Bark Filter Mound Treatment Technology to Treat Milking Facility Waste Water

Dairy farmers with small herds, less than 200 cows, face challenges in managing impacted milking center waste water.  Often large liquid waste storage facilities are not available and expensive engineered treatment systems are not economically feasible.  Yet improper discharge of impacted water may result in health risks and environmental harm.  Even one nuisance complaint or one documented discharge can result in economic hardships significant enough to shut down the farm.  Effective and economical technologies need to be demonstrated. 

Objectives

Milking center waste water treatment technologies suited for small to medium sized farms are not available for cost sharing through the USDA NRCS-Michigan EQIP.  Many emerging technologies have potential and of particular significance is the newly developed Michigan Bark Filter Mound.  A completed 3 year proof-of-concept research project on the Michigan bark filter mound was undertaken in partnership with the NRCS-Michigan, MDEQ, MSU, MSU-Extension, MDA, MPPA, Clinton County Conservation District, and the Michigan Land Improvement Contractors of America (work group).  The work group concluded that this system has good potential and a demonstration is warranted to enable the development of a NRCS standard.  This project proposes to demonstrate filter mound system to enable the development of a standard.