06/22/05 Extension outreach on CAFOs

Washington Ag June 22, 2005 Recent changes in rules covering confined animal feeding operations or CAFOs, mean some cow-calf operators might find themselves subject to regulations that up to now only feedlots and dairies had to comply with. Tip Hudson, with Washington State University Cooperative Extension in Kittitas County, says the goal of all the government agencies involved with water quality, both federal and state, is to keep the small producers who weren't really intended for inclusion in the CAFO program out of that permitting process. Hudson and Joe Harrison of WSU have partnered on an educational program for producers. Hudson: "At this stage we are putting together a mailing that will be going out to approximately 12-thousand producers in the state that provides just basic information on whether or not they might be a CAFO. And then from that provide links to other resources to find out what they can do if they make the determination on their own that they might be at risk." Hudson says workshops for producers will be planned for each region of the state. In late April a training conference was held for conservation district staff through a grant from the Conservation Commission. The staff were trained in helping producers determine if they are a CAFO and also trained on best management practices that might be most effective in reducing the amount pollution coming from a livestock facility. I'm Bob Hoff.