LARGE-SCALE ANIMAL FARMS IN LATVIA. Elita Kalniņa, Ilze Liepa Environmental Protection Club of Latvia VAK, Latvia

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1 LARGE-SCALE ANIMAL FARMS IN LATVIA Elita Kalniņa, Ilze Liepa Environmental Protection Club of Latvia VAK, Latvia

2 STATISTICAL DATA National livestock population PIGS Total number of pigs/country 355 thsd. Kept on IED (former IPPC) farms (total) There is no uniform data * With more than places for productive pigs over 30kg 261 thsd. With more than 750 places for sows There is no uniform data * Kept on farms with mixed production profile (places for more than for productive pigs over 30kg and 750 sows) Kept on organic farms There is no uniform data * Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms. * Enironmental State office lists the big farms, but pigs are mentioned only as thresholds. On the official website are published some Permissions, but there is no uniform format. Each permit data arranged differently. As well as all Permissions have been issued in different years as result there is no possibility to summerize correctly and unite data to use the 2012 situation.

3 STATISTICAL DATA Industrial animal farms NUMBER OF FARMS KEEPING PIGS Total number of all pig farms/country 14,7 thsd. Number of IED (former IPPC) farms* (total) 31 Number of farms with more than places for productive pigs over 30kg 13 Number of farms with more than 750 places for sows 3 Number of farms with mixed production profile (places for more than for productive pigs over 30kg and 750 sows) Number of organic farms/country 15 Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms.

4 STATISTICAL DATA MAP OF LARGE-SCALE ANIMAL FARMS

5 National livestock population CATTLE Total number of cows/country Kept on farms with more than 400 A.U. Kept on organic farms 165 thsd. Latvia dont have cattle farms with more than 400 A.U. which would be required for integrated pollution permit Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms. Industrial animal farms NUMBER OF FARMS KEEPING CATTLE Total number of all cattle farms/country Number of farms with more than 400A.U./country Number of organic farms/country 31,2 thsd. Latvia dont have cattle farms with more than 400A.U. which would be required for integrated pollution permit Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms.

6 National livestock population POULTRY Total number of poultry/country Kept on IED (former IPPC) farms Kept on organic farms 4911 thsd. Agricultural Data Centre register the farms and the number of animals geographically, but there is not possible to know how many animals are on the farm. Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms. Industrial animal farms NUMBER OF FARMS KEEPING POULTRY Total number of all poultry farms/country 2,7 thsd. Number of IED (former IPPC) farms/country 7 Number of organic farms/country Currently there is no uniform data for organic farms.

7 STATISTICAL DATA

8 STATISTICAL DATA National livestock population OTHER Total number of sheep/country Total number of goats/country Total number of horses/country Total number of fur-bearing animals/country 84 thsd. 13 thsd. 11 thsd. 257 thsd Total number of American mink/country No data Total number of foxes/country No data

9 STATISTICAL DATA Industrial animal farms NUMBER OF FARMS KEEPING OTHER SPECIES OF FARM ANIMALS Total number of sheep farms/country 4,4 thsd. Total number of goats farms/country 2,9 thsd. Total number of horses farms/country 5 thsd. Total number of fur-bearing animals farms/country (American mink, silver and blue fox) 0,7 thsd.

10 AMOUNTS OF PRODUCED NATURAL FERTILIZERS (ANNUALLY) Amount of solid manure produced annually in the country [Mg] Amount of liquid manure produced annually in the country [m 3 ] (solid+liquid manure) There is no special recordings for total nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. There are summary only for mineral fertilizers which are collected from private companies. These data would not be correct to use. AVERAGE NITROGEN (N) AND PHOSPHORUS (P) CONSUMPTION/YEAR/ARABLE LAND Average consumption of N [kg]/ha/year (including organic and inorganic fertilizers) No data Average consumption of P [kg]/ha/year No data ACREAGE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND Total agricultural land area in the country [ha] Acreage of agricultural land owned by IED (former IPPC) farms Is the database of IED (former IPPC) licenses publicly available in national language? There is no uniform data for this specific issue Yes. The database is available in national language to the public If yes, who keep such database on the national level? Environment State Bureau (

