This month’s On a Farm Near You… takes a different tack than previous month’s articles. Instead of looking at an innovative practice on a neighboring farm, we looking at what your nonfarm neighbors are saying.

Some of the things you do as a dairy farmer in upstate New York are suspected of being a threat to public health and safety or to environmental quality. Dairy manure management tops the list as a rural quality-of-life concern.

To confirm that, all you have to do is listen to your neighbors. That’s what I’ve done. I’ve taken notes on exactly what dairy farm neighbors are saying about manure management. Here are their words, what their opinions mean to you and your business, and how you might respond.

“The manure is a real threat to our town’s public health and safety.” (November 2007)
Implication: This neighbor is trying to raise anxieties about the effects of manure applications on cropland. Speculation about any eventual effects of manure spreading isn’t grounds for investigation or regulatory action. To be legitimate, a threat must stem from a specific instance or situation.
Your response: If you hear this kind of claim, recognize it as an overstatement. Ask for an example or instance where manure has actually threatened public health or safety.

“We’ve got flies now.” (February 2008)
Implication: It’s easy for neighbors to suspect that manure spreading leads to fly infestations. But research and practice have shown that manure spread according to a nutrient management plan is unlikely to attract flies. Moist organic matter must be available for several consecutive days for flies to complete their life cycle and become adults. Adult nuisance flies typically range over miles in rural areas.
Your response: If your farm is implicated as a source of flies, ask for samples of the nuisance flies. Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Northeast IPM program can determine whether the species of fly could be traced to a dairy farm or if non-dairy farms and composting operations are more likely sources.

“They (manure lagoons) are just big cesspools.” (March 2008)
Implication: By definition dairy manure lagoons aren’t cesspools. A cesspool is part of a private sewage treatment system for separating organic solids from liquids. We know the neighbor is trying to link lagoons to images of filth and disgust, usually to arouse as much negative emotion as possible.
Your response: You can disarm an emotional argument like this by stating your awareness and control. “I am responsible for the manure in that lagoon and have detailed plans and the proper equipment to prevent any problems.” This reminds neighbors that your farm team is capable of managing itself.

“There should be setbacks to keep the manure away from our homes.” (February 2008)
Implication: Setbacks are restricted areas meant to put space between one land use activity and another. They’re arbitrary, and the proper distance for a setback to reduce odors can’t be determined, nor would it generally make a difference in odor reduction.
Your response: If you hear neighbors talking about odor setbacks, let them know what you are doing to address odor concerns. You can also point out that legal distance restrictions for field applications or storage are often futile and pointless.

Today dairy farmers are being held to a higher standard than most are used to. As a dairy farm owner, your reputation for being hard-working and disciplined isn’t enough. You also must have a reputation for being proactive and responsive to environmental and public health concerns.

If you have a neighbor issue or are hearing more negative talk about dairy farming than you care to, stay tuned. This winter, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County will host a few workshops on addressing neighbor and community concerns. The programs are supported by the New York Farm Viability Institute. In the meantime, let me know what you are hearing from the neighbors near you. Together, we can help change the dialog as much as possible.
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