Posted: 10/19/04
Commissioners review, approve feedlot program
Houston County commissioners reviewed and approved three feedlot workplan and report forms at their October 12 meeting.
Zoning administrator Bob Scanlan said the forms have to be signed and submitted annually to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), which funds the county for implementing its feedlot rules.
Scanlan gave The Argus some background information on the feedlot requirements on October 14. Here is a summary:
Livestock producers fall into two categories: fewer than 300 animals and more than 300 animals. There were 28 farmers in the larger category in Houston County, and 583 in the smaller category as of June 2004.
The larger producers who have run-off problems work under a two-year interim permit.
The smaller producers work under an open lot agreement. This was started in 2000 by order of the MPCA. Scanlan and two other technicians from the Root River Soil and Water Conservation District visited livestock producers to have them sign open lot agreements. ìWeíve talked to every producer in the county,î Scanlan said.
The technicians looked at feedlots, and used a computer-based feedlot evaluation model. It can determine MPCA compliance by computing things like the number of animals, size of lot, and drainage area.
Producers have five years, or until the end of 2005, to show what they have done, and to reduce run-off by 50 percent. They must be in full compliance by 2010.
Many farmers are already in compliance, Scanlan said, and do not require a permit. They just need to register as a feedlot.
About 350 producers out of 583 need to do something, Scanlan added. Farmers knew the new rules were coming, and were for the most part receptive to them, Scanlan said.
Caledonia Argus
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