New member benefit provides
assistance on various farm specific issues.
Members of
Illinois Beef Association (IBA) now have a new membership benefit available - a consulting service, which will assist
with various issues that confront their farms.
IBA has
retained the services of Ted Funk, a licensed professional engineer and former
University of Illinois (U of I) agricultural engineering professor, to visit individual
farms by request of producer members. IBA will share in the cost of this
confidential professional service. Examples of assistance include:
- Identifying areas of the farm facility or manure handling system that might be out of compliance with environmental regulations or could potentially cause problems with water quality or odor concerns
- Basic review of the farm’s manure nutrient management plan to help identify parts that need to be updated or improved
- Assist producers in providing a response to a regulatory agency’s visit or written notice or help in preparation of an upcoming visit
- Suggest areas where the farm might begin or expand work with a Technical Service Provider or other consultant
“Beef
producers are committed to environmental responsibility in every aspect on our
farms,” said Alan Adams, a LaSalle County cattleman and current IBA president. “We take a number of
steps each day to ensure we are caring for our land, air and water. This new membership
benefit is providing cattlemen with risk aversion and management options from
an industry expert in a low-pressure atmosphere that will help producers continue
to further enhance the beef industry’s commitment to the environment.”
According to
Funk, there are a number of reasons why a producer might be contact due to
environmental risk factors, including: manure management, facility
construction, and livestock mortality. The biggest blind spot for beef
producers is open, outdoor lots with the need to control run-off.
“An outdoor
lot as a facility opens beef producers to regulatory risk,” Funk said. “Beef
producers don’t really go into the business to manage manure and as a facility
morphs over time it’s not uncommon to have the potential for run-off into a
ditch or stream. It can be a tough situation to handle, but with some forward
planning we can anticipate how to comply with regulations.”
Funk also
encourages producers get past the mindset that regulators are out to get them.
It’s important to look at one’s system objectively and plan to make changes and
if these changes are going to require extensive capital then there are
cost-share programs available to lessen the burden. And, oftentimes, when a
cattleman enters into an EQIP contract with the NRCS it will build credibility
with the EPA.
“I
thoroughly enjoy working with livestock producers,” Funk said. “I’ve been doing
farm visits all over the state as an Extension agricultural engineer for more
than thirty years; now that I’ve retired from the University of Illinois and
have more time to focus on this type of service, I am sure I can help our
Illinois beef producers gain confidence that they are doing the best possible
job of environmental stewardship.”
Interested producers should contact the IBA
directly to sign up for and schedule the service. For more information, contact
Reid Blossom at reid@illinoisbeef.com or 217-787-4280.
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