Livestock Waste Management and Conservation

Helpful Hints for Unregulated Livestock Operations

Although you may not be required to obtain a CAFO permit, you are not immune from regulation. Any Animal Feeding Operation (AFO) that confines animals (i.e., any dairy, poultry or swine operation) could be designated as a CAFO and be required to obtain a permit if the TDEC determines the operation is a significant source of pollution. To date, no operation under the regulated levels has been forced to obtain a permit. But, it could happen. Here are some hints that could help you avoid potential problems.

• Any complaint that is made at the state level must be investigated regardless of validity. Some one could make a false claim against your operation, and a representative of TDEC or TDA must investigate. Though the claim may be disproved, they may find a different problem while investigating the original claim that must be addressed. Typically, the TDA will assist producers with correcting the problems. If the problems are addressed, regulation can be avoided. However, if problems are not addressed, TDEC could issue fines or court orders and require you to obtain a permit.
• Be a "good neighbor." Keeping friendly relationships with your neighbors is always wise. Explain the purposes of your agricultural practices to them. Many non-farm residents may not understand why manure is spread over fields. Let your neighbors know when you will be spreading manure or litter, and keep their plans in mind when making decisions that could affect them. For instance, it would not be wise to spread manure near your neighbors while they are having a game day cookout.
• Buffer property lines and stream banks. Installing a 35-foot vegetated buffer around your property line and along stream banks in which no manure or litter is applied will reduce the amount of nutrient run-off. Additionally, if odor is a potential sore spot with your neighbors, plant lush trees around your production site and/or your property lines to block wind flow that carry odors off the farm.
• Develop a nutrient management plan and follow it. You aren't required to develop a NMP. However, if you develop a plan and follow it, it could be your saving grace if a problem or concern comes about. Regulators tend to look more favorably on those that are trying to manage nutrients in the best manner possible.
• Keep records! A nutrient management plan is useless unless you have the records to prove what you have done. Keep copies of manure analysis, soil analysis, dates of application activity, amount of manure or litter applied, etc.
• Fence your cows out of the creek. Many times if someone questions the quality of a stream, the most obvious culprit is operation with cows standing in the creek. If the cows must cross a stream to reach pasture, install a stream crossing to minimize damage to the stream by animals and reduce the time they linger in the stream. If streams are the only water resource, install a solar pump to move water from the stream to a watering tank.
• Bury or compost dead animals as quickly as possible. In an ideal world, dead animals would be dealt with immediately. Realistically though, you may not be able to drop everything to bury an animal or you may have to wait for earth-moving equipment. If time lapses from the time of death until burial, move animal away from public view and property lines. Bury or compost as soon as possible (within 24 hours).