spread according to best management practices
to reduce the chances of a breach in bio-security
of other agricultural enterprises
If this policy is not acceptable to the primary
breeder, we recommend the primary breeder pay the
difference in cost between commercial fertilizer and
litter to the farmers within the restricted area who are
incurring extra expense due to this policy.
4. LOOSE ANIMAL STANDARDS
AGRICULTURE
1. CAPTIVE CERVID PROGRAM
West Virginia Farm Bureau supports the
Captive Cervid Program, provided it is under
strict regulatory control with enforcement of
all program operations and there is no selfcertification by any current or future deer
farming operation.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture must
provide certified program staff and administrators to
carry out the Captive Cervid Program.
2. FORGING & FALSIFYING ANIMAL
HEALTH PAPERS
Farmers have often faced criminal charges
for animals getting loose outside of the farmer’s
knowledge or control. A clear set of standards and/
or legislation needs to be established which addresses
any civil or criminal liability relative to loose farm
animals, to ensure that farmers are protected from
criminal charges when animals escape confinement
(fences, buildings, etc.) through no fault of the owner.
West Virginia Farm Bureau supports the
development of loose animal standards through the
Livestock Care Standards Board and/or the West
Virginia Legislature.
5. NOTIFICATION OF HAZARDOUS
MATERIAL SPILL
In the event of a hazardous material spill by an
outside party, property owners/operators shall be
West Virginia Farm Bureau supports updating and notified immediately by the proper authorities (but no
modernizing the existing laws and fines in Chapter
longer than 24 hours) of the nature and magnitude of
19 of the West Virginia Code and adding laws and
the materials spilled. The landowner/operator should
penalties for forging or falsifying animal health
have input in the clean-up procedure. One agency
papers.
should be responsible to keep the landowner/operator
fully informed of all materials and progress of the
3. POULTRY LITTER
cleanup and recovery.
The landowner/operator should have the right
No commercial litter may be transported or spread
to discuss any concerns with ONE designated
within one (1) mile of a primary poultry stock breeder
representative who has the exclusive knowledge
site unless the litter meets all four of the following
and authority to make a lasting decision. WVFB
conditions:
recommends that the Department of Environmental
All litter shall be properly composted or dry
Protection (DEP) be the agency of contact.
stacked at least thirty (30) days
All litter shall be tested and certified by the
6. FOOD PRODUCTION AND GOOD
WVDA to be free of salmonella, mycoplasma
SCIENCE
and avian influenza prior to movement
All litter being transported off the premises of
West Virginia Farm Bureau recognizes the need
origin shall have a certification accompanying
for environmental protection, as well as the need
the load
to balance the dietary and economic needs of our
All litter used for soil amendments must be
citizens. Due to the urgency of needed remediation
∙
∙
∙
∙
8 West Virginia Farm Bureau News