HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 11 Agriculture
Chapter 11
Agriculture and Water Quality
11.1 Animal Operations
In 1992, the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) adopted a rule modification (15A
NCAC 2H.0217) establishing procedures for managing and reusing animal wastes from intensive
livestock operations. The rule applies to new, expanding or existing feedlots with animal waste
management systems designed to serve animal populations of at least the following size: 100
head of cattle, 75 horses, 250 swine, 1,000 sheep or 30,000 birds (chickens and turkeys) with a
liquid waste system.
Key Animal Operation Legislation (1995-2003)
1995 Senate Bill 974 requires owners of swine facilities with 250 or more animals to hire a certified operator.
Operators are required to attend a six-hour training course and pass an examination for certification. Senate Bill
1080 established buffer requirements for swine houses, lagoons and land application areas for farms sited after
October 1, 1995.
1996 Senate Bill 1217 required all facilities (above threshold populations) to obtain coverage under a general permit,
beginning in January 1997, for all new and expanding facilities. DWQ was directed to conduct annual
inspections of all animal waste management facilities. Poultry facilities with 30,000+ birds and a liquid waste
management system were required to hire a certified operator by January 1997 and facilities with dry litter
animal waste management systems were required to develop an animal waste management plan by January
1998. The plan must address three specific items: 1) periodic testing of soils where waste is applied; 2)
development of waste utilization plans; and 3) completion and maintenance of records on-site for three years.
Additionally, anyone wishing to construct a new or expand an existing swine farm must notify all adjoining
property owners.
1997 House Bill 515 placed a moratorium on new or existing swine farm operations and allows counties to adopt
zoning ordinances for swine farms with a design capacity of 600,000 pounds (SSLW) or more. In addition,
owners of potential new and expanding operations are required to notify the county (manager or chair of
commission) and local health department, as well as adjoining landowners. NCDENR was required to develop
and adopt economically feasible odor control standards by March 1, 1999.
1998 House Bill 1480 extended the moratorium on construction or expansion of swine farms. The bill also requires
owners of swine operations to register with DWQ any contractual relationship with an integrator.
1999 House Bill 1160 extended (again) the moratorium on new construction or expansion of swine farms, required
NCDENR to develop an inventory of inactive lagoons. The Bill requires owners/operators of an animal waste
treatment system to notify the public in the event of a discharge to surface waters of the state of 1,000 gallons or
more of untreated wastewater.
2000 Attorney General Easley reached a landmark agreement with Smithfield Foods, Inc. to phase out hog lagoons
and implement new technologies that will substantially reduce pollutants from hog farms. The agreement
commits Smith field to phase out all anaerobic lagoon systems on 276 company-owned farms. Legislation will
be required to phase out the remaining systems statewide within a 5-year period (State of Environment Report
2000).
2001 House Bill 1216 extended (again) the moratorium on new construction or expansion of swine farms.
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Table 19 summarizes, by subbasin, the number of registered livestock operations, total number
of animals, number of facilities, and total steady state live weight (SSLW) as of September 2003.
These numbers reflect only operations required by law to be registered, and therefore, do not
represent the total number of animals in each subbasin.
Overall the majority of registered animal operations are found in the upper portion of the basin.
Registered animal operations where recent data show problems are discussed in the appropriate
subbasin chapter.
Table 19 Registered Animal Operations in the French Broad River Basin (September 2003)
Cattle Poultry Swine
Total Total Total
Subbasin No. of No. of Steady State No. of No. of Steady State No. of No. of Steady State
Facilities Animals Live Weight*Facilities Animals Live Weight*Facilities Animals Live Weight*
04-03-01 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
04-03-02 7 2,810 3,886,000 0 0 0 1 2,000 283,400
04-03-03 2 425 595,000 0 0 0 0 0 0
04-03-04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
04-03-05 8 1,215 1,701,000 0 0 0 0 0 0
04-03-06 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
04-03-07 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 17 4,450 6,182,000 0 0 0 1 2,000 283,400
* Steady State Live Weight (SSLW) is in pounds, after a conversion factor has been applied to the number of swine, cattle or
poultry on a farm. Conversion factors come from the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service
guidelines. Since the amount of waste produced varies by hog size, this is the best way to compare the sizes of the farms.
11.2 Impacted Streams in Agricultural Areas
In the French Broad River basin, the majority of agricultural land is in pasture use. There are
also a variety of specialty crop farms in this river basin including tomatoes, peppers and apple
orchards. Impacts to streams from agricultural activities can include excessive nutrient loading,
pesticide and herbicide contamination, bacterial contamination, and sedimentation. In several
watersheds, water quality data are indicating toxicity impacts to the aquatic biological
community attributable to the use of pesticides on these specialty operations. For more
information, refer to the discussion related to Mud Creek (Chapter 2) and the Mills River
(Chapter 3).
