COLUMBUS, OH - Cost-sharing funds are being made available to storm-impacted livestock farmers in western Ohio which would provide up to $1,500 per farm for emergency livestock waste facility construction, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced today.
A total of $30,000 from state Agricultural Pollution Abatement Cost-share funds is being made available to livestock farmers in Auglaize, Darke, Logan, Mercer and Van Wert counties from the ODNR Division of Soil & Water Conservation.
Governor Bob Taft has declared states of emergency for the five counties.
A week of heavy rains and flooding has stressed many livestock manure storage facilities, causing some to exceed their designed capacity.
These funds will help farmers provide increased protection against the release of manure into local waterways as a result of recent record rainfalls, said David Hanselmann, chief of the ODNR Division of Soil & Water Conservation. We especially want to help farmers who have taken the time and effort to properly implement conservation management plans in dealing with this rare level of flooding.
The division will provide up to $1,500 per farm for excavation of temporary livestock manure storage where existing facilities are near or beyond capacity, or up to $1,000 for hauling liquid manure to treatment or storage facilities that are not threatened with flooding.
The division administers the states livestock waste pollution control program for small and medium-sized farms, and makes cost-share funds available to farmers to solve a variety of soil erosion and livestock waste situations that might otherwise cause pollution to rivers, streams and lakes. Farmers can apply for pollution abatement cost share funds at any time through their county soil and water conservation district.
Livestock producers in need of this assistance should contact the soil and water conservation district in which their operation is located:
Auglaize Soil and Water Conservation District (419) 738-4016
Darke Soil and Water Conservation District (937) 548-2410 or (937) 548-1715
Logan Soil and Water Conservation District (937) 593-2946
Mercer Soil and Water Conservation District (419) 586-3289 or (419) 586-2548
Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District (419) 238-9591