California Adopts Major Central Valley Dairy Order
The State Water Resources Control Board has adopted a new regulatory framework aimed at reducing nitrate contamination in groundwater. And while this is a Central Valley order, that region accounts for the vast majority of California's dairy industry.
At the heart of the order is how much manure nitrogen is applied to cropland. The Water Board says research shows land application is responsible for most dairy-related nitrogen loading to groundwater in the Central Valley.
Under the new framework, existing dairies will face increasingly tighter limits on manure application, with compliance schedules required to be as short as practicable and no longer than 35 years. Some dairies will face shorter timelines.
The order also calls for additional nitrogen monitoring, new requirements for manure retention ponds and provisions addressing safe drinking water where nitrate affects wells.
We're obviously just scratching the surface of a very complicated new order and what it could mean for Central Valley dairies. You can dig into the details directly from the State Water Resources Control Board at waterboards.ca.gov.
