Date of News Release: Saturday, October 15, 2005

The recent manure spill that occurred on a New York dairy farm has brought the construction of manure storage systems to the forefront of the agricultural media. In this unfortunate incident, millions of gallons of liquid manure spilled into the Black River when an earthen manure lagoon broke open. Storage lagoons must meet Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) standards. In addition, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permits require that manure storage systems meet these standards. Self-designed earthen manure storage systems must be evaluated by the NRCS or by a professional engineer to see that it meets the standards.

The results of the professional assessment will dictate what course of action will be needed to ensure that your manure storage area is not an environmental hazard. In addition to the professional evaluation, each farm regardless of size should have a written manure handling emergency action plan in place. Manure handling emergencies involve unintentional discharges of manure that pose a threat to people or the environment. In the event of a spill, the plan would address the following areas: eliminating the source of the spill, confining the spill to as small an area as possible, assessing the scope of the problem, notifying the proper authorities, and cleaning up after the spill.

Another area of concern is safety around manure lagoons. Ideally, manure lagoons should be fenced off and warning signs posted to help prevent unauthorized people, particularly children, from falling in and drowning. A life ring and rope kept at the lagoon could save a life in the event that someone did fall in.

Taking the time to consider whether your manure storage system meets regulatory and safety requirements may be the best step you can take to prevent a tragedy.