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Poultry Environmental Quality Handbook

CAFO Requirements

A poultry farm is a CAFO—concentrated animal feeding operation—if it meets one of the following conditions:

Large CAFO

  • 55,000 turkeys;
  • 30,000 chickens (with liquid manure handling systems); or
  • 125,000 chickens (using other manure handling systems);
  • 82,000 laying hens (using other than liquid manure handling systems).

Medium CAFO

  • 16,500 turkeys;
  • 9,000 chickens (using liquid manure handling systems);
  • 37,500 chickens (using other manure handling systems);
  • 25,000 laying hens (using other manure handling systems);
  • a human-made ditch or pipe carries manure or wastewater from the operation; or
  • poultry comes into contact with surface water running through the area where they’re confined.

Designated CAFO:

Regardless of size, any animal feeding operation can be designated a CAFO if the permitting authority finds that it is adding pollutants to surface waters.

All CAFOs must have permits, usually issued by the state environmental agency which, in most states, has the authority to manage CAFO programs and issue permits. A CAFO permit requires the producer to meet certain conditions for production (area where poultry are housed and manure stored) and land application (all land under producer’s control where manure is spread).

All poultry CAFOs must implement nutrient management plans that include, at a minimum, provisions for

  • assuring adequate manure storage capacity;
  • proper handling of dead animals and chemicals;
  • diverting clean water from the production area;
  • keeping animals out of surface water;
  • using site-specific conservation practices;
  • developing ways to test manure and soil;
  • assuring appropriate use of nutrients when manure is spread; and
  • keeping records of nutrient management practices.

Permit requirements for poultry CFOs:

All chicken and turkey CFOs must

  • implement a nutrient management plan;
  • submit annual reports to the permitting authority;
  • keep the permit current until the operation is completely closed and all manure is removed; and
  • keep records of nutrient management practices for at least five years.

Medium and designated chicken and turkey CAFOs may be subject to more requirements for the nutrient management plan.

Large chicken and turkey CFOs have more requirements for production and land application areas:

  • Production area
    • Must be designed to contain all the CAFO’s manure plus runoff from a large storm (25-year, 24-hour rainfall). Overflows are allowed only if operation is designed and operated to meet these specifications.
    • Depth markers must be installed in liquid manure storage structures.
    • The production area must be inspected weekly; all water lines daily.
    • All problems must be corrected as soon as possible.
    • Dead poultry must be properly handled.
  • Land application area
    • Manure must be applied at rates that meet permitting authority’s standards.
    • Manure must be analyzed for nutrient content at least once a year.
    • Soil from land application fields must be analyzed for phosphorus every five years.
    • Manure must not be applied to land within 100 feet of surface water.
    • Land application equipment must be inspected periodically for leaks.
  • Transferring manure to other persons
    • Records must be kept for at least five years on the date, recipient, amount, and nutrient content of the manure transferred.
    • Information about the nutrient content of the manure must be given to the recipient.

New large chicken CAFOs must design their production area to

  • completely contain all manure plus the runoff from all storms, or
  • contain manure and runoff from a very large storm.

Overflows are allowed if the operation is designed and operated to meet these specifications.

Some large chicken CAFOs may qualify for equivalent discharge allowances if they use innovative technologies like treating wastewater in the production area.

Contact information on permitting authorities and additional information are available on EPA’s website www.gov/npdes/afo/statecontacts and the CAFO phone line at (202) 564-0766.

References

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2002. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Clean Water Act Requirements. What are the federal requirements for chicken and turkey CAFOs? Information Series Pamphlet. EPA 833-F-02-008. Washington, DC.

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