The majority of Ohio's more than 70,000 farms have some type of livestock operation. Most do not require any type of permit for installation or operation. They are assisted on a voluntary request basis by a variety of agencies and businesses, whose purpose is to advise, provide technical and financial assistance, and to help prevent water quality problems.
Some of the sources of assistance include:
Ohio State University Extension - Provides information and education on all aspects of livestock production, facilities, feeding, genetics, environment and manure management. Assistance is available through local county offices from Agricultural Extension Agents or specialized teams of agents with additional training and expertise in specific areas of interest. These agents also have the resources of the OSU College of Agriculture, as well as the research information resources of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Please see page 12 for a list of OSU Extension publications.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - Administers conservation programs encompassing technical, research, educational, and financial assistance to land owners and users through the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation - Coordinates local Soil and Water Conservation District programs, develops new nutrient management programs and Agricultural Pollution Abatement programs to address critical targeted water quality concerns. Also administers the Pollution Abatement Cost Sharing Program for voluntary implementation of Agricultural Pollution Abatement practices.
Ohio Department of Agriculture - Administers programs to control diseases of livestock and poultry. Performs pathological and biological testing. Protects producers by administering laws to ensure financial responsibility of livestock dealers. Inspects dairy farms and processing facilities to ensure sanitation standards are met.
Ohio Department of Development - Provides assistance in confidential site evaluation and selection. Arranges meetings with community leaders to evaluate community support for livestock expansion projects.
Ohio EPA-Division of Surface Water - Provides information, education and assistance with the Ohio EPA regulatory activities associated with animal waste facilities. Uses information on water chemistry and fish and macroinvertebrate communities to identify water resource problems in Ohio. This enables the targeting of resources to address the identified causes of water quality impacts in affected watersheds. Ohio EPA offers programs and/or projects that assist in watershed planning, deliver technical and financial assistance at the local level to implement best management practices and assist with locally developed water quality monitoring activities. These activities are supported through funds obtained by Ohio EPA from Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act and the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund.