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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

O/T---Issue with neighboring farm.

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Brian in NY

08-14-2006 06:59:39




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I have a dairy farm right next door to me. Good neighbors for the most part, and we get along well. I have a problem though. There is a small creek that runs across both properties.
This has happened twice now....there is a milky horrible smelling runoff coming from his property down this creek and onto my property. Previously I just plowed shut the mouth of my end of the culvert and that stopped it for a while, but with heavy rains, it has opened up again.
I have half a mind to just not say anything and fill that culvert with cement, but I think that will just be a band aid.
I don't mind farm smells (even liquid manure doesn't bother me too much), but this is not a farm smell. I have two small children and am afraid of them going near this substance.
Suggestions on how to handle this would be apprecitated.
My plan is to go to the neighbor and tell him my concerns, but if he shrugs it off...who should I call next? I worry about getting the EPA out there and them finding something else wrong that will cost big $ to fix.

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Hal/WA

08-14-2006 22:54:56




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Whatever you do, be a good neighbor. Don't plug up the culvert--in the Spring that might cause a wash out that you might have to pay to fix.

I would tactfully talk to your neighbor and ask him if he knows what might be causing the unusual smells you have just noticed. He might not know anything about it, and maybe it is not because of his activities. Or maybe it will alert him to a problem he needs to address.

In my area, most of the dairies that were operating 30 years ago are gone. Part of the reason they quit was that there got to be more and more restrictions on their operations, and many of those restrictions pertained to runoff into streams. It did not make good business sense to spend the money to make the large changes to prevent the runoff, so at least some of the dairies quit having cows.

I bet your dairying neighbor will be very concerned about his operation polluting the stream, if in fact,it is. And I also would bet that he would appreciate your talking to him about the problem, rather than reporting the problem to some authority. That is always an option, but so often the bureaucrats are very high handed, and it might be very tough on your previously good neighbor. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who complained, and he might not be as friendly any more.

Good luck!

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GregCO

08-14-2006 14:42:21




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
I would sure try to find the source. Here we are not allowed to drain into any creek, stream, irrigation ditch and so on. We are also not allowed to let the waste leave our property and enter somebody else’s.

I would just talk to him and see if he is the source or if it is above him.

Sounds some of his milk may have found its way to the creek. Milk and the assorted cleaners that are used in a dairy operation can have a pretty funny small sometimes.

Greg F.

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Rick in Michigan

08-14-2006 12:15:16




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Then there is the possibility it is waste from a Meth Lab being disposed of. Maybe that is why it doesn"t smell like a farm smell.

Whatever you do, be careful.



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Jimmy King

08-14-2006 08:45:42




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
I do not know anything about N Y laws, but in MO the law states that no waste will leave your property.



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Jimmy King

08-14-2006 08:48:56




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Jimmy King, 08-14-2006 08:45:42  
It sounds like he has had a problem with his milk, in which case he has had to dump a tank of milk. Antiboitics or other.



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Don L C

08-14-2006 08:43:03




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Ask your neighbor if he has noticed the problem..... maybe its comming from above him....at least you wouldnt look like you are blamming him.....



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noncompos

08-14-2006 08:27:49




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
All the above sound good. If you know another dairyman in the area you might take a sample to him to see if it's something familiar. But the main reason for this post is interfering with the flow of the creek. I have no idea what the laws are in NY state, but here, if someone interferes with the flow of a natural watercourse they can be held legally liable for damages--if water backs up upstream, overflows or changes direction in any way that damages land or improvements, you could be in trouble. Likewise, if you alter or diminish the flow downstream. I would be very surprised if NY didn't have similar laws.My strong suggestion would be to avoid plugging the creek without some research into your state's laws. Good luck.

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cj3b_jeep

08-14-2006 08:11:33




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
I would definately talk to them about it. Also depends on if it's a family run farm or a large commercial farm. They may care, they may not care, but it's worth trying to handle at a low level if possible. They may not even know it's happening. I've found with a little over the fence diplomacy, my neighbors have been great.



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JMS/MN

08-14-2006 07:46:06




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Here's one possible scenario- Occasional, smelly, milk-like runoff. Could be an occasional dumping of his bulk tank after determining that the milk contained antibiotics and had to be dumped. Our milk house waste, wash water, etc. went into the liquid manure system, but many dump into a septic system. That much extra volume could overload the system and it might be excess flow going into the creek. Or he has no septic tank. First thing to do is talk to him and find out what the source is.

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Coloken

08-14-2006 07:19:07




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Talk to them. Ask what it is. I am against getting government agencies involved unless you have to, cause once there they could find many other things that you would not like to know about.



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Craig in MO

08-14-2006 07:15:02




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Brian in NY, 08-14-2006 06:59:39  
Nothing stopping you from taking a sample and having it analyzed. Probably would not send it through the county health dept though. They will start asking questions if there’s something real funky in it. Once you have this information you can make a more informed decision as to what you want or need to do. Just my .02 Good Luck

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TimS

08-14-2006 09:52:58




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 Re: O/T---Issue with neighboring farm. in reply to Craig in MO, 08-14-2006 07:15:02  
If you close the flow onto your property, does it have someplace else to go? That would be my choice, if you won't get in trouble for diverting a year round stream or something like that with the DNR.

Asking him if he noticed the problem to might let him know you don't like that stuff flowing onto your property...in a low key way.



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