ACE Expo '99

AFO animal feeding operation &endash; house animals 45 days, land not used for crops

CAFO &endash; concentrated animal feeding operation: AFO with 1000 or more animal units:

2500 finishing hogs; 700 dairy cattle, 1000 beef cattle; 55,000 turkeys

Any farm presenting a threat to water quality: lagoon overflow pipe, animals in stream, etc can be designated a CAFO

CAFOs may register for the General Permit or apply for an individual permit

General Permit

Requires operation according to a waste management system plan, which assures that there is sufficient storage for the amount of manure generated on site, given the amount of manure that wil be land applied

Requires operation according to a nutrient management plan, which includes a determination of the amount of nutrients that will be used by the crops on each field, and the amount and timing of manure to be applied to supply those nutrients

Requires manure storage in a facility that meets Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly SCS) standards

Prohibits land application during precipitation, high winds, freezing conditions, or if soils are saturated

Requires new facilities to be certified upon completion by the local Soil Conservation District

Individual Permit Required for new or expanded facilities

Individual permit conditions will be similar to those in the general permit, and will include any additional conditions, if any, needed to protect water quality

Individual permit may be needed:

- Because insufficient land is available for land application of manure

- Because water quality problems are noted (run off from fields spread with manure, direct discharge of manure, etc.)

Current nutrient management plans limit the application of nitrogen throughout Maryland

The Water Quality Act of 1998 will impact the General Permit, because the criteria for nutrient management plans will change

All farms with 8 animal units or more, or $2500 or more gross income, are affected (8 animal units is about: 4 horses, 8 beef cattle, 6 dairy cattle, 20 pigs)

Nutrient management plans limiting nitrogen and phosphorus must be developed by December 31, 2001 and implemented by December 31, 2002 for farms using chemical fertilizer

Nutrient management plans limiting nitrogen must be developed by December 31, 2001 and implemented by December 31, 2002 for farms using manure

By July 1, 2004, all nutrient management plans will need to limit the application of manure based on phosphorus

By July 1, 2005, all phosphorus based nutrient management plans must be implemented