11/05/08 New CAFO regulation

It appears that the Idaho Dairymen's Association will take its case against Gooding County to the Idaho Supreme Court. District Court Judge Barry Wood has ruled against IDA and the Idaho Cattlemen's Association saying that Gooding County's confined animal feeding ordinance can stay on the books as a way to regulate animal waste. Wood's ruling comes at the same time the US Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its rule to protect water quality around CAFO's. EPA's Ben Grumbles says if a CAFO is actually discharging water or plans to in the near future owners must apply for a permit to do so. They must also come up with a nutrient management plan to keep excess nitrogen and phosphorous out of the environment. GRUMBLES "The feedlots are ones that are defined in the regulations to have significant numbers. For instance 700 or more dairy cow." Uncle Sam may set the new regulations but it's up to the states to enforce them. GRUMBLES "We want to make sure that these operations are carried out in an environmentally effective way." Grumbles say the new regulations are an improvement over the 2003 rules and are based on the principle that the states and EPA will meet national standards with local site-specific flexibility. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott