DES MOINES — The DNR has recently made information about livestock and poultry operations as easy as a mouse click.
The DNR’s updated animal feeding operations database is accessible online. The Internet format makes it easy to access information about more than 8,000 facilities the agency tracks.
“People can now search by owner’s name, the facility identification number, or geographically,” said Gene Tinker, coordinator of the DNR’s animal feeding operations program.
The database covers primarily those operations large enough to require approval for a construction permit. It also covers mid-size and larger operations that need a manure or nutrient management plan. While the database includes information on some of the smaller facilities in the state, not all small open feedlots or confinements are tracked in this system.
“This will make it easy for producers to check and make sure information about their facility is accurate,” Tinker said. “They can also look for the month their manure management plans are due and when the last original P-Index plan was submitted.”
A report function on the database allows people to search by watershed, county or region. “This information is great for planners and technical service providers,” he said. “It greatly improves their ability to estimate the density of animals in an area or to find a suitable site for a new facility.”
Find the database at https://programs.iowadnr.gov/animalfeedingoperations/. A help menu and user’s guide are also available.
Producers who find an error in the information about their facility should notify their regional DNR field office. The field office phone numbers are:
Northeast Iowa, Manchester, (563) 927-2640.
North Central Iowa, Mason City, (641) 424-4073.
Northwest Iowa, Spencer, (712) 262-4177.
Southwest Iowa, Atlantic, (712) 243-1934.
South Central Iowa, Des Moines, (515) 725-0268.
Southeast Iowa, Washington, (319) 653-2135.
