CAFO Permit Update
Provided by Michelle Chesnik
When everyone sent in their NOI (notice of intent) and your CAFO Fee, you also submitted your CNMP (Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan) and your NMP (nutrient management plan). We (growers) were advised that if nothing changed in your operation, then your CNMP would stay the same. Your NMP, how much litter you will generate over the next 3 years should be updated, and additional information requested such as watershed, etc. was filled out and submitted.
This information provided by MDE at that time was sadly incorrect. The CNMP’s for all the operation must be updated by incorporating the information that was sent in with the NOI as well as additional information on the TSP (Technical Service Provider) checklist, (attached into your CNMP). This must be done by a TSP. Only the TSP who originally did your plan can do an addendum to your existing plan and unfortunately, many of those folks are no longer writing plans.
AFO Resource Concerns Evaluation Worksheet
The Maryland Department of Agriculture under the guidance of David Mister and Soil Conservation will be writing
plans for growers at no cost. They have all our information and will contact growers by order of the date that their NOI and permit fee were received by MDE. This will be done as quickly and efficiently as they can, but will take time to complete. (If you want to complete the CNMP quickly, then you can pay a TSP to write one for you.) MDA will not do addendums only complete CNMP’ S. This will require a farm visit /inspection by MDA. Please be aware if you have not completed resource concerns from the 2014 permit, you may want to do them prior to this visit. Look at your practice and facility implementation schedule to see if anything was listed.
If you still need to update your NMP, that can be done by your local extension office.
The good news is that when you filled your NOCO (notice of continued operation) NOI (Notice of Intent to continue coverage) and paid the fee in 2019, then your coverage will be extended until your paperwork is completed. At this point and time, all we can do is be patient and grateful that MDA is helping, and best of all at no cost to us the growers!
If you receive a phone call or email from the MDA or MDE please respond promptly as they are trying to help complete your paperwork.
This article appears in the January 2021 issue of the Commercial Poultry News.