Overall, there has been a decrease in agricultural land use throughout the watershed. From 1982
to 1997, pasture use has decreased by 7.7% (18,000 acres). Cultivated and uncultivated crop
areas decreased by 28.0% and 45.5% (23,500 and 15,700 acres), respectively (USDA-NRCS,
June 2001). Impacts to water quality from agricultural sources may decrease over the next basin
cycle. It should be noted, however, that there has been an increase in urban/built-up areas in
many municipalities throughout the river basin. Refer to Appendix III for more information
regarding land use changes.
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2005 Recommendations
DWQ will identify streams where agricultural land use may be impacting water quality and
aquatic habitat. This information will be related to local Division of Soil and Water
Conservation and NRCS staff to investigate the agricultural impacts in these watersheds and to
recommend BMPs to reduce impacts. DWQ recommends that funding and technical support for
agricultural BMPs continue and increase. Refer to Appendix VIII for agricultural nonpoint
source agency contact information.
11.3 Agricultural Best Management Practices Funding Opportunities
11.3.1 USDA – NRCS Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP)
The Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) provides technical, educational and
financial assistance to eligible farmers to address soil, water and related natural resource
concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The
program provides assistance to farmers in complying with federal and state environmental laws
and encourages environmental enhancement. The purposes of the program are achieved through
the implementation of a conservation plan that includes structural, vegetative and land
management practices on eligible land. Five to ten-year contracts are made with eligible
producers. Cost share payments may be made to implement one or more eligible structural or
vegetative practice, such as animal waste management facilities, terraces, filter strips, tree
planting and permanent wildlife habitat. Incentive payments can be made to implement one or
more land management practices, such as nutrient management, pest management and grazing
land management.
Fifty percent of the funding available for this program will be targeted at natural resource
concerns relating to livestock production. The program is carried out primarily in priority areas
that may be watersheds, regions or multistate areas and for significant statewide natural resource
concerns that are outside of geographic priority areas. EQIP’s authorized budget of $1.3 billion
is prorated at $200 million per year through the year 2002.
NRCS district contacts for the French Broad River basin are provided in Appendix VIII or visit
the website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/ for more information.
11.3.2 NC Agriculture Cost Share Program
The North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share Program was established in 1984 to help reduce the
sources of agricultural nonpoint source pollution to the state’s waters. The program helps
owners and renters of established agricultural operations improve their on-farm management by
using BMPs. These BMPs include vegetative, structural or management systems that can
improve the efficiency of farming operations while reducing the potential for surface and
groundwater pollution. The Agriculture Cost Share Program is a voluntary program that
reimburses farmers up to 75 percent of the cost of installing an approved BMP. The Division of
Soil and Water Conservation (DSWC) implements the program. The cost share funds are paid to
the farmer once the planned control measures and technical specifications are completed. The
annual statewide budget for BMP cost sharing is approximately $6.9 million. From 1999 to
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2003, $1,562,128 was provided for projects in counties wholly or partially in the French Broad
River basin. Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) contacts for the French Broad River
basin are included in Appendix VIII or visit the website at
http://www.enr.state.nc.us/DSWC/pages/agcostshareprogram.html for more information.
11.3.3 Agricultural Sediment Initiative
In 2000, the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the NC Soil and
Water Conservation Commission initiated an effort to assess stream channels and watersheds of
streams on the state’s 2000 303(d) list due to sediment where agriculture was included as a
potential source. The primary objective of the Agricultural Sediment Initiative was to evaluate
303(d) listed waters in order to assess the severity of sedimentation associated with agricultural
activities within the watershed and to develop local strategies for addressing sedimentation. The
initiative involved 47 Impaired stream segments in 34 counties and 11 river basins.
In 2001, the Soil and Water Conservation Commission allocated additional Agriculture Cost
Share Funds to districts to address agricultural sediment. In 2002, the districts in the French
Broad River basin received an additional $110,000 to implement agricultural BMPs in selected
watersheds, and an additional $30,000 was allocated in 2003.
Table 20 summarizes the results of the completed Agricultural Sediment Surveys for five
watersheds in three counties in the French Broad River basin. District staff requested
approximately $2,840,000 for restoration and protection work in four of the watersheds.
Table 20 Summary of Agricultural Sediment Initiative Surveys
Stream County Problems
Identified
Funds Requested
by District
Richland Creek Haywood Cropland erosion, pasture/hayland overuse, urban
development, road construction, streambank erosion $100,000
Hyatt Creek Haywood Streambank erosion, road construction, urban
development, livestock in stream $385,000
Mud Creek Henderson New development, road construction, streambank
erosion $725,000
Right Fork Cane Creek Henderson New development, streambank erosion in urban
areas, small amount of mining $765,000
Hominy Creek Buncombe Streambank erosion, urban development, road
construction, large stone quarry $865,000
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