Right to Farm

Landowners in general have the right to use their property in any manner they might find useful or enjoyable except when that use infringes on the right of their neighbor or community to use their property. Conflicting interests of neighbors have been the subject of numerous disagreements resulting in one or the other loosing his right to use his property as he wishes. The circumstances surrounding each conflict usually determines the outcome, and farmers should be aware that their right to farm may be at the mercy of courts who have sometimes been sympathetic to grievances of their more urban neighbors. Complaints about farming operations by nearby landowners and the threat of nuisance lawsuits is a growing concern of farmers, particularly in areas prone to urban sprawl, and has resulted in a decrease in the number and size of farming operations in some areas. The fear of loss of productive farming operations has resulted in enactment of Right to Farm laws by a number of state legislators. Legislation enabling farmers to create Agricultural Districts is an additional attempt to stop urban expansion into prime agricultural land. The following discussion attempts to summarize some of the problems surrounding the right to farm issue

Generation and Legal Regulation of Odors form Animal Manures

The present trend of animal and dairy product producers is toward total confinement facilities and larger animal herds. Generally the rewards to the producer for these practices are higher economic returns which result from higher feeding efficiencies and better quality products. However, total confinement is not without problems that were previously not present or were minimal in nature when animals were maintained in fields. Confinement facilities have a greater impact on environmental quality of both water and air. Presently, one of the major problems facing animal and dairy product producers is odor production. The greatest number of complaints concerning environmental pollution from these facilities arise from odor complaints made by nearby neighbors, communities and passerby to the producers, the local health department, the state and federal environmental protection agencies, and the local prosecutors. Odor complaints may even come from the producers own family, farm workers or contract construction workers

Laws and Regulation Impacting Livestock Wastes in Kentucky

In recent years, the number of laws and regulations prescribing the rules for everyday life seem to be ever more complex and pervasive. Changing farming methods, expansion of the urban community and increasing public environmental concerns have increased the agricultural producer\u27s need to think more seriously about his method of livestock waste disposal. Laws, regulations, practices, standards and ordinances range from the obvious (solid waste management) to the not so obvious (protection of endangered species). The public has protection from the farmers (discharge permits) and the farmer has protection from the public (Right to Farm laws). The following is an attempt to summarize those laws and regulations which may impact livestock waste disposal (utilization) in Kentucky

Permitting Procedures for Operation of Liquid Livestock Waste Handling Facilities

Owners and operators of livestock waste management facilitates should be aware that livestock wastes have been identified as a source of pollutants in Kentucky streams. In order to protect these water sources a number of laws and regulations have been implemented to restrict the discharge of pollutants from point sources into the waters of the commonwealth. The Division of Water (DOW) is a division of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, Department for Environmental Protect ion and operates under authority set forth in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and Kentucky Revised statute 224. The DOW is specifically charged with abating existing pollution, more specifically from KRS 224.70-110: No person shall directly or indirectly throw, drain, run or otherwise discharge (pollutants) into the waters of the Commonwealth. The (KPDES)* program requires permits for the discharge of pollutants from point source-s into the waters of the Commonwealth {401 KAR 5.029 defines surface waters). Administrative regulations written to enforce the state statutes tend to be written for industrial and municipal discharge of waste into streams

Solid Livestock Waste Regulatory Requirements

Proper management and utilization of livestock waste can be a significant contribution to the economic well being of a livestock enterprise, since the wastes have considerable economic value if properly utilized. When returned to the soil as fertilize or soil conditioner, the value as a nutrient source has been will established. More recently, processed livestock wastes have been utilized as a high protein feed additives. Livestock waste should be considered a resource to be utilized rather than a disposal problem

Effects of Surface Application of Dairy Manure on the Infiltration Rate and Quality of Surface Runoff

Dairy manure was surface spread on 12 ft x 12 ft plots on an established fescue pasture in the summer and fall of 1981 and 1982. The soil was a Maury silt loam. A simulated rainfall was applied to plots to test the effects of nitrogen loading rate (75, 150, and 300 #N/acre) time delay between manure application and the simulated rainfall events (0, 3, 6, 24, 48, 96 hours and a 120 hour test repeated on 0 hr plot with 300 #N/acre), and type manure (semi-solid - 1981 and liquid - 1982) on the concentrations of pollutants in the surface runoff. The pollutants measured were COD, TSS, FSS, VSS, TS, FS, VS, N03, NH4 , N, P, and K. The simulated rainfall rates were 3.42 in/hr for 1981 and 4.02 in hr for 1982. The average field infiltration rate for the non-manured test plots were 3.40 in/hr in 1981 and 4.42 in/hr in 1982. The infiltration rates of the manured plots were reduced by 5.8 to 15 percent for semi-solid manure and 23 to 31 percent for liquid manure for zero hour time delay plots. The infiltration rates increased to within 92 percent of the control plots after 120 hour time delay. The pollutant yields increased with nitrogen loading rate except for FSS yield which remained below the control plot yields. The NO3 yields was below the control plot except for 300 #N/acre plots. The reduction in pollutant yields with increased time delay was found to average 46 and 76 percent for the 24 and 48 hour time delays for semi-solid manure and 75 and 94 percent for liquid manure. The yields for TSS, FSS and VSS for liquid manured plots did not exceed the control plot yields until after the 48 hour time delay

