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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