2002-03  ANIMAL AGRICULTURE MANURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

Animal feeding operations generate 220 billion gallons of waste annually, or 130 times more waste than the entire human population in the United States, and production of livestock has become increasingly concentrated.  Concentrated livestock production allows for the build up of livestock waste in small geographic areas, posing a risk of serious water and air quality degradation.

Several recent scientific studies have found that storage of livestock waste in large open-air manure lagoons creates a pollution threat, due to the potential for lagoon breaks and failures, seepage of pollutants to ground and surface waters and release of noxious gases into the air.

Ground water contamination is of great concern since ground water constitutes about 40 percent of the water used for public water supplies and provides drinking water for more than 97 percent of the rural  U.S. population.  The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) recently published a report that found higher concentrations of ammonia-nitrogen, organic nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, chloride, and potassium in wells located down-gradient versus up-gradient from manure storage structures and found significant down-gradient levels of both nitrogen and phosphorus in ground water surrounding several different manure storage systems, including concrete-lined basins.  In addition, the decomposition of livestock waste releases methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide into the air and many of the gases emitted from open-air livestock waste lagoons are considered odorants, emitting strong and offensive odors that disrupt daily life for residents near large-scale feedlots.

Scientific advancement and research has found that best manure storage technology for livestock confinement operations does not include open-air lagoons as a means for livestock waste storage.  Many states, including Minnesota, have instituted statewide bans on any new open-air swine waste lagoons due to public concern over odor problems, and degraded water and air quality.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Minnesota Division of the Izaak Walton League of America  in convention April 28, 2002 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, declares that open-air livestock waste lagoons do not represent acceptable technology for livestock waste storage, and should no longer be permitted. Best storage technology must incorporate storage systems that do not threaten air quality and ground and surface water quality.

Jaques Chapter
MN Division of the IWLA