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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Nov. 9, 1998
98-190
CONTACT: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157;
pager (360) 534-8590
Phil KauzLoric, Dairy Program Coordinator, (360) 407-6413
OLYMPIA - Dairy farmers in Washington are doing a good job complying with a new state law aimed at preventing dairy waste from polluting lakes and streams.
Nearly 99 percent of Washington state's 765 dairies have registered with the Department of Ecology (Ecology) as called for under a law adopted by the state legislature earlier this year.
The revisions to the state's dairy-waste management act required all licensed dairy producers to register with Ecology by Sept. 1, 1998. In an effort to get farmers registered for the first-ever registration, Ecology extended the deadline to Oct. 15. The registration process provides information about the number of farms, animals and overall data on how well dairies are managing waste.
"We are very pleased with the response from dairy farmers," said Megan White, Ecology's Water Quality Program manager. "We know this is a new requirement for dairy producers, but the registration information will really help as we work to ensure dairies are keeping manure out of streams, lakes and marine waters."
Dairy pollution is a serious problem. In Washington's streams with pollution problems, some agricultural practices, including dairies, account for 60 percent of the pollution. When animal manure and contaminated runoff get into surface and ground waters, it can make the water unhealthy for swimming, drinking and shellfish harvesting. Manure also degraded salmon habitat.
Eight operators did not register. As directed in the dairy-waste management law, Ecology issued penalties of $100 to every unregistered farm this month.
Ecology inspectors are now starting inspections of every dairy farm in the state. Under the new law, Ecology plans to inspect all of Washington's dairies by October 2000.
White said she expects the inspections to yield important returns in protecting water quality. Current estimates show that fewer than one-fifth of all Washington dairies adequately manage manure and contaminated runoff. The new law also requires all farms to have an approved and implemented plan to manage dairy waste by Dec. 31, 2003.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
