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Concentrated
Animal
Feeding
Operations
Glean, Itlatesi, Act
M/hat Are the Federal Requirements for
Chicken and Turkey CAFOs?
In December 2002, EPA revised the Clean Water
Act regulation for Concentrated Animal Feeding
Operations, or CAFOs. If you own or operate a
chicken or turkey CAFO, you must apply for a
permit. This pamphlet gives general information
about what your permitting authority might
require in your CAFO's permit.
Other Pamphlets in EPA's CAFO Clean Water
Act Requirements Information Series
Will My Operation Be Regulated?
EPA 833-F-02-006
What f\re the Federal Requirements for Swine CAFOs?
EPA 833-F-02-007
What Are the Federal Requirements for Dairy Cow and
Heifer CAFOs?
EPA 833-F-02-009
What Are the Federal Requirements for Beef Cattle and
Veal Calf CAFOs?
EPA833-F-02-0010
What Are the Federal Requirements for Horse and
Sheep CAFOs?
EPA 833-F-02-0011
What Are the Federal Requirements for Duck CAFOs?
EPA833-F-02-0012
What Are the Federal Record-Keeping and Reporting
Requirements?
EPA833-F-02-0013
How do I contact my permitting authority?
Visit www.epa.gov/npdes/afo/statecontacts for contact
information on your permitting authority.
Where can I get copies of these brochures and
more information?
Call the Office of Water Resource Center,
(202) 566-1729 to request copies of these pamphlets and
other documents. Call the CAFO Phone Line at
(202) 564-0766 with questions or visit the following EPA or
U5DA web sites.
EPA:
www.epa.gov/npdes/caforule
www.epa.gov/agriculture
USDA:
www.usda.gov
Photos courtesy of U5DA and U5EFA OECA
EPA 833-F-02-008
December 2002
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Is my chicken or turkey operation a CAFO?
Your operation is a CAFO if it is
an animal feeding operation
(AFO) and it meets one of the
following conditions
5ee the pamphlet
Will My Operation
Be Regulated? for
the definition of
an AFO.
Large CAFOs
Your chicken or turkey AFO is a Large CAFO if it has
at least
S 55,000 turkeys
•S 30,000 chickens (liquid manure handling systems)
•S 82,000 laying hens (other than liquid manure han-
dling systems)
•S 125,000 chickens except laying hens (other than
liquid manure handling systems)
Medium CAFOs
Your chicken or turkey AFO is a Medium CAFO if it has
at least
•S 16,500 turkeys
•S 9,000 chickens (liquid manure handling systems)
•S 25,000 laying hens (other than liquid manure han-
dling systems)
•S 37,500 chickens except laying hens (other than
liquid manure handling systems)
and
•S a man-made ditch or pipe carries manure or waste-
water from your operation or
•S your animals come into contact with surface water
running through the area where they're confined
Designated CAFOs
No matter what size your operation is, if it is an AFO, it
can be designated a CAFO. If your permitting authority
inspects your operation and finds that it's adding
pollutants to surface waters, your operation might need a
CAFO permit.
My operation is a CAFO. What do I have to do?
You must apply to your permitting authority for a permit.
Most states have the authority to manage CAFO programs
and issue permits. 5tate CAFO programs are based on the
revised national CAFO regulation. You can use this pamphlet
to help you learn about the minimum requirements for a
permit. You should contact your permitting authority to find
out what your state-specific requirements are and how to
apply for a permit. Check the insert to this pamphlet for
your permitting authority's contact information.
What will my operation's permit require?
Your CAFO permit will require you to meet certain
conditions for your production
and land application areas. The
specific requirements of your
permit will depend on whether
your operation is a Large,
Medium, or designated CAFO.
The production area
is the area where
your animals are
housed and manure
is stored.
Requirements for all chicken or turkey CAFOs
You can expect your permit to require you to
•S Implement a nutrient management plan
•S 5ubmit annual reports to your permitting authority
•S Keep your permit current until you completely close
your operation and remove all manure
•S Keep records of your nutrient management
practices for at least 5 years (5ee the pamphlet
What Are the Federal Record-Keeping and Reporting
Requirements?)
Nutrient management plans for all chicken and
turkey CAFOs must include provisions for
•S Assuring adequate manure storage capacity
•S Proper handling of dead animals and chemicals
•S Diverting clean water from the production area
•S Keeping animals out of surface water
•S Using site-specific
conservation practices
The land application
area includes all
the land under your
control where you
spread manure.
•S Developing ways to test
manure and soil
•S Assuring appropriate
use of nutrients when
you spread manure
•S Keeping records of your nutrient management practices
Your permitting authority might set more
requirements for any size CAFO.
Requirements for medium and designated chicken
or turkey CAFOs
Your permitting authority might set more requirements for
your nutrient management plan. These requirements will
depend on the permit writer's best professional judgment
and could be like the requirements for Large chicken or
turkey CAFOs.
Requirements for large chicken or turkey CAFOs
Nutrient management plans for Large chicken and turkey
CAFOs have more requirements for production and land
application areas.
Production area
•/ Design your production area to contain all of your
CAFO's manure plus the runoff from a 25-year,
24-hour rainfall event (large storms). (Overflows
from large storms are
allowed only if your
operation is designed
and operated to meet
these specifications.)
Install depth markers in
liquid manure storage
structures
Inspect your production
area weekly and all water
lines daily
Correct any problems you
find as soon as possible
Properly handle dead
animals
Land application area
•/ Apply manure at rates that meet your permitting
authority's standards
New Large chicken
CAFOs
Must design your
production area to
completely contain all
manure plus the runoff
from all storm events,
or to contain manure
and runoff from a very
large storm. (Overflows
are allowed if your
operation is designed
and operated to meet
these specifications.)
•S Analyze manure for
nutrient content at least
once a year
•S Analyze the soil from
your land application
fields for phosphorus
amounts every 5 years
•S Avoid applying manure to
any land within 100 feet
of surface water
•S From time to time, inspect your land application
equipment for leaks
Transferring manure to other persons
•S Keep records for at least 5 years on the date,
recipient, amount, and nutrient content of the
manure you transferred
•S Information about the nutrient content of your
manure must be given to the recipient
5ome Large chicken
CAFOs may qualify
for equivalent
discharge allowances.
If you use innovative
technologies, like
treating wastewater in
your production area,
ask your permitting
authority about your
options.
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