Retention of Gasification-Combustion Products by Corn

Shelled corn was dried in layers of 5.1 cm (2 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.), and 15.2 cm (6 in.) using air heated with the exhaust from a corn-cob fueled gasification-combustion updraft furnace. The drying air entering and leaving the grain layers was sampled for particulate content to determine the percentage of total particulates trapped by the grain during drying. It was determined that an average of 25% of the total particulates in the drying air were retained by the grain. The large majority of those particulates retained were found in the bottom 5.1 cm (2 in.) of the grain layer

Invited review: Compost-bedded pack barns for dairy cows

Compost-bedded pack barns (CBP) are receiving increasing attention as a housing system for dairy cows that has potential to improve animal welfare. This article reviews current scientific knowledge about CBP with the aim of providing a comprehensive tool for producers and researchers using this housing system. In CBP, cows are provided with an open bedded pack area rather than the individual stalls and concrete alleys found in freestall systems. The bedded pack, a mixture of organic bedding and cattle excreta, is cultivated frequently (1–3 times per day) to incorporate fresh manure and air into the pack, thus promoting an aerobic composting process. To function well, CBP generally require a large area per cow. Optimal animal densities over the bedded area range from 7.4 to more than 15 m2/cow depending on several factors, including climate, bedding, pack management, and cow characteristics. Studies have indicated that CBP, compared with conventional systems such as freestall barns, have the potential to improve the welfare of dairy cows. In particular, the main reported benefits include improved comfort during resting, better foot and leg health, and more natural animal behavior. Research has also indicated that adequate udder health can be achieved in CBP. However, because the bedded pack has been shown to contain high bacterial concentrations, proper management is essential to maintain adequate cow cleanliness and reduce the risk of mastitis. Controlling pack moisture is consistently indicated as the most important issue with CBP. Especially under cold and humid weather conditions, large amounts of bedding may be necessary to keep the pack adequately dry and comfortable for the cows. Nevertheless, the improvements in cow health may offset the higher costs of bedding.</p

Production of Aflatoxin on Damaged Corn Under Controlled Environmental Conditions

Aflatoxin B1 production by Aspergillus flavus (NRRL 6432) was determined on physically damaged corn stored at 35,25 and 20°C and at relative humidities of 97 and 92%. Production at lower relative humidities of 80 and 85% were also tested at 25°C. Production lag times were significantly different for all test conditions. Lag times ranged from 46 h at 97% relative humidity and 35°C to 173. 8 h at 20°C and 92% relative humidity. Aflatoxin B, concentration doubled every 6 to 10 hours after a level of 10 ppb had been reached. Production rate constants were not significantly different between temperatures at 97% relative humidity; however, significant differences in the production rate constant were observed between 97 and 92% relative humidities evaluated at 25°C and between 25 and 35 °C evaluated at 92% relative humidity

Development of predictive equations for thermal conductivity of compost bedding

Among animal facilities, compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns have attracted a lot of attention from milk producers and the scientific community. Systematic investigation of the main thermal properties utilizing sawdust in CBP barns is of environmental and economic relevance. In this paper, the aim was to (a) develop predictive equations for the thermal conductivity (k) of compost bedding as a function of moisture content (MC), the degree of compaction (DCo), and particle size (PS); and (b) investigate the links between k and depth within bedding material. Samples of compost bedding materials were collected from 42 commercial CBP barns distributed throughout Kentucky (USA). From these predictive equations, it was possible to understand how the MC, DCo, and PS of the bedding materials may influence the behavior of k. These results are very useful for solving obstacles to simulate and predict the variable outcomes of the compost bedding materials process in CBP barns, allowing for its optimization, consequently reducing the time and energy spent on their optimization and allowing for simulation and assessment of compost bedding process modifications. The results of the current study may have important implications in the design and management of bedded pack barns