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Corporate Office:
10538 Justin Drive
Urbandale, IA 50322
Phone (515) 278-8002
FAX (515) 278-8011
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| WHAT
IS OFAER? |
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| The On Farm Assessment and Environmental Review (OFAER) Program provides a free, confidential assessment of animal production operations throughout the United States. The program’s goal is to raise environmental awareness and stewardship in an effort to keep animal agriculture a self-regulated industry. The program helps give producers an edge regarding the public’s perception of their operation and offers cost savings by taking advantage of a third party's animal production and environmental stewardship knowledge. |
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| Detailed Description of OFAER |
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The onsite assessment team is accompanied at all times by the producer or a designated representative familiar with the production facility operations.
Standardized forms help the assessors conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of all production operations and manure management practices and also serves as a checklist to evaluate the operational conditions of the facility at the time of the assessment.
Practices and conditions assessed during the onsite visit are grouped into five major assessment categories including the general site conditions; buildings, sheds and lots; manure management; manure collection, storage and treatment; manure utilization and mortality management. Detailed evaluations in each of these five major assessment categories include:
- General appearance and location of operation
- Review of farm records (i.e. manure management plan, emergency action plan, etc.)
- Production area surface drainage and perimeter drains
- Sanitation and maintenance of buildings, pastures, sheds and lots (exterior and interior)
- Manure collection, transfer practices and equipment
- Outdoor manure storage structures/treatment lagoons storage design and operation/maintenance (i.e. runoff holding ponds, above or below ground manure storage tanks, earthen manure storage basins, slurry stores, dry manure storage areas, etc.)
- Manure utilization practices (land application, composting, contracting, etc.)
- Mortality disposal practices and structures
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. All Rights Reserved.