Smaller operations to be regulated under proposed CAFO rules
More livestock operations will be required to obtain a permit to operate under the proposed confined animal feeding operations--CAFO--rules.
Under the most stringent option farms with as few as 300 dairy cows, 750 hogs, or 30,000 chickens would be affected--see accompanying table.
Under the proposed rules all operations of this size would be required to apply for a permit or submit paperwork demonstrating they do not need a permit.
All operations in these categories will also be required to get a permit under these rules if they have had a manure spill in the past five years or if EPA views their operations to be polluting an impaired stream or lake.
Operations receiving manure from a CAFO could also be required to get a permit if they are determined to be mismanaging land application of manure.
Currently there are approximately 370 Missouri operations with permits and less than 2,500 operations with permits in the United States.
The low percentage of large concentrated livestock operations having permits under current rules is one of the primary reasons cited by EPA to support more stringent permit requirements.
EPA predicts 650 to 700 additional Missouri operations will require permits. EPA predicts between 25,500 and 39,300 operations will be regulated nationwide. We have indications that EPA's estimate of affected Missouri operations is low.
Smaller Operations To Be Regulated Under Proposed Rules
Animal Type Current limit Proposal 1 Proposal 2
1,000 AU* 500 AU 300 AU
Cattle & heifers 1,000 500 300
Veal 1,000 500 300
Mature dairy cattle 700 350 200
Swine over 55 lb. 2,500 1,250 750
Less than 55 lb. 10,000 5,000 3,000
Chickens 100,000 50,000 30,000
Turkeys 55,000 27,500 16,500
Ducks 5,000 2,500 1,500
Horses 500 250 150
Sheep or lambs 10,000 5,000 3,000
*animal units
Dick Lee