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Take Action: Protect Iowa waterways from manure pollution
Senate Study Bill 2371 (successor to SSB 3152) would allow feedlot operators to apply manure according to potentially inaccurate, improperly calculated nutrient management plans (NMPs). It creates a large loophole and incentive for livestock operations to wait to file an NMP until their manure storage basin is almost full, risking water quality violations. While most feedlot operators will submit an NMP in advance, this bill rewards bad actors and creates perverse incentives to delay filing an NMP. It could lead to more overapplication of manure as fertilizer on farm fields that may be ineligible to receive manure application under an NMP that is inaccurate and ultimately disapproved.
NMPs are the only mechanism Iowa DNR has to monitor how much manure is being applied as fertilizer and where it is being applied. While NMPs are not a good mechanism for enforcement, this bill would undermine them by creating an incentive for feedlot operators to only submit an NMP when there’s an emergency. Operators would actually reduce their regulatory risk by waiting to submit an NMP in an emergency situation, even if the NMP is deficient and ultimately disapproved.
SF 2371 is heading to the floor of the Senate. It is crucial to contact your state senator and ask them to oppose this bill.
Contact your Senator using the email form on the right. We highly encourage you to tailor the message based on your own opinions and personal experience. Form emails and voice messages are often dismissed by legislators. Personalized messages have a much greater impact!
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