Animal Waste Animal Waste Challenges for Oregon Challenges for Oregon

Dairy FarmsDairy Farms

Jim KrahnJim Krahn

Oregon Dairy Farmers Oregon Dairy Farmers AssociationAssociationKathryn

Higgs

OREGON DAIRY INDUSTRY OREGON DAIRY INDUSTRY TODAYTODAY

All Oregon dairy operations have:All Oregon dairy operations have:– A CAFO permit (NPDES permit)A CAFO permit (NPDES permit)

Permit regulates surface and ground waterPermit regulates surface and ground water

– Required to have an ODA approved AWMPRequired to have an ODA approved AWMP– On-site inspections with Livestock Water On-site inspections with Livestock Water

Quality Specialist one time/yearQuality Specialist one time/year

Oregon is the Oregon is the ONLYONLY state in the nation that state in the nation that has this combination of water quality has this combination of water quality

standardsstandards

‘‘BOOK WORK’BOOK WORK’

Understand and implement the AWMPUnderstand and implement the AWMP– A large documentA large document– Completed because it was requiredCompleted because it was required– Must get Must get producersproducers to understand the to understand the

AWMP and implement practices according AWMP and implement practices according to AWMPto AWMP

– Must get Must get producers to get employeesproducers to get employees to to understand the AWMP and implement understand the AWMP and implement practices according to AWMPpractices according to AWMP

‘‘BOOK WORK’BOOK WORK’

Record KeepingRecord Keeping– Producers keeps several records on the Producers keeps several records on the

farmfarm– Getting them to keep “one more set” of Getting them to keep “one more set” of

recordsrecords– Manure application and exportManure application and export– If a Large Federal, additional records are If a Large Federal, additional records are

requiredrequired

URBAN/RURAL INTERFACEURBAN/RURAL INTERFACE

People are moving out in to the People are moving out in to the country but do not want to deal with country but do not want to deal with “normal” farming practices“normal” farming practices

People think “big is bad”People think “big is bad”

““CAFO Free Zone” around citiesCAFO Free Zone” around cities– Concerns that agriculture is encroaching Concerns that agriculture is encroaching

on citieson cities

AIR QUALITY (OR)AIR QUALITY (OR)

Senate Bill 235Senate Bill 235– Removes the agricultural exemption for the Removes the agricultural exemption for the

Clean Air ActClean Air Act– Established the Dairy Air Task ForceEstablished the Dairy Air Task Force

Dairy Air Task ForceDairy Air Task Force

– 15 member task force appointed by the 15 member task force appointed by the governorgovernor

– Study air quality and make recommendations Study air quality and make recommendations for the Oregon dairy industryfor the Oregon dairy industry

AIR QUALITY (US)AIR QUALITY (US)

National Air Emission Monitoring National Air Emission Monitoring StudyStudy– Study air emissions from livestock Study air emissions from livestock

facilitiesfacilities– 6 dairy farms on the study6 dairy farms on the study– Data collection has startedData collection has started– Once data has been collected, modeling Once data has been collected, modeling

programs will be developedprograms will be developed

CROSS MEDIA IMPACTCROSS MEDIA IMPACT

Do water quality best management Do water quality best management practices impact air quality or vice practices impact air quality or vice versa?versa?

TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

ExpensiveExpensive– Is the investment feasible for herd sizeIs the investment feasible for herd size

Some technologies are not very well Some technologies are not very well provenproven

Research needed in Oregon to Research needed in Oregon to determine the impact of technologydetermine the impact of technology

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THE HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING?FOLLOWING?

Maintain a process/program to have Maintain a process/program to have AWMPs written/updatedAWMPs written/updated

Get producers to know the details of Get producers to know the details of their AWMPtheir AWMP

Get producers to complete the Get producers to complete the required documentationrequired documentation

Integrate BMPs for air quality in the Integrate BMPs for air quality in the AWMPAWMP