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by Joe Cornely

Mid-sized livestock farms have somewhat avoided the public relations and legal assaults waged by the activist community against larger animal operations. But that's changing, according to David White, OFBF's director of commodity relations. It's no longer just the larger-scale enterprises that are being accused of environmental or social wrongdoing. "Medium sized operations are the ones which are now under attack by the environmental and concerned citizens groups," according to White.

While Farm Bureau believes that the majority of the accusations against these farms are unfounded, White said, OFBF also believes these mid-sized operators need to make use of a valuable partner in protecting themselves. Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) are that partner.

In a letter sent to the chairman of Ohio's 88 SWCDs, OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher encouraged the districts to be diligent in making farmers aware of the valuable expertise available to them. "We must all work together, be proactive and reflect our personal, professional and industry-wide dedication to conserving natural resources and protecting the environment," Fisher said. "Such actions will not only benefit the environment, but social acceptance and economic viability of the livestock industry as well."

Specifically, OFBF has encouraged SWCDs to adopt and follow recommendations made by the Agriculture Pollution Abatement Advisory Committee of ODNR's Division of Soil and Water Conservation. For example, districts are legally required to investigate and verify written complaints. But the committee suggested that all SWCDs act upon legitimate verbal complaints as well. The districts are also encouraged to consider using a new standard operating procedure for handling complaints. OFBF hopes all SWCDs will adopt these practices so that district practices are consistent statewide. White noted that OFBF policy recognizes the need for all livestock farms to employ reasonable and practical measures to protect the environment. Cooperation between farmers and SWCDs can help achieve that goal.

White said the Soil and Water Districts are tremendous sources of technical information and knowledge. Taking advantage of that resource can pay-off. For example, should a farmer face a nuisance complaint by a disgruntled neighbor, the SWCD's expertise can be used to the farmer's advantage. "If the farmer is following a manure management plan approved by the SWCD, they have an affirmative defense against a nuisance complaint."

It's the SWCDs' highly useful expertise that OFBF wants smaller and mid-sized farmers to know about and use, especially in the face of growing complaints against all livestock farms. In his letter to the districts, Fisher made this point: "By making producers aware that there is valuable technical assistance available to help them develop solutions, SWCDs can provide Ohio's family livestock, dairy and poultry farmers with the tools to operate their individual farms with environmental assurance, confidence and security . . . we can accomplish a common objective – to promote sustainability through profitable and reasonable environmental solutions."