Sound Siting Decisions a Cornerstone of Successful Livestock Farms

03-13-2018 in Livestock

There are numerous decisions that should be made before putting up a new livestock facility. While assessing regulatory compliance and finding a good site are only pieces of that decision-making process, they are extremely important to the long-term success of your farm.

Iowa has rules that apply to all livestock operations, no matter the size. It is important to know those requirements up-front. And it is crucial to have an outside set of eyes look at your site to help ensure there aren’t any other considerations you may have overlooked. It is imperative to take neighboring residences, businesses, towns and public use areas into consideration. Just because you own the ground, doesn’t necessarily make it a good place to build.

When considering building a new confinement – no matter the size – be sure to check soil types of your proposed site early in the process. Iowa rules require CAFOs of all sizes to check for alluvial, or floodplain, soils. Even if you’ve never seen that area flood, it is still important to check.

“It is crucial to check for alluvial aquifers and ensure your proposed site is not in those designated areas,” CSIF Sr. Field Coordinator Kent Mowrer says. “If you build without checking and later determine that the site is in a designated alluvial aquifer area, DNR can require you to do additional tests to determine vertical separation from the aquifer. This testing can be costly and slow construction progress down.”

Livestock farms must also check for karst terrain before construction to determine whether additional requirements apply.

For more detailed information specific to your situation, contact the Coalition at 800-932-2436 for no-cost and confidential assistance.

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