Dec 3, 2013 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – With winter approaching, the Greene County Conservation District is reminding farmers and livestock owners about the importance of animal management in light of recent changes to Pennsylvania’s Chapter 102 regulations.

Nearly three years ago, in November 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection revised Chapter 102, the state’s regulations regarding erosion and sediment control and stormwater management.

The revisions require anyone conducting agricultural plowing or tilling activities, including no-till, or whose land contains animal heavy-use areas disturbing at least 5,000 square feet, to develop an agriculture erosion and sediment control plan.

This plan must cover all areas of the farming operation.

“An agriculture erosion and sediment control plan can be written by the farmer and should be updated if conditions on the operation change,” said Laurel Rush, agricultural technician for the Greene County Conservation District.

In some cases, an already existing conservation plan developed by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office, may be used as long as it meets the new requirements.

“Farmers keep a lot of information filed in their heads,” Rush said. “For many farms, this plan simply documents in writing the good practices they already have in place. For others, it helps them identify problem areas and properly address them.”

While this plan is not required to be submitted for a formal review, it must be available on the farm if requested by the DEP.

A Chapter 102 agriculture erosion and sediment control plan must include the following:

• A description of the plowing and tilling operations, including the crop rotation and identification of animal concentration areas on the operation

• A list and description of best management practices already installed on the operation that are reducing soil erosion

• An implementation schedule for planned best management practices

• Maps including topographic features, field and property boundaries, buildings and farm structures, animal concentration areas and best management practices locations and soils.

“Winter is the perfect time to think about how to manage animals,” Rush said. “This is the most sensitive time of the year, and when most problems are noticed. Now is the time to make decisions and put a plan in place. Good recordkeeping is an essential part of that.”

Other Chapter 102 changes include the following regulations: soil loss over the crop rotation must be limited to the tolerance level; agricultural plowing and tilling areas within 100 feet of a stream must maintain a minimum of 25 percent plant cover/crop residue, or include implementation of additional best management practices; and runoff from all animal heavy-use areas must avoid polluting any water bodies.

Since the new regulations went into effect, several common violations have been noted by the DEP, including not having either a written agriculture erosion and sediment control plan or manure management plan on site; failing to prevent manure or another pollutant from discharging into water; and not implementing best management practices related to both plans.

The conservation district can provide resources and assistance to anyone with questions about the new regulations, or who needs help writing an agriculture erosion and sediment control plan.

The conservation district also offers workshops on developing manure management plans.

“We stress voluntary compliance,” Rush said. “We are not a regulatory agency, but we can evaluate and help with plans, and meet with people in one-on-one sessions. The more complicated the operation, the more difficult it is to write the plan.”

Although the process may seem daunting at first, writing and implementing the plans is well worth the effort, especially when farmers realize the small problems they may have.

“In my experience developing these plans, it’s often very minor management changes that need made,” Rush said. “It’s not usually a huge wholesale change. It’s taking care of little things that make a big impact.”

For more information on the new Chapter 102 requirements, or for help with an agriculture erosion and sediment control plan or manure management plan, call Rush at 724-852-5278.