Recent complaints about manure spraying

The state Department of Agriculture's most recent annual report said that overapplication of liquid manure to crop fields and poor record keeping continue to be a problem at many of the state's dairies. Overapplication is a possible source of nitrate contamination in groundwater.

Complaints about dairies are growing statewide. In 2007, the department responded to 45 complaints compared to 28 in 2006. Of the 45 complaints last year, 17 raised valid water-quality issues and resulted in six warning letters and 11 formal enforcement actions.

Here are the most recent Yakima County dairy problems as reported by the Agriculture Department.

Oord Dairy, Sunnyside

Owner/operator: Henry Oord.

Notice of violation issued April 2007.

Problem: A third-party manure hauler spilled 5,000 gallons of liquid manure on 100 acres, causing leakage through a drain into a canal belonging to the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District.

Action taken: The dairy agreed to remove manholes in the field, eliminating the potential for drainage into the canal.

A & C Sytsma Dairy, Sunnyside

Owner/operator: Andy Sytsma.

Warning issued May 2008.

Problem: Cropland has elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Inspector comments: The overapplication of manure is not acceptable. More of the manure needs to be taken off the farm to protect soil and groundwater.

Also: The Sytsmas lease their dairy land and want to build a new, 7,000-cow dairy on land they purchased on the Yakama reservation. Tribal leaders have banned new dairies, feedlots and expansions of existing operations.

Snipes Mountain Dairy, Outlook

Owner/operator: Henry Haak.

Notice of violation issued December 2005: Heavy application of manure to fields around lagoons, failure to report a discharge of manure into water returning to the Yakima River in 24 hours as required.

Follow-up letter of warning issued June 2007: Inspectors found evidence of (manure) overflowing at the southwest corner of a lagoon and a failure to update plans for handling manure. Threatened penalties of $10,000.

Result: By September 2008, Snipes Mountain had resolved most of its problems. "Great things are being accomplished," wrote Agriculture Department inspector Eric Bair.

Riverview Dairy, Mabton

Owner/operator: John Banks Jr.

Warning issued August 2007: Applying manure to ground that was not being farmed.

Inspector comment: "Further misapplications of manure to non cropland as required in your Livestock Nutrient Management Plan will result in more serious enforcement action."

Harrison Road Dairy, Sunnyside

Owner/operators: Frank Leyendekker, Josh VanDerVegt.

Warning issued January 2008: No approved or certified Livestock Nutrient Management Plan.

Inspector comment: "Upon review of the soil samples and manure application records, it was determined that manure has been overapplied to your fields."

View Point Dairy, Sunnyside

Owner/operator: Bill DeRuyter.

Warning letter issued January 2008: Inadequate record keeping, required annual manure tests not being conducted. Soils samples show elevated phosphorous levels on all fields.