Pressure-irrigated dairy lagoon water at issue

By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press

Responding to a petition by the Idaho Rural Council, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture has agreed to begin the negotiated rulemaking process to consider changes in its Rules Governing Dairy Waste.

The agency will address whether pathogen drift through air particles from dairy lagoon water, applied through pressurized irrigation, poses a health concern to humans or animals.

The first public meeting is set for Monday, Nov. 16.

"I think we need to at least explore whether or not that is a real, valid issue," said Marv Patten, chief of the ISDA Dairy Bureau.

While ISDA regulates land-applied manure for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium through dairymen's nutrient-management plans, the Idaho Rural Council contends the agency has no way of defining bio-aeresol discharges from irrigated wastewater.

"We know for a fact this pathogen drift is real. What we want to know is what is the risk from lagoon water," Rich Carlson, Idaho Rural Council's attorney, told Capital Press in an earlier interview.

Also in an earlier interview, Bob Naerebout, executive director of Idaho Dairymen's Association, said having negotiated rules on pathogen drift is premature and there is no scientific data that is driven from livestock.

He said dairymen are directing money to assist researchers in determining what pathogens are associated with the livestock industry and whether they pose a health threat. He added the Idaho Rural Council would gain credibility if it likewise contributed to funding studies.

"We're just asking questions at this point. We know there are pathogens in lagoon water," Carlson said.

Patten said just because someone says pathogen drift is a health issue doesn't make it true.

"But we need to take necessary steps to correct that if it is an issue," he said. " We need to at least entertain taking a look at it."

Staff writer Carol Ryan Dumas is based in Twin Falls, Idaho. E-mail: crdumas@capitalpress.com.

Public meeting

The first in a series of public meetings concerning a new rule for pathogen drift from irrigated dairy lagoon water will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at ISDA, 2270 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise.

For questions or to be added to the distribution list for this rulemaking, contact John Bilderback at 208-332-8541 or john.bilderback@agri.idaho.gov.