County Feedlot Officer Toolbox

Documents and links on this page are provided for use by County Feedlot Officers and technical staff involved in the MPCA Feedlot Program. It is updated periodically as new forms and documents become available.  If you encounter any problems or see the need for any corrections or changes, please contact Courtney Ahlers, 651-757-2183, or Forrest Peterson, 320-441-6972.

I. General Information, Contacts and Education

The links below go to documents on the MPCA site and to a variety of other state and federal agencies including the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Minnesota Revisors Office, Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), University of Minnesota (U of M), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A. Feedlot Program Overview

• Feedlot Program Overview
• 2004 feedlot program progress report to legislature

B. Key Contacts Information 

• County Feedlot Officer contact information
•  County Farm Services contact information
• MPCA regional office staffing
• MPCA Feedlot Program Teams
• NRCS contacts
• SWCD directory
• Livestock producer resources (MDA)
• County offices of federal, state, and local government (MDA) 
• Local ordinances regulating livestock in Minnesota (MDA) 
• Labs, consultants and contractors (MDA)
• State agencies 
• Other organizations
  • Farm organizations (MDA)
  • Minnesota Farm and Food Coalition

C. Understanding Animal Agriculture

• Narrated PowerPoint presentations on animal agriculture (U of M)

D. Education, Training and News

• MPCA feedlot program monthly e-newsletter
• Training and Events
• Livestock environmental learning center (National Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center)
• Workshops by Minnesota Extension Service
• Quarterly regional meetings
• MACFO annual conference

E. Related State Programs

• Wellhead Protection (MDH)
• Wellhead protection area mapping tool 
• TMDLs and impaired waters maps
• Minnesota DNR Shoreland Program
• Watershed Approach

II. Rules and Program Administration

A.  Feedlot and manure regulations

1.  State Statutes

• Statutes related to MPCA regulation of feedlots
• Statutes for MDA commercial applicator licensing
• Pollution control act — Chapter 115

2. Rules

• 7020 rule — feedlot and manure
• Revised Feedlot Rules at a Glance (booklet)
• Federal CAFO rules
• 4410 rule — Environmental review rules
• MPCA Procedural Rules 7001 Rules
• MPCA Water Quality Discharge Standards 7050 Rules
• MPCA Water Quality Discharge Standards for Feedlots 7053 Rules
• MPCA Groundwater Protection Rules 7060 Rules
• Ambient Air Quality Standards for H2S MN Rule 7009.0080
• Carcass disposal rules
• Feedlot rules — booklet

3. Policies

• Policy on multiple site determination
• Unpermitted and non-certified manure storage — policy and flow chart
• CFO referral of enforcement to MPCA
• Requirements for different water types
• Pastures

B.  Registration Program

•  Non-registered Feedlot Form (wq-f4-07)
• Factsheet: Feedlot Registration
• Registration Form for Feedlots and Manure Storage Areas
• Registration after 2002 — guidance for counties

C.  County Program — Understanding MPCA Requirements

• County program overview (wq-f6-51)
• Map of delegated counties (wq-f1-12)
• County contact information (list) (wq-f1-13)
• County contact information (map) (wq-f1-14)
• MPCA regional office staffing (map) (wq-f1-11)
• Minnesota Association of County Feedlot Officers District Representatives and Officers (map) (wq-f1-12a)

D.  Feedlot Program Staffing Structure

• MPCA feedlot teams
• MPCA regional office map and staffing

E.  Animal Units

• How many animal units spreadsheet
• Policy on multiple site determination
• Flowchart to determine if a permit is needed (MDA)

F.  Databases

• Delta Map Tool Tutorial (wq-f5-22a)
• Delta Map Tool User Manual (wq-f5-22b)
•  Delta Database Training Manual for CFOs (wq-f5-22c)
• Computer Account Request Form for County Feedlot Program (wq-f5-27)
•   Data Privacy Acknowledgement for County Feedlot Program (i-admin2-65a)

III. Construction/Expansion Permitting

A.  Siting restrictions and notification

• Feedlot Construction Setbacks from Open Water and Wells
• Permit Notification Requirements: Feedlots with more than 500 Animal Units (wq-f3-09)
• Notice of Construction or Expansion of an Animal Feedlot or Manure Storage Area Under 300 Animal Units (wq-f3-24)
• MDA guidelines on siting new feedlots
• Water appropriation — DNR General Permit

