CAFO’s: Don’t Neglect Your Record Keeping
Posted May 15, 09 in CAFO
By Jim Booth, Farmstead Planner
The DEC has started their 2009 inspections of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s). These inspections cover many items, but one item of particular interest to the DEC is the farmstead records CAFOs are required to keep and maintain for five years. Some farms are keeping excellent records but others either have no records or are not recording the correct information. Large CAFOs have been required to keep detailed records since they became a CAFO. Medium CAFOs have not had to keep as many records, but this is expected to change after the current general permit expires at the end of June. Under the new CAFO permits that will take effect later this year, it is anticipated that mediums will have to start keeping many of the same records as large. Record Keeping is a requirement of your CAFO Permit and you could be subject to a fine for non-compliance.
In order to assist both our medium and large CAFOs to comply with record keeping requirements, our Farmstead planner are putting Farmstead record Keeping Books together for all our clients. These books will outline all of the records you are required to keep and contain forms for your use. Of course, you may use your own system if you have developed one that you like. The objective is to get CAFO farms in the habit of keeping good records. These Books will also have a section outlining Best Management Practices (BMP)s) that still need to be installed and a list of operation and maintenance requirements for exciting BMPs. If you are a CAFO, your Farmstead Planner will contact you in the next several months to deliver and review your Farmstead Record Keeping Book. We plan on putting together a new book each year and review your records several times a year to be sure you are in compliance.
Large CAFO Record Keeping Requirements
-Daily inspections of water lines
-Weekly inspections of storm water devises
-Weekly records of fill level of all manure storage structures
-Weekly inspections of bunk leachate and milkhouse waste treatment systems
-Weekly inspections of all waste storage facilities
-Records of all precipitation events
-Records of handling and disposal of animal mortalities
-Records of manure exports
-Records of overflows from the production area
-Manure application records including weather before, during and after application
-Annual analysis of all manure sources and annual water tests
-Dates of manure application equipment inspection and calibration
-Soil analysis every three years
-Records of designs and certification of all engineered BMPs.
These records need to be maintained for a minimum of five years. Beginning with the new permit, Medium CAFOs will likely have to keep most of these same records, with the exception of daily water line inspections.
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