EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Enforcement
& Compliance Assurance
Washington, DC 20460
EPA 305-F-98-002
September 1998
www.epa.gov

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                                                          Ag Center
        FOCUS
              O  N
                                                                  He/ping Agriculture Comply with
                                                                  Environmental Requirements
                 EPA/US DA  Model  Compliance
                 Assistance  Projects
                 This fact sheet will tell you about some projects that are being jointly funded by the Ag Center
                 and USD A to enhance compliance with environmental requirements.  These projects will serve
                 as national models.
                Agencies cooperating to help
                agriculture comply with
                environmental regulations
                Land-grant universities in four states are
                exploring ways to help the agricultural
                community comply with environmental
                requirements. The projects are
                sponsored jointly by the U.S.
                Environmental Protection Agency
                (EPA) and the U.S. Department of
                Agriculture (USDA).


                Fourteen universities submitted
                proposals for funding offered through an
                interagency agreement between the
                National Agriculture Compliance
                Assistance Center (part of EPA's
                Agriculture and Ecosystems Division),
                and USDA's  Cooperative State
                Research, Education, and Extension  ,
                Service.
                                        Emphasis on education
                                        This cooperative effort emphasizes
                                        education as a way to increase
                                        compliance with environmental
                                        regulations affecting agriculture.


                                        Projects will develop programs
                                        and materials to meet identified
                                        needs
                                        The funded projects will:
                                        •   identify compliance assistance needs
                                           and find the best ways to meet
                                           them,
                                        •   develop and test compliance
                                           assistance materials directed to the
                                           agricultural community, and
                                        •   develop and test ways to evaluate
                                           and report on the effectiveness of
                                           compliance assistance programs.

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The funded projects
will serve as models
for die development of
similar programs
nationwide.
 The Ag Center
 welcomes comments
 on tiiis document and
 its ot/ier services.
University of Delaware
Guidebook to regulations - This
project will develop a farmer's-almanac-
type guide book that will list and
describe EPA regulations affecting
agriculture and explain how small
farmers can comply.

Cornell University
Community involvement in water
quality - This project will identify the
major water-quality impacts of
agriculture in one watershed, assess local
perceptions of regulatory criteria, and
develop outreach materials that will
raise awareness of compliance
assistance. The watershed in the study
will include Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations (CAFOs) for which
EPA permits are required.

Kentucky State University
Help for small farmers - This project
will assess the educational needs of
Kentucky's small and minority farmers
concerning EPA issues and regulations.
It includes development of one-on-one •
Extension educational programs and a
handbook for small and minority
farmers.

 University of Missouri
 Air quality issues - This project
 concerns Missouri farmers and
 agribusinesses that must obtain state air
quality permits or exemptions. It will
develop a broad-based educational
program on air quality issues such as the
storage and handling of grain, fugitive
emissions, volatilization, burning, and
air-stream, opacity.  Also covered will be
uncontrolled air quality at animal
operations and safety issues associated
with air quality at agricultural
operations.


For more information
You can get more facts about
compliance by calling the Ag Center's
toll-free number. Materials can be sent
to you by fax or mail, or you can talk to
an Ag Center representative. For a list
of all publications available from the Ag
Center, request document number
 10001, "Ag Center Publications."


   National Agriculture Compliance
   Assistance Center
   901 N. 5th Street
   Kansas City,  KS 66101

   Toll-free:    1-888-663-2155
   Internet:    www.epa.gov/oeca/ag
   Fax:        913-551-7270

           United  States Environmental
  
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