Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
5/29/01
Contacts:
Jerry Dewitt, Iowa State University Extension, (515)
294-7801, jdewitt@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496,
shoyer@iastate.edu
ISU Extension and Commodity Groups Plan Informational Meetings on Proposed Regulations
AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University (ISU) Extension is joining forces with the state's commodity organizations and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to host seven informational meetings on proposed federal environmental regulations. The meetings will be held the week of June 18 at seven locations throughout the state. Attendance is free and preregistration is not necessary.
ISU Extension agriculture and natural resources interim director Jerry Dewitt encouraged all producers to attend one of the meetings.
"These meetings offer a way for our state's producers to learn about the proposed regulations and how those regulations could affect individual operations," Dewitt said. "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the date for comment submission and we want to encourage people to send in their comments and concerns. Information on how to submit comments will be provided. The submission deadline is July 30."
At the meetings, agricultural producers will learn about proposed changes in livestock operation regulations, including the minimum size of operation that would be affected, potential compliance costs to individual producers and possible effective date of the proposed regulations. The proposed regulations also cover phosphorus-based nutrient management plans, groundwater monitoring, regular inspections, required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and additional effluent storage capacity to contain 25-year, 24-hour rainfall events. The regulations are proposed by the EPA and deal with animal feeding operation (AFO) and concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) topics.
Presenters are ISU agricultural engineer Jeff Lorimor, ISU animal scientist Wendy Powers, ISU livestock economist John Lawrence, National Pork Producers Council environmental services director Jeff Schoenbacher, American Farm Bureau Federation environmental affairs specialist Don Parrish and National Cattlemen's Beef Association director of environmental policy Faith Burns.
The meetings are sponsored by ISU Extension, Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa Cattlemen's Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Dairy Products Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Turkey Federation, Iowa Poultry Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
These are the meeting dates, locations and times.
June 18 Peosta, Northeast Iowa Community College, 7 to
9 p.m.
June 19 Calmar, Northeast Iowa Community College, 1 to 3
p.m.
June 19 Washington, Knights of Columbus Hall, 7:30 to
9:30 p.m.
June 20 Ames, ISU Memorial Union, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
June 20 Lewis, Wallace Foundation Learning Center, 7 to 9
p.m.
June 21 Sheldon, Northwest Iowa Community College, 1:30
to 3:30 p.m.
June 21 Cherokee, Western Iowa Tech Community College, 7
to 9 p.m.
For specific directions to individual sites, contact your local ISU Extension county office.
ml: isufarm
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.