Agriculture Expansion Policy & Technical Assistance

With the increase in Dairy Facility Expansion it has become clear that there is a need for a policy approved by the Oconto County Land and Water Conservation Committee to direct the amount of involvement the Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD) will have with the prospective facility expansion. Requested technical support has been a free service provided by the LWCD. The reason for involvement by the LWCD is to avoid potential environmental resource problems with manure storage, barnyards and other animal housing facilities, nutrient management, drainage, polluted runoff and groundwater contamination from the new facility. Presently, the Oconto County Animal Waste Management Ordinance requires any landowner to secure a permit from the LWCD before commencing construction. The landowner has the right to contract a private consultant or engineer for planning, but plans must still be approved by the LWCD regardless of involvement.
Upon reviewing the past practice with the Land and Water Conservation Committee the following policy will guide the LWCD on facility expansion.

Upon Request:
- Inform landowner of all necessary permits required.
- Provide a topographic survey of the facility expansion.
- Provide soil investigation for manure storages, barnyards and reception pits.
- Site all manure storage structures, reception pits and barnyards.
- Provide estimated fill quantities for manure storages and buildings associated with expansion.
- Provide a full engineering plan of the manure storages, reception pits and barnyards.
- Provide available required materials for a nutrient management plan.
- Provide runoff management options.
- Provide available information for WPDES permit application.
- Provide available required materials for nutrient management plans.
- Provide runoff management options.
- Provide layout and construction check of all LWCD designed manure storage systems, reception pits and barnyards.
- Provide available information for WPDES permit application.

Some of the items the LWCD is not responsible for:
- Hiring or recommending contractors.
- Setting grades for buildings and structures not designed by the LWCD.