B. Permitting (non-NPDES) — Construction short form permit

• Construction and Expansion overview - under 300 AU
• Construction and Expansion overview - 300-999 AU
• Construction short form permit fact sheet
• Construction short form permit template (wq-f3-17b)
• Feedlot permitting checklist for producers (MDA)
• Feedlot Planning and Operations (MDA)
• Policy on 15-day review of county permits
• Stormwater control at feedlot construction sites
• Feedlot Permit Application Checklist
• Tools for reviewing feedlot applications and permits (wq-f5-28)

C.  Environmental Review — EAW (Environmental Assessment Worksheet)

• When is an EAW required?
• Environmental Review - EAWs - MPCA page with links

D.  Manure Storage Area design and inspection

• Liquid Manure Storage Area requirements overview
• Construction inspection form for liquid manure storage - for consultants and engineers

1. Concrete Pits

• Liquid manure storage structure construction inspections (wq-f5-29) (84 slides, 3Mb)
• Concrete Pit Construction guidelines
• Concrete Pit plan review checklist (wq-f3-36)
• Concrete Pit plan review checklist
• Pre-fabricated Concrete Pits (see manufacturer’s approved design plans)

2. Earthen Basins

• Earthen Basin construction guidelines (in draft — see George Schwint)
• Earthen Basin plan review checklist (in draft — see George Schwint)

3. Other Storage Types

• Above ground tanks — steel lined with fiberglass or concrete
• Stacking slabs
• Constructing poultry barn floors

IV. Pollution Hazards — Identifying, Preventing, Correcting

A.  Interim permits

• Rules on who needs an interim permit
• Rules on duration of interim permit
• Interim permit application form
• Interim permits at less than 10/50 AU - policy
• Policy on 15 day review of county permits
• Interim Permit template for writing permit – Non-NPDES permits (wq-f3-16b)
• Feedlot Permit Application Checklist

B.  Open lot agreement (alternative to permit)

• Feedlots in Open Lot Agreement - Recommendations Beyond October 2010
• MPCA recommended approach to open lot runoff regulations
• Expansions under the OLA policy

C.  Technical guidance and requirements

1. Open lot runoff

• Feedlot evaluation model — MinnFARM (U of M)
• Evaluating open lot runoff compliance - MPCA
• Questions about transition from FLEval to MinnFarm

2.  Liquid manure storage areas

• Minnesota Extension — manure storage main Web page
• Co-mixing Domestic or Sanitary Waste with Livestock Waste
• Ground water quality at manure storage areas
• Unpermitted and non-certified manure storage - policy and flow chart
•  Industrial By-Product Transfer to Manure Storage (wq-lndapp1-05)
• Manure basin volume and seepage calculator (wq-f5-23)

3.  Stockpile sites

• Stockpile requirements

4.  Abandoned manure storage areas and lots

• Recommended practices for abandoned lots - Nebraska

5.  Silage management

• MPCA silage storage BMPs
•  Livestock feed storage areas — permitting and operation

6.  Milkhouse Waste

• U of M Extension Service Web page on milkhouse waste options
• NRCS wastewater treatment - 629 standard

7.  Supplemental feeding

• Pastures — winter supplemental feeding
• Managing Livestock Feeding on Pasture and Crop Residue

8.  Dead animal disposal practices

• Board of Animal Health — Carcass disposal
• Dead animal disposal options (see 2nd page)
• Dead animal management — Minnesota Extension
• Composting animal mortalities guidebook (MDA)
• Livestock carcass disposal
• Memorandum of Understanding — Disposal of livestock carcasses, concrete and rebar and debris from damaged farm structures resulting from a disaster (wq-f6-08)

V. NPDES Permits

A.  NPDES Permitting Program

• NPDES permitting - summary of state and federal requirements
• NPDES permits - frequently asked questions
• Producers' Compliance Guide for CAFOs (EPA)
• NPDES Permit Writer's Guide (EPA)
• Permitting of Truck Wash Water at Feedlots
•  EPA 2008 CAFO rule changes and MPCA feedlot program (wq-f6-79)
• State Disposal System permit for large feedlots (wq-f3-48)

B.  Applying for an NPDES permit

• NPDES permit application form
• Completing an NPDES permit application — fact sheet
• Feedlot Permit Application Checklist

C.  Copy of the general permit — requirements for NPDES sites

• NPDES general permit 2011-2016 (wq-f3-38)

D.  Required plans — attachments to permit application

• Air emissions plan
• Animal mortality plan
• Emergency response plan
• Operations and maintenance plan
• Stormwater plan for NPDES construction sites
• Manure Management Plan reference guide
• Manure Management Plan requirements
• MMP Plan Requirements and Form when Ownership of Manure is Transferred

E.  Annual report form for NPDES permitted facilities

•  Animal Feedlot or Manure Storage Area Annual Report (wq-f3-22b)

