Confined and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

1
Confined and Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations

• IDEM Presentation to East Central Indiana
  Economic Development Summit
• Ball State University
• December 7, 2005

2
IDEMs Role

• What does it mean to have an IDEM permit?
• Indiana has two separate permitting programs.
• Permitted Livestock Operations are either a
  Confined Feeding Operation (CFO) or they are a
  Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)

3
CFO/CAFO - Definitions

• Minimum number of animals to become a CFO
• Cattle 300
• Swine Sheep 600
• Fowl 30,000
• Minimum number of animals to become a CAFO
• Dairy Cows 700
• Swine 2,500 (55 lbs or more)
• Chickens 125,000 (other than liquid manure)
• Smaller operators that violate water quality
  standards may be required to become permitted as
  a CFO

4
Definitions

• Confined Feeding Operation (CFO) includes
• Animals fed and maintained at least 45 days/year
• Vegetation covers less than 50 of confinement
  area
• The laws apply to a person who owns, operates,
  designs, constructs or closes a permitted site
• If there is a discharge, operations are brought
  into the program even if below the threshold
  numbers
• There are 1,653 CFOs in the state

5
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations - CAFO

• EPA regulates animal feeding operations by
  requiring NPDES permits for large CAFOs
• 2nd Circuit Court found EPA could not regulate
  based on the potential of a facility to have a
  discharge
• EPA will be revising their NPDES rules over the
  next year to comply with the court ruling

6
CAFO - Facts

• There are 501 CAFOs in Indiana
• CAFOs produce approximately 80 percent of the
  animals at regulated farms
• IDEM is EPAs CAFO permitting authority in
  Indiana
• CAFOs follow more requirements than CFOs

7
Permit Requirements

• Record keeping
• Inspections on site
• Monitoring equipment
• Waste management systems
• Farm practices
• Sampling
• Adherence to the permit terms
• Enforcement

8
Nutrient Management

• Waste storages must be structurally sound and
  provide at least 6 months storage capacity
• Adequate acres available for land application
• Land application based upon agronomic rate
  calculations including
• Crop planning (nutrient needs of crops)
• Manure testing (nitrogen and phosphorus levels)
• Soil testing (nutrient holding capacity,
  fertility)

9
Compliance Inspections

• IDEM inspectors 13
• In addition to CAFOs/CFOs, also responsible for
  landfills, transfer stations, open dumps, tire
  processors
• Trained in various aspects specific to
  CAFOs/CFOs, such as nutrient management
  calculations
• Number of inspections per year
• Inspections becoming more complex
• 753 inspections in 2004
• 428 violations in 2004
• 21 enforcement actions in 2004
• Biosecurity Issues

10
Number of Farms (CFO CAFO) in 8 EC Indiana
Counties
11
Number of Animals Raised in 8 EC Indiana Counties
On CFO and CAFO regulated farms
12
Average Number of Animals per Farm in 8 EC
Indiana Counties
On CFO and CAFO regulated farms
13
IDEM Today

• CFO permits are issued on average at 56 days, 90
  days statutory limit
• IDEM is continuing to look for ways to improve
  permit turn-around
• Regulatory programs using a compliance approach
  to help producers understand their environmental
  responsibilities in response to regulatory
  changes

14
IDEM Today

• Regulation does protect the environment
• Illegal discharge and permit violations invoke
  enforcement action
• Investigating best practices and alternatives to
  traditional land application

15
Summary Comments

• CFO/CAFO Regulation is evolving
• IDEM is working in conjunction with ISDA and U.S.
  EPA for sensible approach to ag production and
  processing
• Farm community has always been concerned about
  the environment
• Strong economy means better environmental
  protection