Water quality regs could affect farmers

Agriculture

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February 9, 2009

By GINA KINSLOW The Glasgow Daily Times Mon Feb 09, 2009, 12:32 PM CST

GLASGOW — Very few farmers know about new confined animal feeding operation regulations that go into effect later this month.

The new regulations, which are being enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency, impact poultry, beef cattle, dairy, hog and all other CAFOs of all sizes, specifically if animals are confined for more than 45 days and there is no vegetation in the production area, according to the Kentucky Farm Bureau Agricultural Contact Team.

“This is dealing with clean water, so it’s to make sure we’re not polluting our streams and water,” said Joe Cain, CPAg, CCA, director of Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation. “What they are looking at here is to make sure that the animal folks have plans in place to handle the manure where you’ve got a confined feeding operation.”

Farmers with liquid manure systems are required to have CAFO permits which include nutrient management plans. Farmers who apply dry manure to land as a crop nutrient must also meet the deadlines by having a plan in place and keep records showing their land application practices meet the terms of their plan as part of their whole Agriculture Water Quality Plan, the team said.

Farmers who will be affected by the new regulations must have their water quality plans updated and they need to have good nutrient management plans in place, Cain said.

“The ag water quality plan is the basis of all this,” he said. “Making sure they are following those rules and guidelines.”

Kerry Lyons, a Monroe County dairy farmer, said the new regulations will affect how often he rotates his cattle.

“It will take a different management approach than what we’ve been doing,” he said. “The big picture it will not be a great big change, but I will have to make some management changes and keep some cattle rotated.”

Ken Mattingly, a Barren County dairy farmer, said he didn’t know all the details about the new regulations.

“We do a lot of rotation grazing anyway,” he said. “Our cows are on vegetation on every day just about unless it is bad weather.”

The new CAFO rules go into effect Feb. 27. More information about them can be found by visiting Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Web site at www.kyfb.com/federation/legislative%20Affairs/action_alerts.asp

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