BARGERSVILLE, Ind. — Living 25 miles south of Indianapolis has its pluses and minuses. For Doug Abney, beef producer, it can mean suburban sprawl into a traditional farm community.

“I attended a zoning meeting about unlicensed dog kennels. It got ugly. I realized my 50 cows make more mess and noise than nine to 10 dogs, and I decided to get the highest certification I could get to stay above the law in case it ever happens to me,” Abney said last week.

In 3-4 months, he was able to complete his certification as a livestock producer with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). “It pushes you to understand the rules and to follow the rules. You have tests to demonstrate you understand the rules,” Abney explained.

The program is free and open to all livestock, poultry and aquaculture producers. The whole process can take anywhere from 24 hours to years, depending on the time producers put into it. To date, 109 farmers have been certified, with another 40 in progress.

Community relations was recently added to the workshop and has received great feedback, with many farmers asking for more information, said Kimmi Devaney, livestock program manager for ISDA. The component teaches farmers how to relate to the public.

It has great relevance to Abney’s business model, he said. Not only do his customers ask many questions about production, but his community will have a say in his future. “Our business model requires us to talk to people and stick our face into the public. We have to do public relations, and the certification training affirmed what we’re doing right.”

He plans to double his herd and, in the meantime, wants to stay in good standing with his neighbors. He sells direct to consumers through Red Barn Meats at various farmers’ markets in the area.

“People who buy from us want to know how we raise our animals, how we treat them. Most people who make money from animals give them good treatment,” Abney said. “The certification works as a marketing piece. It shows we want to do right, be good stewards of the land and be responsible livestock producers.”

He raises a heritage breed of cattle known for its quality meat, Belted Galloway, originally from Galloway in Scotland. These cattle were abandoned by Vikings for 300 years in a harsh climate, leading to a pure gene pool that is uniquely adapted to living on grass and forage, Abney explained.

He attended an ISDA workshop that covered environmental management, food safety, biosecurity, emergency plans and community relations. He was then required to complete online training in a quality assurance program for his industry and develop emergency and biosecurity plans.

One of the things he will change as a result is manure management. “I am setting up a rotational grazing facility. The cows will move every day so the manure won’t pile up and I can use it as fertilizer. It’s better than hauling with a tractor or manure spreader.

“The hardest part of it is changing how I’d been doing things for years,” Abney added. He developed an emergency plan and made maps of his farm, which were shared with the local fire department. The officials had to approve the plan and keep copies for use when needed.

“I was the first in my area to go to the fire department with a plan. They were very appreciative. They wish other businesses and people would do this, too,” Abney said. “When they get a call at night, they can’t see a well or other dangers.”

He knew who he’d call in case of an emergency and if he had to move his animals, but his family wouldn’t have known that information. Now, it’s written in a binder and shared with local officials.

His biosecurity plan will protect his animals from disease and other people. Procedures include how he will control traffic on his farm, whether visitors are required to wear plastic boots, a vaccination schedule for his animals, dead animal disposal and employee training. A licensed veterinarian reviewed his plans.

“This certification will benefit me in several ways. With the public, it’s a plus. The emergency plans are just common sense, but the program forced me to write them down,” Abney said. “This took several months of concentrated effort. The things I had to do weren’t hard, but took some time.”