Manure applicator registration
NYSDEC now requires commercial manure applicators who apply manure on CAFO farms to register with the department and complete annual reporting. PRO-DAIRY released a fact sheet in summer 2023 that outlined the new requirements. While applicators need to register by January 18, 2024 to be in compliance with the new rule, it is my recommendation that they wait until after January 1, 2024 to do so. This will delay the need for annual reporting until the conclusion of 2024, when NYSDEC will have annual reporting forms ready, and will allow more time to put the protocols and record-keeping systems in place to ensure compliance.
Tires on bunker silos
The previous enforcement discretion allowing farms to use tires to secure bunker silo tarps and store them onsite when not in use is now written directly into the Part 360 language. Tires are no longer considered ‘waste’ and therefore exempt from solid waste rules and enforcement if they meet outlined requirements.
Livestock mortality management
The Part 360 updates include new guidelines for the burial of livestock carcasses due to routine mortality (not from catastrophic emergencies). CAFO farms should follow the requirements laid out in the CAFO permit that require farms follow the NRCS 316 standard and/or the Cornell Waste Management Institute’s guidance for compositing. For all farms, the preferred method is composting, per the Cornell Guidelines, but if farms choose to bury animals they must adhere to the new rules. Learn more about the livestock mortality rules and composting guidance in a PRO-DAIRY fact sheet.
Northeast Dairy Management Conference
Embracing opportunities for a viable future
Registration is open for the Northeast Dairy Management Conference March 6 and nd 7, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton in East Syracuse, New York. For more than three decades the Northeast Dairy Management Conference has brought together progressive dairy farmers from across the Northeast to engage and learn about the latest developments and topics in the dairy industry.
Presented by Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) this biennial conference helps dairy farmers increase productivity and adapt to change with personal and business-wide strategies. During the two-day conference, participants gain insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the dairy industry and explore innovative ideas and strategies for success.
The upcoming conference will center around the theme of Embracing Opportunities for a Viable Future. Sessions will focus on strategies that can be used to initiate progress, invoke enthusiasm, and develop new leadership strategies to tackle challenges and capitalize on opportunities. The conference will provide a platform for attendees to share their experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions to the challenges that lie ahead.
Additional conference highlights include industry sponsored pre-conference presentations, panel discussions, NEDPA annual meeting, exhibitor trade show, Popp Award Presentations, and networking dinner.
NORTHEAST DAIRY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
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