BROOKINGS – An environmental training session for operators of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) will be held Wednesday, June 30, in Huron at the Crossroads Convention Center.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. CST with the program following at 8:50 a.m. and concluding at approximately 4:45 p.m.
Specialists from South Dakota State University Extension, the South Dakota Department of Environment and the Natural Resources (DENR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are offering the training.
“Past attendees of this program have come away with at least one new practice they consider adopting related to land application, livestock feeding, air quality or soil conservation,” said Professor and SDSU Extension Swine Specialist Bob Thaler.
Training is required for permit holders
In spring 2017, the South Dakota DENR reissued the General Water Pollution Control Permit for CAFOs.
The new permit requires existing permitted operations to obtain coverage under the proposed permit one to four years after the general permit is issued. If a producer has not attended the environmental training since April 2017, they must attend a training to be compliant with the general permit.
One of the proposed permit conditions for existing permitted operations is that an onsite representative attends an approved environmental training program within the last four years prior to obtaining a new permit. Additionally, if the person who attended training no longer works at the operation, another representative must attend training within one year.
This current training program meets the training requirement of the proposed permit as long as it is attended within three years of obtaining coverage under the new permit. Manure applicators, producers and any other interested individuals who are not currently applying for a permit can also benefit from the information and are encouraged to attend.
Presentations and speakers are:
• “Water Quality,” John McMaine, assistant professor and SDSU Extension water management engineer
• “Livestock Nutrition Options for Reducing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Content of Manure,” Thaler, SDSU Extension
• “South Dakota DENR Livestock Permit Program,” Jason Roggow, South Dakota DENR natural resources engineer
• “Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Land Applications of Manure,” Anthony Bly, SDSU Extension soils feld specialist
• “Nutrient Management Planning,” Jason Gilb, USDA NRCS conservation agronomist
• “Soil Erosion and Infiltration,” Kent Vlieger, USDA NRCS soil health specialist
• “Air Quality and Odor,” Xufei Yang, SDSU Extension environmental quality engineer
Registration information
To register for the training, visit the SDSU Extension Events page. To cover the cost of the event, the registration fee is $50 and includes lunch, breaks and training materials. The Crossroads Convention Center is located at 100 Fourth St. S.W. in Huron.
For event details and questions, contact Thaler at 605-688-5435 or Robert.Thaler@sdstate.edu or McMaine at (605) 688-5610 or John.McMaine@sdstate.edu.
