ODA issues civil penalties for CAFO and water quality violations in 2014, Feb. 11

During 2014, the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Program had an average of 516 facilities registered to a CAFO Permit. Program staff conducted 757 inspections with facility operators. During 2014, the program documented and issued 29 Notices of Non Compliance/Plan of Corrections (NON/POCs), which equal four percent of the total inspections performed. Of the 29 NON/POCs issued, six resulted in the program issuing $5,348 of civil penalties. The civil penalties issued represent less than one percent of the total inspections conducted during 2014. Penalties issued along the Oregon Coast – The CAFO civil penalties include those issued for administrative permit violations: • Braun Dairy of Tillamook was issued a $600 civil penalty for violations related to CAFO license fees. • Braun Land and Cattle of Cloverdale was issued a $700 civil penalty and its heifer facility, also in Cloverdale, was issued a $600 civil penalty also for violations related to CAFO license fees. The civil penalties issued for administrative permit violations were approximately 67 percent of the total civil penalties issued. In addition, ODA’s Agriculture Water Quality Management Program logged 35 new water quality compliance complaints in 2014 and initiated 36 investigations based on staff observation or through the Strategic Implementation Area process. Program staff conducted 22 site visits to properties complaints were filed against and 27 site visits were ODA initiated. During 2014, the program issued 29 Letters of Compliance, 17 Water Quality Advisories, 17 Letters of Warning, 4 Notices of Non Compliance (NON), and 1 civil penalty. The NONs and civil penalty equal 8 percent of the investigations performed.