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All dairies with 100 or more cattle sharing a common area shall
have a CAWMP. The number of cattle on a dairy farm is the maximum
number of animals that are milked at the site plus any other cattle
which are fed and/or contribute waste in the immediate vicinity
of the milked cows. An example of a dairy with 100 cattle or more
would be designed to milk a maximum of 80 cows with 20 or more other
cattle (calves, dry cows, replacement heifers, etc.) that are in
the same concentrated area of the dairy as the cows to be milked.
An example of a dairy with less than 100 cattle would be designed
to milk a maximum of 80 cows but which keeps all other cattle on
open pasture with established vegetation separated from the cows
that are milked. These cows shall be either fenced on pasture on
another part of the same farm on which the milking takes place or
on another farm at a different location.
When developing a CAWMP for a dairy, a technical specialist shall
develop a complete plan that addresses all water quality issues
on the farm, both the confined areas and the pastures. The plan
shall address the need for stream crossings, stock trails, fencing,
rotation of the lounging and feeding areas, as well as any other
problem area identified by the technical specialist (Appendix 5.1A).
Although runoff from silos (silage) is not defined as animal waste
unless it is mixed with livestock or poultry excreta, it is a waste
and can be a serious environmental problem. Therefore as the technical
specialist develops the CAWMP, they should consider silage runoff.
As with other sources of waste, every effort shall be made to minimize
rainwater that comes into contact with the silage (by the use of
gutters, roofs and diversion ditches) and either collect the liquid
or in some other way treat it to ensure only a de minimus discharge
of pollutants in a storm event less severe that the 25-year, 24-hour
storm event.
A dairy operation that has an existing waste storage structure
can be certified when the herd is expanded without increasing the
size of the waste storage pond. However, the storage structure and
WUP shall meet current standards. In some cases, the farmer may
reduce waste storage time instead of increasing waste storage volume.
This will depend on the type of soil, land availability, crop, flood
plain, etc. If the manure can be applied more frequently, the plan
could be certified with the existing storage structure.
Guidelines for developing CAWMP for unpaved beef feedlots are provided
in Appendix 5.1B.
General guidelines for swine on dry lots have been developed (Appendix
5.2).
Dry litter poultry systems with 30,000 or more birds were required
to develop an AWMP by January 1, 2000. These plans are required
to comply with the testing and reporting requirements included in
Appendix 5.3. Since the statute did not specify that these plans
had to be certified by a technical specialist, any qualified person
including but not limited to a technical specialist can develop
them. Included with the guidelines is a third party applicator agreement
that shall be signed by each third party applicator that receives
litter from a facility.
Although poultry systems with less than 30,000 birds are not required
to develop a AWMP they are required to prevent waste discharges
to surface waters and groundwater. They are also encouraged as per
15A NCAC 2H .0217 to meet the same minimum standards and specifications
as required for approval of the AWMP. DWQ may on a case by case
basis determine that a facility should not be deemed permitted and
shall be required to apply for an individual permit.
Although a 25-foot vegetative buffer (separation) is not required
between the land application area and perennial waters, it is highly
recommended. While 15A NCAC 2H .0217 only requires this buffer if
a wet waste application system is used, it is still the responsibility
of the applicator to insure that the waste does not reach the surface
waters.
Producers still need to develop and implement an AWMP even though
a third party applicator is involved. The producer is still responsible
for a) contracting with a third party who can properly manage the
manure; the producer shall have a written agreement with the third
party applicator that establishes the responsibilities for the proper
management of the manure, b) keeping a record of the name, address
and phone number of third party applicator, c) keeping a record
of the amount of litter removed by each third party applicator,
d) providing an appropriate waste analysis to the third party applicator,
e) providing a copy of Appendix 5.3 to the third party applicator.
While Senate Bill 1217 does not specifically state that a third
party applicator shall develop a AWMP, they are operating a waste
management system that shall comply with all applicable requirements
including but not limited to: site evaluations, land application
of manure at agronomic rates, compliance with buffer requirements,
crop management, soil sampling, and record keeping.
In order to ensure that these requirements are met, third party
applicators shall conduct the same evaluations, meet the same requirements
and keep the same records required for producers who land apply
dry litter. Therefore it will be necessary for the third party applicator
to develop a dry litter management plan. Producers shall not contract
with third party applicators that have not developed an appropriate
management strategy. For consistency, third party applicators are
encouraged to use the format established for dry litter plans.
The applicator and owner may agree to share the responsibility
for various parts of the land application process (Appendix 5.3
page 5).
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