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Home My WebLink About2017-06-14Agriculture Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Page 1 of 5 Agricultural Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Members Present: Evan Carpenter (Chair), Kim LaMotte, Steve Foote, Brian Magee, Jeremy Sherman and Doug Barton Liaisons Present: Craig Schutt, Conservation Board and Jason Leifer, Town Board Guests Present: Stephanie Beck, Russ Beck and Debbie Teeter, Cooperative Extension The meeting was called to order 7:45PM. Proposed resolution regarding CAFOs. D. Teeter indicated the resolution may have been prompted by the proposed reversal of the “Waters of the United States” which was part of the Clean Water Act. The problem is that the EPA had regulatory powers over navigable waters but now the water under the EPAs control has been expanded to waterways that collect water for a portion of the year. Farm Bureau fought that proposed regulation but under the Obama administration it was signed into law. President Trump has indicated he is going to reverse that rule. Why was it proposed in Ithaca? B. Magee said he attended a meeting where there was concern about the increase in phosphorus levels from farming enterprises. D. Teeter pointed out that there is no mention of the Cayuga Lake watershed TMDL in the resolution. C. Schutt feels this is part of a larger class action suit to open the CMPs (CAFO Management Plans ?) up to public comment. He feels that people reading them would not have the expertise necessary to understand. R Beck contacted the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA). The Ithaca resolution signs on to an existing lawsuit. It is his speculation that Ithaca was contacted to sign on to the lawsuit and there may be others that we don’t know about yet. The resolution was presented by Tee-Ann Hunter (Ithaca Town Board member) to the Town of Ithaca which approved a resolution. D. Teeter pointed out that it was presented as being good for the Lake but there was no opportunity to provide other input. R. Beck shared a letter from Jon Greenwood, NEDPA Chairman, addressed to the Ag Committee members. The resolution is based on inaccurate and biased information. J. Leifer questioned how the State could not adhere to the Federal Law. R. Beck said the CWA is a CAFO permit. The public has access to the planning in the permit process now. He distributed a fact sheet from the EPA and an email from Karl Czymmek from Cornell Dairy. Agriculture Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Page 2 of 5 Inaccuracies in resolution include: 1. There has been significant input from the public and environmental groups. 2. Comparisons are incorrect regarding waste production. Not only are they comparing cows to humans (apples to oranges) but they are also comparing pre- treated manure to post-treated human waste. J. Leifer pointed out that people in the city don’t understand what farms do, how they dispose of waste. 3. For the best use of cow manure (safe fertilizer for fields), a management plan similar to those used for human waste would not be effective. R. Beck pointed out that manure is the primary fertilizer for crops. If farmers don’t have manure, they will have to purchase fertilizer. Manure is not the issue – it is erosion that makes its way to the lake from open fields. More and more farmers are, like the Becks, injecting the manure directly into the soil preventing a lot of potential run-off. 4. Nutrient Management Plans are already available on-line. The entire CAFO Permit is available on-line which includes nutrient management plans. The public is given a 30 day comment period to consider the ANMP. 5. Manure Storage Structures – Anyone with a CAFO cannot spread on frozen ground so they must have storages. This resolution is not based on true environmental concerns. The State has design requirements for manure lagoons which require lining so the statement that lagoons are unlined is false. R. Beck said this comparison is mixed up, whether on purpose or not. He is not sure what they are really after and does this help or hinder? J. Leifer doesn’t see a need to sign onto this resolution. R. Beck said the reality is, if we are going to have farming, it needs to be competitive with other states or there will be no farms in New York. He agrees that manure cannot be flowing in road ditches, streams or into the lakes. D. Teeter pointed out that there was a farm spill but within a week Ithaca had a raw sewage spill (a million gallon) that went into lake. The farmer was crucified for a couple hundred gallons that might have gotten to the lake. The Sherman farm has a million gallon storage. R. Beck indicated that this is not a large farm issue - it is an all farm issue. Agriculture Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Page 