Dairy Pathogen Drift 2

Yesterday, we discussed the use of wastewater from lagoons being used in irrigation. The dairies are one industry that use this strategy and the thinking is that it is a good use of otherwise wasted water and, in fact that it may be rich in nutrients for crop growth.

The darker side is that such a technique may release toxins into the air as irrigation heads make an aerosol out of this waste water and wind can carry or drift said pathogens to distant places. Bob Naerbout, Executive Director of the IDA says “Hold on, we need more science and I think everyone pretty much agrees. I said that I had called Pam Juker and the ISDA and they had not responded. Well, two days later I got a call from John Bilderback, Section Manager of Dairy and CAFO Programs who is going to preside over a rulemaking committee with lots of experts: “We’ll have experts come in, DEQ air quality people, and I’m sure we’ll have a couple of our engineers from Department of Ag here, ARS will be there, some microbiology types, so hopefully we’ll have a science based meeting.

And that should satisfy both sides of the equation. If there is measurable pathogen drift, adjustments will be made. No drift…business as usual.