11 MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL FERTILIZERS National Rules For The Fertilization Plans Is there a requirement of fertilization plans on farmland? Yes For which farms are fertilization plans obligatory? Are these plans publicly available? What items must contain the fertilization plan? Is it necessary to perform the analysis of agricultural soils of the farm and manure produce on it to develop the fertilization plan? If yes - how is calculated the nitrogen and phosphorus content in soil and manure? What are the consequences for the farm owner, in case of absence of the fertilization plan? Which institution is responsible for the fertilization plans providing? For farms bigger than 20ha in NVZs No Number or denomination of field, area of field, crop, estimated yield, calculated amount of NPK, estimated fertilizers Yes - for soil The soil analysis are performed by State Plant Protectin Service. The content of NP in manure is laid down according to scientific research. Such farms are punished by State Plant Protection Service Ministry of Agriculture

12 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) One NVZ Zemgale region, part of Vidzeme region Total area of NVZ zone 8 160,5km2 The European Commission initiated legal action against the country for failing to guarantee that water pollution by nitrates is addressed effectively. Society can t participate in the NVZ areas designation process (it s not open, doesn t includes public consultation)? The record of this area isn t publicly available?

13 PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMING (IAF) SOCIAL (SOCIOECONOMIC) PROBLEMS Despite the fact that Latvian has many wild territories, the IAF is generally constructed close to residential areas, where there is a good local infrastructure. In cases where biogas is produced - such farms must be placed close to residential homes in order to avoid heat losses. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS Large farms are not only problem of Latvia, as well as small farmers don't want to install a manure storage facility, they count it as a big burden.

14 PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMING (IAF) LEGAL PROBLEMS The main problem is environmental legislation mismatching with agricultural legislation. For example ranch "Uzvaras Strauti" in Bauska region worked for several years without environmental permits. Effluents from this farm went to a local river without any treatment, and environmental authorities had been unable to close the farm. However, in the same time the ranch continued to receive agricultural support payments.

15 PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMING (IAF) LEGAL PROBLEMS Does anti-odour law exist (if yes - give brief description). In Latvia odors are control by statute, adopted in 2004th year. However, there is a lot of difficulties with the application. For example in Latvia are only 4 Measuring Instruments for odor detection, which are located in the big cities. People detecting smells of the areas have to wait two days until the twist is brought to the site

16 PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMING (IAF) LEGAL PROBLEMS Good examples of large-scale animal farms operations In 2010 the Company Ulbroka pigs complex received the award "Farmer of the Year". This fattening pig complex is located in Stopiņu region and grown pigs, including 1,000 sows. Company Ulbroka uses innovative and effective methods for grading pig farm pollution reduction. They have built a special air filters that attracts methane and ammonia, which reduce the negative impact on the climate.

17 LEGAL ISSUES Regulation on Cabinet of Ministers No.33 Regulation on the protection of waters and soil against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources ; Regulation of Cabinet of Ministers No.628 Special environmental requirements for carrying out the polluting activities in the animal farms ; Law On Buffer zones ; Law On protection zones ; Law On pollution.

18 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCTION AND CONTROL OF NUTRIENT RUN-OFF FROM INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMS IN THE BALTIC SEA CATCHMENT AREA (I) Set up clear requirements for all Industrial Animal Farms (<100 AU to fulfil same standards as Municipal Wastewater Treatment (<90 95% BOD- and phosphorus removal, <50% the nitrogen removal) via wastewater treatment or corresponding measures. Fertilization plans should be obligatory for all Industrial Animal Farms and publicly available as important environmental information. Implementation of odour air quality standard of European Committee of Standardization (BS NE 13725:2003 Air quality. Determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfaktometry) into EU-membercountries with focus on industrial farms.

19 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCTION AND CONTROL OF NUTRIENT RUN-OFF FROM INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL FARMS IN THE BALTIC SEA CATCHMENT AREA (II) Regular updating of European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER) related to industrial farms. The register is an important and readily available source of environmental public information about industrial rearing-farms. Not allow for industrial animal farms in Natura 2000 areas and remove existing industrial animal farms from such areas. Create interoperable unified database between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

20 OTHER QUESTIONS?

21 THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION! Elita Kalniņa, Ilze Liepa Environmental Protection Club of Latvia VAK, Latvia