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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 02-14-2000 - 5aORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 14, 2000 Action Agenda Item No. ~ -~ SUBJECT: Resolution to Form an Intensive Livestock Operations Study Committee DEPARTMENT: Health PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): IlVFORMATION CONTACT: Resolution Rosemary Summers, ext 2411 Orange County Animal Agriculture Barry Jacobs Facts and Trends TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968501 Durham fi88-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To form a committee to study Intensive Livestock Operations for Orange County. BACKGROUND: At the Board of Health's work session on September 24, 1999, staff prepared a background document with information on health and environmental effects of intensive livestock operations around the state. Several other county departments were invited to attend the work session to participate in this discussion as well. Melva Okun of the UNC Environmental Resource Center addressed the Board of Health and summarized the direction that other localities in the state had taken. At the Board's next regular meeting on October 28, 1999, it voted to appoint a committee to further study the issues surrounding the possible development of intensive livestock operations in Orange County. The committee was charged with making recommendations to the Board of Health in the spring of 2000. It was the Board's recommendation to include other relevant stakeholders in fully examining this issue. The accompanying resolution specifies the organizations or groups that will be involved in studying this issue. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board adopt the resolution. C:\My Documen[s\Resolutions\RES-[LO.Adg.ABSTRACT-dot a2 Resolution to Form an Intensive Livestock Operations Study Committee For Orange County Whereas, the number of livestock animals "has increased significantly in North Carolina during the 1990's, with the total population. of hogs in North Carolina totaling just under 10 million; and, Whereas, the production of chickens and turkeys has also increased dramatically in the state; and, Whereas, there are numerous studies detailing possible adverse mental and/or physical health effects and degradation to air, groundwater, and surface water quality due to intensive livestock operations; and, Whereas, the Orange County Board of Commissioners and the Orange County Board of Health support and encourage traditional farming and agricultural methods; and, Whereas, realizing that newer methods of high density confinement of farm animals and the associated problems with waste disposal maybe detrimental to human health, mental well-being, and the environment; and, Whereas, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners joins with the Orange County Board of Health in desiring investigation and further study of the issues surrounding the development of intensive livestock operations in Orange County; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Orange County Board of County Commissioners delegates the investigatory study of these issues to the Orange County Board of Health Intensive Livestock Operations Ad Hoc Study Committee, with such Committee to include members and representatives from: • Orange County Agricultural Districts Advisory Board • Orange County Board of County Commissioners • Orange County Boazd of Health • Orange County Commission for the Environment • Orange County Cooperative Extension • Orange County Faun Bureau • Orange County Health Department, Animal Control Division • Orange County Health Department, Environmental Health Division • Orange County Natural Resources Conservation Service • Orange County Planning Department • Orange Dairy Herd Improvement Association • Orange Soil & Water Conservation District Board • Representative of Poultry Farming Community • Representative of Livestock Farming Community C:\Mv Documents\Resolutions\RES.ILO.StudyCom2.doc 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT said Ad Hac Study Committee should report to the Orange County Boazd of Health and to the Orange County Commissioners no later than June 1, 2000 with their findings. This, the 14th day of February, 2000. Chair Moses Cazey Orange County Boazd of County Commissioners C:\My Documents\Resolutions\RES.ILp.StudyCom2_doc L Orange County Animal Agriculture Facts and Trends Prepared by: W. Royce Hardin And Karen J. McAdams Agricultural Extension Agents North Carolina Cooperative Extension-Orange County Center February 9, 2000 G Swine Farms in Oran a Coun Lewis Crabtree - In operation since mid 1970's 3415 NC 86 North Hillsborough, NC 27278 (also keeps some pigs at his brothers and brother-in-laws farms on St. Mary's Rd. and New Shaoon Church Rd. -One small waste pond on one farm, two farms have pit storage under buildings. Waste in spread on farm land for fertilizer) Join Ma field - In operation since eazly 1990's 7500 New Sharon Church Rd. Rougemont, NC 27572 (small outdoor operation) Mike and Robin Lacke -Farm in operation since mid 1970's 2425 Breeze Rd. Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 (Purchased existing Fred McPherson's swine farm in 1999. Permitted with Div. of Water Quality -Waste is stored in lagoon and irrigated onto grass fields) Historical Fi res 1980 - 13 swine producers in Orange County. 2000 - 3 swine producers in Orange County Swine production has declined dramatically throughout the Piedmont section of North Carolina and in Orange County. The main factors have been the rise of contract raising of hogs and the inability of small independent producers to compete economically. Attached information sheet lists new state regulations for the placement of new swine operations or the expansion of old ones. Because of population density, distance from swine contractors and other factors, it is unlikely that new intensive swine operations would be started in the county. Poultry Production in Orange County Broiler-Breeder Operations - (Produce hatching eggs for Allen's Poultry -All these operations were started in 1995-1997 All of these have dry litter waste systems) Parker Family Watt, Penny and Tommy Pazker 711 Alin Rd. Cedar Grove, NC 27231 Vaughn Compton 1002 Hurdle Mills Rd. Cedaz Grove, NC 27231 Roger Tate $615 Harmony Church Rd Efland, NC 27243 Randy Pope 3315 McDadc Store Rd Cedar Grove, NC 27231 Jeff Tate $422 Harmony Church Rd Efland, NC 27243 Independent E~~ Layer Operations (produce eggs for table use -These farms have been in operation far 25-40 years. -Both have lagoons they irrigate manure out onto Farmland) Latta's Egg Ranch Paul Latta 1306 Gov. Burke Rd. Hillsborough, NC 27278 Gates Egg Farm Mike and Sue Clayton 6507 Holly Ridge Rd. Rougemont, NC 27572 Orange County Dairies -historic Figures 1966: 99 herds, 4438 cows, 45 cows per herd (plus 22 manufacturing milk producers) 1976: S6 herds, 3744 cows, 67 cows per herd (plus 2 manufacturing milk producers) 1981: 49 herds, 4$11 cows, 98 cows per herd 1986: 48 herds, 4800 cows, 100 cows per herd 1991: 30 herds, 3343 cows, 111 cows per herd ' 1996: 23 herds, 2388 cows, 104 cows per herd 1999: 21 herds, 2203 cows, 105 cows per herd On most dairies animal waste is scraped on a daily basis into earthen balding pits. These provide adequate storage so that the waste can be agitated and pumped out of the pits usually twice a year to be spread on crop and pasture land. These applications typically are done in the eazly spring and in the fall to coincide with crop planting and growth CyCleS. ORANGE DAIRIES Atwater Farts Don and Warren Atwater Russell Hall 9429 Hall Dairy Rd Maple Vitro Farm 804 Whiff Crass Rd. ltougernont 27572 Bob Ntrtter, Russ Seibert 3111 Dairylarrd Rd Chapel Hill 27516 . H~O~ 27278 Little Acorn Farm Gerry Ann Dairy Gerry Durham Harry M Poe Twin Brercb Faun 839 Whitt Cross Rd. 63D3 Hebron C7turch Rd. Mebane 27302 Shelton ~ ~~ ~, Chapel Hill 27516 4006 Hwy. 54 West Chapel Hill 27516 Kirk Dairy Cedar Grove Farm Keerry Kirk Shambley Dairy Glen Canrdrers 6108 Orange Grove Rd Morris Shmnb 4223 EBand-Cep Gmvt Rd. Hillsbor~ougir 2727$ 2609 ML Willing Rd Hillsborough 27278 Etiand 27243 Miltnd A. Latin arrd Saris ~~ Farms Milton, HiU and Tate Ken Strowd Everett aad Lewis Cheek 3200 Edmund Latta Rd. 1205 Collins Mtr~ Rd 1811 Dairyland Rd. Hillsborough 27278 Chapel EBII 27516 Chapel Hill 27516 White Oak Farm Carsart andand Chrymn Lloyd ! ~ ~ Clyde DreJoey 3819 Lleydtovvn Rd. 5704 Vernon Rd 4319 NC 86-N Mebane 27302 Mebane 27302 Hillsbortxrgh 27278 Randy LOYd Tar Farms Foust DaQy 3220 Old Greensboro Rd. 