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Weekly Update

August 29, 2008

Weekly Update is a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES), designed to bring you valuable information and helpful tips for compliance with the Waste Discharge Requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. Each week you will find features on compliance issues, regulatory changes or common questions, as well as workshop notices and introductions to the WUES Technicians. If you have missed any of our past issues, they can be found on our website at www.wuenvironmental.com.

 

Documentation & Export of Manure

By Jenny Mesenhimer As we move into fall and the time to start chopping corn is quickly approaching there are many aspects to the General Order we must remember. Solid manure export and application is one of them. Key factors to handling your solid manure is to remember that when you apply it or export it you have to track it. In order to do this we need to keep two things in mind. First, if the manure is staying on your property then you simply need to record the field that is being applied to, the quantity in tons or volume, and SAMPLE!!! Samples must be analyzed for nutrient content. If you record the volume in tons then a percent moisture test is also required at the lab, and if you record in cubic yards then a density test is required. If you’re unsure where to record this information just refer to your CDQAP binder tab 6  “Solids Manure Application Log”, this will give you all the required information for the record keeping of solid manure when it is being applied to one of your own fields.

A second situation that you may run into with solid manure is its exportation. Now keep in mind that this doesn’t mean exporting to a different field that you farm, this means a field that is managed by a different party at a different location! When you ship the manure you must fill out a manure tracking manifest, part of the General Order Attachment D. Just simply fill out the information requested and send the manure on its merry way!!! But first remember that you must take a sample from each hauling event. If you already have a recent analyses of the same type of manure for nutrient content you only have to sample for moisture, otherwise you must sample for nutrient content as well. So if you’re hauling manure for more than one day to the same location only one sample is required for each source. And as always please feel free to give your Environmental Technician a call!

 

Updated labor law information posted to WUD website - Updated information about labor law pertinent to California dairy operations has been posted to the Western United Dairymen website. The updated documents include the protocol for Social Security No-Match, the I-9 Immigration Compliance Protocol and rest and meal break informational posters in English and Spanish. The information is provided by the law firm of Saqui & Raimondo, which provides labor law services to WUD members and recently hosted labor law seminars in the Central Valley. The WUD labor web page can be accessed at http://www.westernuniteddairymen.com/html/about-labor.html Aug. 27, 2008

Cal Poly hosts dairy symposium Oct. 17-18 - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Dairy Science Department and Dairy Farm Advisory Team is hosting its first annual dairy producer symposium Oct. 17-18. “Creating the Future” will offer speakers on topics such as communicating with the media, consumers and government officials, the rapid growth of export markets and the potential benefits of micro filtration technology. The symposium opens Oct. 17 with a tour of the Cal Poly dairy and dairy processing center and concludes on Saturday with speakers at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The symposium’s purpose is to connect producers with Cal Poly’s dairy science program, launch a long-term funding campaign for Cal Poly’s dairy and provide parents and prospective students an opportunity to learn more about the college. Registration is $700 per dairy family or $100 per family with a sponsorship ticket provided by industry sponsors. Registration fee covers a Friday night hotel room at the Embassy Suites, Friday BBQ at Cal Poly, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday at the Embassy Suites. More information is available from Dr. Bruce Golden, chair of the Cal Poly Dairy Science Department at (805) 756-2560. Aug. 26, 2009 Cal Poly Notice

Legislators debate water bond that could include dam - Legislators debated, but didn't agree on, a water bond Tuesday that could build a new dam at Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River and help clean up contaminated groundwater in Tulare County and elsewhere. The Special Committee on Water focused primarily on a $9.8 billion bond co-authored by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, a proposal that represented a new formal effort by Assembly Democrats. "It's a work in progress," Caballero said, "but we've moved closer to a consensus product than has ever been achieved." Aug. 27, 2008 Visalia Times Delta

 

CALENDAR OF MONTHLY MONITORING ACTIVITIES

AUGUST

1st of the month

 Photograph Free Board in Ponds

Each month

 Visual inspection (production and waste storage areas; ponds)

Process wastewater application

 Visual inspections, volume, date

Solid Manure applications

 Volume/density OR weight/moisture

Manure Exports

 Measure volume/density OR weight/moisture (require lab analysis)

Harvest

 Yield, lab analysis

Irrigation event

 Volume, source, date

Tail water discharge

 Date, time, volume, duration, location, destination, field measurements

 & lab analysis if within 60 days of manure application.

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