Info. Request--Animal Waste and Water Quality

David Henry (gaostl@crl.com)
Fri, 6 Jan 1995 09:41:02 -0800 (PST)

In order to assist in development of the 1995 farm bill, the
General Accounting Office (GAO) is providing the Congress with
information about animal agriculture's effects on water quality.
Our focus is animal wastes generated by beef, swine, dairy, and
poultry operations.

GAO's team on this project has been in contact with USDA and EPA
staff and representatives of producer, environmental, and
conservation organizations, but we would like to expand our scope
by asking for information from the Sustainable Agriculture
Network's members. Three project objectives on which we would like
your input follow.

(1) Water Quality Problems and Animal Agriculture:
Summarize available information on the extent of water quality
problems related to animal agriculture (beef, swine, dairy, and
poultry). Emphasis is on animal production facilities.

(2) Costs of Waste Management Facilities and Practices:
Summarize available cost estimates for the most commonly used
animal waste management facilities and practices.

(3) USDA Conservation Programs and Pollution Prevention:
Evaluate the extent to which USDA conservation programs address
pollution prevention in animal agriculture.

Information about relevant reports and analyses would be most
useful to us, but we also welcome your personal observations.
Please send responses to this request by January 20, 1995. Thank
you for your consideration.

Gary Brown
David Henry

U.S. General Accounting Office
Suite 210-Grand Central Building
1000 St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis, MO 63103
c/o Gary Brown

Phone: 314-241-2482
Fax: 314-241-9091

gaostl@crl.com