'jbprggg Mdse Jimmy Foust Chapel Hill 27516 ~ g~ Stanford ~ 5920 Mebane Oaks Rd. Chapel Hill 27516 Mebane 27302 Highland Farts Dairy Leon Hall Frank Miller gar r u:.,r.i.,..a e....... na Neville Farm . , .., .. _. ... g Other Animal Agriculture Beef Cattle Farms There aze approximately 200 beef cattle farms in Orange County. This has been fairly steady for the past ten years. All of the beef farms in this county aze pasture grazing operations, although some farms have cattle confined far short periods of time in small paddocks for such things as winter feeding or artificial breeding. There are no large scale cattle finishing feedlots in the county. Horses Horse numbers are slowly increasing in the county. Approximately 65~ farms and homesteads have horses. Most horse farms have some amount of pasture for their horses, although there are a few stables that have a fairly concentrated number of horses on small acreages of land. Miscellaneous It is estimated that approximately 200 farms have small numbers of sheep, goats, llamas, home poultry flocks and assorted other animals. Anixmal Agriculture Trends in Orange County The Past Ten Years and into the foreseeable future - Steady, continual slow decline in number of dairy producers (21 today, 48 in 1986). Attributable to many factors, including declining profit margins, value of land for development, lack of interest on part of succeeding generations. - Decline in the number of swine producers. All feeder pig production has switched to market hog production. Influenced by marketing changes and inability to adapt to current lazge volume mazket conditions. - Poultry production has increased in the last ten years from two to seven farms. The five new farms aze contract growers producing broiler-breeder hatching eggs for one company. All the new poultry producers are tobacco farmers diversifying their operations. A few more hatching egg operations may possibly be added with the same company in the northern part of the county on tobacco farms. Other poultry companies are unlikely to contract growers in Orange county due to distance from feed mills, processing facilities, and population density in the county. - Beef cattle and other livestock operation numbers have remained fairly stable with only a slight decrease in the numbers of beef operations and cattle. This trend should continue as older farmers retire and land values continue to rise. -There has been a lazge increase in the number of small horse farms (10-20 acres) mostly through subdividing lazger farms. The numbers of these farms will likely continue to slowly increase as population in the region grows. ~o State Requirements for land application of animal waste - No closer than 25 feet from streams, residential property lines or rights of way, 100 feet from wells. - A "good neighbor" buffer of 200 feet from homes or buildings frequented by people. - Can only apply waste to an actively growing crop or within 30 days of when the crop will be actively growing or planted. - Where must be a nitrogen deficit for the crop. 1n other words, if the crop requires 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre for an average or proven yield, the total amount of nitrogen applied to the crap during the growing cycle cannot exceed 60 pounds. - There must be a waste analysis performed within 60 days of application. - Application fields must be dry enough to prevent runoff, except in certain emergency situations. State Siting Requirements for New and Expanding Swine Operations - At least 1500 feet from any occupied residence not'owned by the owner of the animal operation. - At least 2500 feet from any school, hospital, church, outdoor recreation facility, national or state park, historic property or child caze center. - At least 500 feet from any property boundary. All animal agricultural operations in Orange County meet all current state mandated rules and regulations regazding operator and farm certification, inspections and waste utilization plans. All certified farms aze inspected biannually by both Division of soil and Water Conservation, and Division of Water Quality personnel. Regulations enacted by state government related to soil and water protection including the Animal Waste Management rules (.0200 regulations) and the Neuse River Rules (.0238 and .0239) have required farmers to make unplanned capital expenditures in order to comply. Environmental regulation will continue to be a factor for farmers remaining in business. implementation of the Neuse River Nutrient Management Plan is one example. This plan and other environmental concerns will likely result in farms needing to further monitor and limit the amount of plant nutrients and pesticides used to produce crops. This may not necessarily negatively effect farm production and income, but will add to the pressures associated with trying to remain a viable agricultural producer in a rapidly changing azea.