3 of 5 K. LaMotte pointed out that if large farms are lost, the smaller farmers will suffer. The large farms help small farms by providing services and support. The Committee members unanimously moved to not support or sign on the amicus curiae brief. They encouraged the Town to support the already successful efforts of the town’s agricultural community in making environmental stewardship and related activities a priority. D. Barton offered the following resolution: WHEREAS, agriculture has been a constant and significant part of the history and economy of the Town of Dryden, with many farms being owned by families for several generations, and WHEREAS, farming in the Town of Dryden has traditionally been done with a goal of preserving, protecting and conserving the land and natural resources of the town and the farms work together toward this common goal; and WHEREAS, at the request of the Town Board, the Town of Dryden Agricultural Advisory Committee has reviewed and considered a resolution being considered by the City of Ithaca entitled “RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING (1) TO REQUEST AMICUS CURIAE STATUS IN THE MATTER OF RIVERKEEPER, INC.; CORTLAND-ONONDAGA FEDERATION OF KETTLE LAKE ASSOCIATIONS, INC.; SIERRA CLUB; THEORDORE GORDON FLYFISHERS, INC.; and WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE, INC., V. BASIL SEGGOS, in his capacity as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION; and (2) ENTERING INTO A RETAINER AGREEMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL” (the Resolution) and WHEREAS, the Agricultural Advisory Committee has also reviewed and considered the following documents: • Letter dated June 14, 2017, from Jon Greenwood, Chairman of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, Inc. to the Town of Dryden Agricultural Advisory Committee and Jason Leifer, Town Supervisor; • Email from Karl J. Czymmek, Senior Extension Associate at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Science to Russell Beck; • United States Environmental Protection Agency Sewage Sludge Use & Disposal Rule (40 CFR Part 503) Fact Sheet; and WHEREAS, any regulations that impact the largest farms have a trickle-down effect on the smaller farms; and WHEREAS, this Committee finds that the Town Board is being asked for a rushed consideration of the Resolution, the Resolution is not unbiased or truly Agriculture Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Page 4 of 5 environmentally concerned, is propaganda based, contains untrue statements, and does not make accurate and realistic comparisons; Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Town of Dryden Agricultural Advisory Committee asks the Town Board to support the already successful efforts of the Town’s agricultural community in making environmental stewardship and related activities a priority and urges the Town Board to take no action with respect to the proposed RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING (1) TO REQUEST AMICUS CURIAE STATUS IN THE MATTER OF RIVERKEEPER, INC.; CORTLAND-ONONDAGA FEDERATION OF KETTLE LAKE ASSOCIATIONS, INC.; SIERRA CLUB; THEORDORE GORDON FLYFISHERS, INC.; and WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE, INC., V. BASIL SEGGOS, in his capacity as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION; and (2) ENTERING INTO A RETAINER AGREEMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. K. LaMotte seconded the resolution which was unanimously approved. Agriculture and Farmland Protection Plan - Regarding the amount of fire tax paid for the McLean fire district, several members agreed the numbers seem low. D. Teeter reiterated that the numbers came from the Assessment office. - The conversation deviated and Ag Committee membership was discussed. It was agreed that the committee would like the membership increased to 7 members. - Prime soil definition –D. Teeter said the word chemical is part of the definition and should stay. - Critical Environmental Areas – References should be removed because the Town doesn’t currently have any CEAs. D. Teeter asked for pictures of agriculture. Before the plan is sent to Albany, it should be presented to the Town Board, the Planning Board and the public. July 20th to the Town Board. When the plan is ready, it can be distributed electronically and then announced that it will be presented at the Town Board if folks have questions. The Committee debated when to hold a farmer/landowner meeting. August 2nd at 9:00 A.M. for a presentation to farmers and landowners. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:05 P.M. Minutes were generated from audio recording of the meeting. Respectfully Submitted, Agriculture Advisory Committee June 14, 2017 Page 5 of 5 Erin A. Bieber Deputy Town Clerk