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Minnesota Milk objects to MPCA proposal with time to comment running out
The director of Minnesota Milk is encouraging dairy farmers in the state to speak up about a draft permit that he says could negatively impact manure management.
“We can’t solve all the problems of water by just trying to regulate manure applications to a certain window.”
Lucas Sjostrum is referring to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s General National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System proposal.
“They’ve taken generalities like ‘don’t spread in the winter’ and changed them into rules. For example, one of the rules would be don’t spread solid manure in February and March.”
As a general guideline, he calls that a good idea. But Sjostrum tells Brownfield there typically are days during that period that are good for spreading solid manure.
“So we’re just encouraging MPCA to reconsider and work on local conditions. What we don’t want to do is have less people spreading manure at certain times of year because that will just enhance the load at other times of year.”
The public comment period for MPCA’s NPDES proposal ends Thursday at 4:30.
The proposal and instructions for how to comment can be found here.
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I’m opposed to this ruling. This will be cost prohibitive to many dairy farm families. This will require staking slabs to be built and increased manure storage size which is very costly. Many dairy farms have used all their equity to stay in business over the last few years. They have nothing left to borrow against. Is it your intent to drive them out of business or will you be supplying the funds to help build the structures need to comply. I agree with no winter hauling and most I know feel the same. But unless MPCA wants to be labeled as the agency that drove more dairy out of the State, you must help them comply.
Would you then suggest that cows stop deficating in the winter! What a stupid idea proposed by people who sit behind a desk! And who will pay for it his extra storage expenses plus the massive destruction to the soil structure when you have to haul it in the spring further causing the run off because of compaction. This is par for the course with these legislators!