Feedlot program Q&A
Question: MinnFARM is the abbreviated title of what?
Answer following Calendar
Over
the next three years, 80 percent of all registered feedlots in the West Fork Des Moines River watershed will be inspected in a Level
III feedlot inventory. That means Kiel Tschumperlin will have
visited about 592 feedlots in Murray, Cottonwood, Jackson, and Nobles
counties. Funded through an EPA 319 Grant and sponsored by the Heron Lake
Watershed District, the project is part of the implementation plan
of a Total
Maximum Daily Load study
for the West Fork Des Moines River. It will help identify sources of bacteria
and nutrient loading from feedlots, and lead to cost-share and other assistance
for improvements to feedlots.
Working with county feedlot officers, Kiel applies the MinnFARM program
to open lots to determine runoff potential. Of the 71 active feedlots inspected
so far, 52 are in compliance, and 19 are non-compliant. Next steps
are to continue the inspection process while seeking funds for feedlot fixes,
prioritizing the work, and recruiting producers to participate. Reception has been good so far, Kiel says. More
Information is available in a brochure and also on the Heron
Lake Watershed District website by clicking on the WFDMR
TMDL tab. A workshop and potential field day on manure management will be planned for next
summer .
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The list of joint MACFO-MPCA feedlot program teams has been revised and posted on the CFO Toolbox webpage. Link directly to document.
Luke Olson named conservation technician in Lyon County
Luke Olson is the new conservation technician for Lyon County SWCD. As conservation planning technician, his work includes conservation design of waterways, sediment basins, feedlots, SSTS, and wetlands. Luke is a 2011 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, majoring in land use planning and soil science. He has Interned in municipal planning, and county planning and zoning. He is from Chilton, WI, which is south of Green Bay. John Biren is supervisor.
Pokorney moves to MPCA solid waste program
John Pokorney of the MPCA Brainerd office is moving from the feedlot program to the agency's Resources Management Assistance Division-solid waste unit. Prior to joining the MPCA staff eight years ago, John was the Todd County feedlot officer. "This position is giving me to opportunity to pursue a long time interest to plan and coordinate statewide efforts to manage waste as a resource," John says.There will be an extended transition time when John will be available on a limited basis to complete current feedlot program projects.
The MPCA feedlot program has
registered trade show space at several upcoming livestock organization
conventions. Information and staff will be present at the Midwest Dairy Expo
Nov. 26-28 in St. Cloud, at the Minnesota State Cattlemen's convention and trade show Dec. 6-8 at Alexandria, and at Pork Congress Jan. 16-17 in Minneapolis. Livestock producers with questions about permitting, manure management, registration and any other issues are welcome to visit. Reprints of popular publications also will be available, including "Applying Manure in Sensitive Areas," "Manure management-short plan," land application rate pocket guide, and land application setback window clings. At the Dairy Expo, look for booth number 303 near the Minnesota Milk Producers Association booth.
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The Agricultural Water Quality Certification advisory committee reviewed final recommendations Nov. 13-14, and will be forwarding them to the Department of Agriculture commissioner. The next big step is to develop tools to measure certification of practices that protect the environment. Farms receiving certification will be assured of no new water quality rules issued by the executive branch, and the public will be assured that certified farmers are meeting or exceeding water quality rules and regulations.
Committee tours research project
Following their meeting in Willmar Oct. 29, members of the Agricultural Water Quality Certification advisory committee toured the water quality research project at the Gorans Brothers farm south of Willmar. Now in its fifth year, the special project of the Discovery Farms program compares urban and farm field runoff for nitrogen, phosphorus, pathogens, and sediment. Most recently, a large wood chip biofilter was installed to remove nitrogen from field tile drainage. In the fields, the project compares runoff from fields receiving turkey litter and commercial fertilizer, and a non-fertilized control. Gorans Farms is the state's largest turkey producer.
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What do clean water, the economy, energy and the health of our environment all
have in common?
These topics will be discussed by Minnesotans this month and next
at six Citizen Forums around the state. The forums, free and open to the public,
will give Minnesotans an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns. State
leaders will consider the citizen input next March at a Minnesota Environmental
Congress summit, where they will begin to plan a blueprint for Minnesota’s
environmental and economic future. For more information visit the Minnesota Environmental Congress
website.
Here are the locations, dates and times for the six regional
Citizens Forums:
- Rochester: Nov. 27, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon at Wood Lake Meeting Center
- Bloomington: Nov. 27, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at Normandale Community College
- Duluth: Nov. 28, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Lake Superior College
- Worthington: Dec. 10, 3:30 – 6:00 p.m. at Worthington High School
- St. Cloud: Dec. 12, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Stearns County Service Center
- Moorhead: Dec. 14, 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. at Minnesota State University
Environmental Initiative is moving the Agricultural Leadership Dialogue into its final phase. This is an
informal gathering of stakeholders to discuss agricultural land management and
water quality practices and interests. Staff will convene
the stakeholder group in three separate meetings with state agencies to focus
on these areas of mutual interest:
- Targeting
conservation practices
- Local level,
farmer-led civil engagement, and
- Grasslands
At the meetings, stakeholders will work with state
agencies to further refine these areas and begin to develop the groundwork for
future collaborative actions to improve water quality. The dialogue will
wrap up in early in the new year, and a final report capturing process outcomes
will be released in the spring. - Source: EI website
TMDL group is working across differing views Pope County Tribune, 11/20/12
What Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) means to agriculture Cattle Network, 11/13.12
Todd County commissioners vote 3-2 in favor of hog feedlot Osakis Review, 11/6/12
Dodge County swine producer hit with fine Rochester Post-Bulletin, 10/25/12
Nov.
26-28: Midwest Dairy Expo, St. Cloud Civic Center. Nov. 27: MPCA Citizens' Board, St. Paul. Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Farm Bureau annual meeting, Doubletree Hotel, Bloomington. Dec. 3-4: Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference, St. Cloud. Dec. 7-8: Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association convention,
Alexandria Arrowwood. Jan. 16-17, 2013: Minnesota Pork Congress, Minneapolis
Convention Center.
Q&A answer
The MPCA Feedlot Update
welcomes news submissifrom partners about, projects, people, and upcoming
events. Email submissito forrest.peterson@state.mn.us. Please note that
the MPCA has switched to a new service, called GovDelivery, to deliver the
Feedlot Update. To ensure delivery of these messages, please add mpca@public.govdelivery.com
to your address book or safe sender list. Past issues of Feedlot Update are
available on the feedlot program publications webpage.
Forrest Peterson Public Information Officer Minnesota Pollution Control Agency-Willmar office 320-441-6972
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