS nutrient planning. The presentations are posted to the AMM Web site at http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/heartlandwq/home.htm. Additionally, the workshop helped promote communication and possible collaborative activities among technical resource communities and regulatory agencies.
Third, conference participants indicated they would like to stay abreast of activities in the Heartland states, including updates on research and news from EPA and NRCS on CAFO and CNMP. The AMM group has developed a monthly newsletter that will be emailed to a list of people responsible for implementing the CAFO and CNMP programs in the member states. If you would like to be added to the AMM newsletter e-mail list, please visit our Web site to view the newsletter and register.
The steering committee is continuing to meet by conference call and will provide direction to the project. Additional workshops are being discussed as well as “train the trainer” programs for extension and industry consultants directly serving livestock producers.
Web addresses
Heartland Regional Water Quality
Animal Manure Management |
