BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Earth Day is a time to celebrate our planet and make a positive impact on the environment. Illinois livestock farmers have a new resource to help them better understand environmental regulations and improve their environmental performance.
“Recycling various items such as aluminum, plastics, cardboard and paper has been a practice that many people do to help care for our environment,” said Don Mackinson, dairy farmer from Pontiac, IL and President of the Illinois Milk Producers’ Association. “Illinois livestock farmers have been recycling for many generations by utilizing the nutrients in manure as an organic fertilizer source for their crops.”
Livestock manure reduces the amount of commercial fertilizer farmers apply to their crops. Farmers utilize manure management plans to balance the nutrients in the manure with the nutrient needs of the crop and the current nutrients in the soil providing a very sustainable system.
“For Illinois livestock farmers, caring for the environment is a daily occurrence. Utilizing the nutrients in livestock manure comes naturally to farmers. Livestock consume corn and soybeans and then generate manure which in turn fertilizes the fields for the next crop of corn and soybeans. This is the perfect example of recycling,” said Jason Propst, pig farmer from Toledo, IL and President of the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA).
Illinois has a stringent set of environmental regulations for livestock farms. The Livestock Management Facilities Act (LMFA) protects the environment and the rights of citizens by ensuring that all new livestock farms meet setbacks, construction standards and siting criteria.
In addition, farmers must also comply with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations designed to ensure efficient use of nutrients and limit any environmental impact. In August 2014, the Illinois EPA Livestock Rules became effective and parts of the Rules apply to all farms, regardless of their size.
“Large and small farms alike have a responsibility to adopt management practices that protect our natural resources and limit any environmental impacts,” said Mike Martz, cattle farmer from DeKalb and President of the Illinois Beef Association. “Today’s livestock farms employ modern technology and innovations that allow us to better collect and recycle our valuable nutrients than we did just a generation ago.”
A free Resource Guide to the Illinois EPA Livestock Rules is available in a swine, beef and dairy version. The Resource Guide helps clarify and simplify the Illinois EPA Livestock Rules and identifies Best Management Practices (BMPs) for livestock farms. The Resource Guide uses real world examples for farmers to follow and relate to their farm.
The Resource Guides are being provided by the collaborative work of the Illinois Agricultural Coalition which includes: Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Milk Producers’ Association, and Illinois Pork Producers Association.
Farmers may contact any of these organizations to request a free copy of the Resource Guide.
“This is part of our on-going joint efforts to help educate Illinois livestock farmers about these regulations,” said Richard Guebert Jr., a farmer from Ellis Grove, IL and President of the Illinois Farm Bureau. “The Resource Guides are a great resource, and I urge all livestock farmers to get a copy.”
— Illinois Agricultural Coalition
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