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Environmental Agricultural Program

Best Management Practices

From an environmental perspective, many of the activities and practices that take place on an animal feeding operation each day rely on the implementation of best management practices (BMP) to reduce impacts to the environment.  For example, BMP's can reduce runoff of pollutants into surface water, help to reduce odor, or protect groundwater from nitrates pollution and other contaminants.  

Examples of BMP's

Divert runoff away from animal confinement areas, manure stockpiles and wastewater control facilities through:

1. Construction of ditches, terraces or other waterways;
2. Installation of gutters and downspouts to divert roof drainage;
3. Construction of roofed areas over animal confinement areas, where practicable.

Implement practices to reduce wastewater discharges to watercourses by:

1. Collecting and allowing wastewater to evaporate;
2. Collecting and evenly applying wastewater to land application sites at agronomic rates;
3. Locating animal waste away from storm water run-off or streams, ditches, etc, that can carry waste to waters of the state.

Implement practices to protect groundwater:

1. Use of buffer area around water wells when applying manure and wastewater to land;
2. Locating manure and wastewater facilities down gradient and at least 150 away from all water supply wells;
3. If a significant risk of groundwater contamination exists, installing liners in wastewater impoundments to reduce seepage.

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