F.  New owner of NPDES site - required form

• NPDES permit transfer or name change

G.  NPDES permit applications on public notice

• MPCA Public Notices

H.  Open lots at NPDES sites

• Runoff control options at NPDES sites

VI. Manure Management Plans and Land Application

A. Land application minimum requirements

• Land application state requirements
• Applying manure in sensitive areas

B. Manure Management Plan Requirements

• Manure Management Plan reference guide
• Manure Management Plan requirements
• Manure Management Plan for Transferred Ownership
• Transferred ownership considerations
• Winter application of manure at CAFOs
• Manure nutrients short plan (MMP for smaller producers)

C. Reviewing Manure Management Plans

• Reviewing MMPs - frequently asked questions
• MMP review form/checklist - version A (A, N or X in boxes)
• MMP review form/checklist - version B (“X” in boxes by clicking)

D. Record-keeping

• Manure Application Record, 100 - 299 AU (form)
• Manure Application Record, 100 - 299 AU (instructions)
• Manure Application Record, 300+ AU (form) (wq-f6-23)
• Records When Manure Ownership is Transferred - 300 or More Animal Units (PDF Version) (wq-f6-43)
• Transfer of Manure Ownership, 300+ AU (instructions)
• Spreadsheet - MPCA Manure Management Planner (wq-f6-12) (Note: Excel file size = 8 MB, Zip file size=2 MB — version 6.11, 9/30/11)

E. Inspecting land application records and practices

• Land application of manure inspection guidelines and checklists
• Manure Application Rate Guide
• Maximum Nitrogen Rates - MPCA guidelines

F. University recommendations

• Minnesota Extension - land application main page
• Manure Management in Minnesota (U of M)
• WebEx recording of Brad Carlson from U of M-Extension — Manure Applications, Drainage and Water Quality

G. Certified Manure Testing Laboratories

• List of Certified Manure Testing Laboratories (Minnesota Department of Agriculture)

VII. Inspections

A. Types of inspections

• Land application of manure inspections
  • Land application of manure inspection guidelines and checklists
• Non-NPDES inspection checklist-customizable (wq-f3-45e.xltm)
• Non-NPDES inspection checklist (wq-f3-45)
• Feedlot NPDES/SDS Permitted Facility Inspection Checklist(wq-f3-46)
  • Technical review during inspections at NPDES sites - draft

• Construction Inspections
  • See part III.D.
• Discharge complaint follow-up
  • See parts C and D below
• Odor complaint follow-up
  • See parts C and E below
• Technical assistance

B. Preparing for inspections

• Compliance Inspection Flow Chart (wq-f5-09)
• Initiating and Preparing for Inspections
• Inspection Review (MPCA PowerPoint) (available soon)
• Biosecurity - U.S. EPA site
• Bringing inspection checklists
  • Instructions for Non-NPDES Compliance Inspection Form
  • Inspection Checklist Appendices
  • Land application records - Level I checklist
  • Land application records - Level 2 checklist
  • Land application field inspection - Level 3 checklist

C. Responding to Complaints — General

1.  Protocol

• Documenting Complaints (MPCA PowerPoint)
• Tennessen Warning
• Documenting Inspection Results

2. Citizen complaints

• Citizen complaint form

3. Discharge complaints inspections

• Certified manure testing laboratories
• Safe drinking water and well water testing laboratories

4. Odor complaint inspections

• FAQ about livestock odor
• Air emissions and odor management plan (wq-f2-02)
• MPCA Odor Policy
• Consideration of enforcement or permitting
  • Air Quality main page - Extension Service
  • Air quality - frequently asked questions
  • Reviewing air quality modeling

VIII. Spills and Emergencies

• Guidance from the University of Illinois
• Emergency action plan template - Iowa
• Response to manure, milk, leachate spills
• Who to contact:
  • Duty Officer (Minnesota Department of Public Safety)
  • MPCA Emergency Response
• Managing Manure and Land Application During Adverse Weather Conditions

IX. Enforcement

• CFO referral of enforcement to MPCA - policy
• Overview of feedlot enforcement process
• Compliance Inspection Flow Charts
• Delegated County Letter of Warning (LOW) Template
• Delegated County Notice of Violation (NOV) Template
• Rule and statute citations for common feedlot violations

X. Assistance

A. NRCS Assistance

• NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program EQIP
• NRCS Conservation Security Program CSP
• NRCS 590 standard - nutrient management
• NRCS 633 standard - waste utilization
• SWCD cost share assistance overview 
•  NRCS filter strip standard 635  
•  NRCS waste storage facility standard 313 

B. MDA Financial Assistance

• MDA funding and assistance 
• Dairy modernization loan program (MDA)