Animal Waste Challenges for Oregon Dairy Farms Jim Krahn Oregon Dairy Farmers Association Kathryn Higgs

OREGON DAIRY INDUSTRY TODAY All Oregon dairy operations have: All Oregon dairy operations have: –A CAFO permit (NPDES permit)  Permit regulates surface and ground water –Required to have an ODA approved AWMP –On-site inspections with Livestock Water Quality Specialist one time/year Oregon is the ONLY state in the nation that has this combination of water quality standards

‘BOOK WORK’ Understand and implement the AWMP Understand and implement the AWMP –A large document –Completed because it was required –Must get producers to understand the AWMP and implement practices according to AWMP –Must get producers to get employees to understand the AWMP and implement practices according to AWMP

‘BOOK WORK’ Record Keeping Record Keeping –Producers keeps several records on the farm –Getting them to keep “one more set” of records –Manure application and export –If a Large Federal, additional records are required

URBAN/RURAL INTERFACE People are moving out in to the country but do not want to deal with “normal” farming practices People are moving out in to the country but do not want to deal with “normal” farming practices People think “big is bad” People think “big is bad” “CAFO Free Zone” around cities “CAFO Free Zone” around cities –Concerns that agriculture is encroaching on cities

AIR QUALITY (OR) Senate Bill 235 Senate Bill 235 –Removes the agricultural exemption for the Clean Air Act –Established the Dairy Air Task Force Dairy Air Task Force Dairy Air Task Force –15 member task force appointed by the governor –Study air quality and make recommendations for the Oregon dairy industry

AIR QUALITY (US) National Air Emission Monitoring Study National Air Emission Monitoring Study –Study air emissions from livestock facilities –6 dairy farms on the study –Data collection has started –Once data has been collected, modeling programs will be developed

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

TECHNOLOGY Expensive Expensive –Is the investment feasible for herd size Some technologies are not very well proven Some technologies are not very well proven Research needed in Oregon to determine the impact of technology Research needed in Oregon to determine the impact of technology

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING? Maintain a process/program to have AWMPs written/updated Maintain a process/program to have AWMPs written/updated Get producers to know the details of their AWMP Get producers to know the details of their AWMP Get producers to complete the required documentation Get producers to complete the required documentation Integrate BMPs for air quality in the AWMP Integrate BMPs for air quality in the AWMP