Feedlot program Q&A
What is the setback distance from surface waters (lakes, streams, wetlands, ditches) for manure land application and incorporated within 24 hours?
Answer following Calendar
Livestock industry representatives asked questions and offered comments at two information meetings about proposed updates to the 7020 feedlot rule. Meetings in Mankato Sept. 4 and St. Cloud Sept. 7 drew a total of about 40 people, primarily livestock representatives and county feedlot officers. The meetings provided information and opportunity for discussion, and are not part of the
formal public comment process. Several housekeeping
updates are being considered for the 7020 rule, such as removal of outdated
provisions, and some language clarification. In the wake of
proposed changes to the existing large facility permit and related rules
as the result of legislation enacted in 2011, an update is also necessary to
clarify which facilities are required to have permit coverage. More information
is available in the fact sheet: State Disposal System permit for large feedlots. Other topics discussed at the meetings included: facility modifications, manure storage, pasture, and post-harvest feeding on cropland. Draft copies of the proposed updates to the 7020 rule were available at the meetings, and soon will be available on the Pollution Control Agency website. The proposed timeline places the official public comment period sometime in November or December.
The 11th annual conference of the Minnesota Association of County Feedlot Officers (MACFO) is scheduled for Oct. 16-18 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Willmar. MACFO represents about 100 county staff with 55 counties that are delegated to administer state feedlot rules. The education program includes a variety livestock industry topics, including lab testing, dairy research, trade and marketing, permitting, nutrient management, and carcass disposal. There will be a tour of the Revier Cattle Company south of Olivia. The annual MACFO business meeting will include the election of officers, and the presentation of the Tina Rosenstein Award. Dan Vermilyea, Steele County, is president; Tracy Janikula, Wright County is treasurer; and the offices of vice president, secretary, and two district representatives are vacant. The award commemorates the late Tina Rosenstein of Nicollet County, and recognizes a county feedlot staff person "who has demonstrated leadership and achieved significant results" in the program. More information is available on the MACFO webpage.
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A slate of regional meetings have been providing training and program updates for county feedlot staff. MPCA staff and outside speakers present topics including manure application inspections, precision agriculture, spill response, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. Meetings have taken place Sept. 5 at Owatonna, and Sept. 6 at Redwood Falls, Sept. 19 at Brainerd, and Sept. 20 at Detroit Lakes.
At Owatonna and Redwood Falls, Bernie Paulson of McPherson Crop Management discussed the GreenSeeker system for precision application of nitrogen. It uses sensors that provide a real-time evaluation of crop status to determine the optimum nitrogen application.
LiDAR, Light Detection and Ranging, is the application of laser reflectance
to measure distance to an object or surface. In Minnesota, LiDAR equipment
mounted on aircraft is being used to provide high resolution digital elevation
data for the entire state, with completion expected in 2012. Project status can
be found at MnGeo, the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office. - Source: University of Minnesota Water Resources Center.
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Jackson County seeks to fill vacancy
Jackson County in process of hiring a planning and zoning administrator, following the retirement of Gordon Olson, and a feedlot-SSTS-water plan staff person, after Ben Crowell moved to PCA-Marshall. A county feedlot officer vacancy also remains to be filled in Douglas County.
New CFOs attend training
Training for new county feedlot officers was held Sept. 17-18 in Rochester. Topics included feedlot registration, delegated county program requirements, permitting, inspections, conducting MinnFARM reviews, enforcement, and data entry.
Popular publications up for reprint
Several feedlot program publications in high demand are being reprinted. They are expected to be available for the county feedlot officer convention Oct. 16:
- Applying Manure in Sensitive Areas
- Manure application rate guide pocket book
- Manure application setbacks window cling
- Manure management - short plan
Send feedback on feedlot webpages
The MPCA makes a diligent effort to keep its webpages up-to-date. Visitors are encouraged to inform us of any necessary corrections and updates. Feedlot program main webpage. County Feedlot Officer Toolbox webpage. Please send any comments to Forrest Peterson, forrest.peterson@state.mn.us, 320-441-6972.
Vermilyea in Mower County Livestock Hall of Fame
Dan Vermilyea was inducted into the Mower County Livestock Hall of Fame Aug. 8. The honor took place at the Mower County Fair in Austin. It recognizes people "involved in raising, supporting and promoting the livestock industry (locally,
statewide, and nationally), with roots in Mower County and service to the
livestock and poultry industry." Dan raises hogs in Mower County, and began working in the county feedlot program there in 1996. Several years later he began working in Steele County, where he now serves as CFO and ag. inspector. He also serves as president of the Minnesota Association of County Feedlot Officers.
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2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the nation's
law for protecting our most irreplaceable resource. Over the next month, the
MPCA will publish articles on the agency’s website that highlight the
difference that the Clean Water Act makes to Minnesota. The Clean Water Act’s
goal was simple: All waters should be swimmable and fishable where possible.
The law established a federal-state partnership with the federal government
setting objectives and providing funding while the states carry out the law’s
provisions. We have made great progress in reducing pollution during the past
40 years. But many challenges remain and we must work together to protect clean
water for our families and future generations.
University of Minnesota Extension has posted a revised Manure Management and Air Quality website: http://manure.umn.edu . Major categories are: Manure management, feedlot and manure storage, air quality, milk house wastewater, manure pathogens, manure treatment, and manure application. It also provides an events calendar with local and regional manure management educational opportunities. The revised website includes the release of three major additions:
- The long-standing UM Extension Bulletin “Manure Management in Minnesota” has been updated, printed, and posted on the web.
- Results of 12 site-years of trials measuring corn yield response to time of swine manure application have been published as a research report entitled: “Swine manure application timing: Results of experiments in southern Minnesota.”
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Eight case studies of the economic and environmental response to using grid soil sampling to guide zonal manure application have been posted to the revised Manure Management and Air Quality website. These case studies will be presented in workshops this winter.
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The Sept. 21 webcast will be an open
discussion about the upcoming " Waste
to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions" conference. The purpose is
to showcase some of the current topic areas and to offer an open platform for
questions, discussion and idea sharing. Flyer... Speakers: Natalie Rector, Michigan State, April Leytem, USDA ARS, Jay Ham, Colorado
State, Mike Daniels, University of Arkansas, and Crystal Powers, University of
Nebraska to talk about their ideas. Joe Harrison, Washington State and Mark
Risse, University of Georgia will moderate. Extended Abstract Call. The call for abstracts for the
"Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions" conference has been
extended to Nov. 16, 2012. Poster abstracts will be accepted until the hall
is full. Conference
Website | Submit
an Abstract | More...
National Poultry Waste Symposium. Started in 1988, the
National Poultry Waste Management Symposium brings technology, research, and
outreach together. The conference will be held in Shreveport, LA on October
23-25, 2012. More...
AgSTAR Digest. The September issue of the EPA AgSTAR digest
is online. If you are interested in the latest and greatest biogas and/or
anaerobic digester news, check out this newsletter. More...
State Program Highlights
- Ohio: At the recent "Manure Science Review"
the host farmer was interviewed and the resulting audio is a nice summary
of the benefits of using management and technology to manage manure. More...
The Forum, 8/27/12
Feedlot Q&A Answer
25 feet
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.
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