By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Changes are coming to rules governing Indiana’s confined feeding operations, with the revisions possibly taking effect early next year, a Purdue University assistant professor of animal sciences said last week.
The state is updating its rules to accommodate revisions at the federal level, Tamilee Nennich said. Preliminary adoption of any rule changes could occur as soon as next month, with the changes possibly becoming official as early as January.

Nennich, who spoke April 12 at the Indiana Milk Quality Conference in Fort Wayne, outlined several potential changes producers might see under the new guidelines. Manure applications could be based on the soil’s phosphorous level, she said, adding she hopes to see a phase-in period if this change is approved.
“We could also see no or limited manure applications on frozen or snow-covered ground. There could also be greater setbacks for manure applications and for new storage facilities,” she explained.

Increased record-keeping may also be on the horizon, she noted.
Rules and regulations are important to help prevent nutrients from entering the environment, Nennich explained. Environmental concerns include nitrates in groundwater, bacteria in surface water and sediment and erosion control.
When talking about phosphorous found in surface water, Nennich noted that “fingers are pointed a lot at livestock operations.” In addition to water quality issues, producers should also be aware of air quality concerns such as dust, and ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions, she added.

When fingers are pointed toward the dairy industry, those involved in it need to stress the gains the industry has made to become greener, said Roger Cady, senior technical adviser with Elanco Animal Health. Since 1944, the U.S. dairy industry has reduced its total carbon footprint by 41 percent, he claimed.
“This is a great story and you need to tell it. We let others speak for us, but we really need to speak for ourselves. We need to be transparent and let people know what we’re doing is important,” he said.

Agriculture worldwide will be challenged to meet the food demands of 9 billion people by 2050, up from the 6.8 billion worldwide today. “Global food demand will increase 100 percent due to population and middle class growth,” Cady explained.

“Twenty percent will come from new farmland and 10 percent will come from more intensive cropping. That 70 percent shortfall requires safe, efficacious technology to increase productivity.”

The public is becoming more concerned about the health and welfare of farm animals, and agriculture is facing increased pressure to adopt changes to production processes, said Nicole Olynk, associate professor of agricultural economics at Purdue.

“Consumers are more interested in how we’re producing food, especially livestock. We’re literally talking about the pig, not the pork; the cow, not the milk,” she said.

While the situation isn’t unique to agriculture or food, it is a little bit different when farmers are talking about their own product, Olynk noted. “The (public’s) perception is the reality. We’ve done it to ourselves. We’ve framed a world we can’t produce in. We need to better understand what the consumer actually wants.”

Farmers and producers may help that perception by being good neighbors and building relationships with those who live near the farm, said John Nagle, livestock program manager with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
“You should dig your well before you’re thirsty, such as by snowplowing for your neighbors,” he pointed out. “Something as simple as holiday gift baskets and an ice cream social, where you invite neighbors, county commissioners, judges and the court clerk, are good ideas.”

Nagle recommended one should spend a little bit of money to avoid spending larger amounts if someone has an issue with how one runs their farm.
“Painting, planting flowers and bushes, mowing, using a weed eater – all show you will take care of your property,” he added. “And you should show respect to your neighbors as you would want them to show respect to you.”
While the cost to do some smaller things around the farm could be less than $2,000, attorney fees for a completely baseless lawsuit could be $5,000, and considerably higher if the lawsuit goes to court, Nagle said. Farmers should become involved in the agricultural community, such as participating in 4-H, FFA and Farm Bureau, and should use social media outlets to represent their farm and the industry in general, he noted.