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Livestock Operation Study Committee , The BOCC joined with the Board of Health in desiring investigation and further study of the issue surrounding the development of intensive livestock operations in Orange County . The first meeting was held on April 5th . The representation of the committee was reviewed as Orange County Agriculture Districts Advisory Board , BOCC , Board of Health , CfE , Cooperative Extension , Farm Bureau , Animal Control , Environmental Health , Natural Resources Conservation Service , Planning Dept, Orange Dairy Heard Improvement Association , Soil and Water Conservation , Poultry and Livestock Farming Community representatives . One of the main concerns with ILO committee is hog farm lagoons . Three topics were discussed : l - Defining an ILO was discussed at length . Concluding with certain number of animals below which there are no requirements for permitting or inspections and , there are some guidelines such as 60 , 000 pounds steady state weight which is defined differently with poultry, cattle or other animal types , number of animals and method of waste disposal which determine intensive livestock operations . 2 - Subsidy of regulations in Orange County and , 3 -What rules currently exist . The first meeting was informational and to define what the group is going to do . There is an Orange County Animal Agricultural facts and trends document put together by the Agricultural Extension agents which found that there are only three hog operations in the county . One is free range , one has very small number of animals , and one is a contract farm where about 4000 hogs are raised for an outside agent . That farm is a fairly large operation and has lagoons . In 1980 there were thirteen swine producers in OC, in 2000 there are only three . Poultry operations in the county include operations where eggs are produced for contract with 5 operators in Orange County which have dry litter waste systems . The dry litter stays in the farmhouse for 11 months of a year followed with a shutdown , cleanup and field fertilizer broadcast operation once a year . Also there is one independent laying operation with approximately 60 , 000 birds which has a liquid waste system . There are no turkey farms in Orange County . The dairy farms history was reported that in 1966 there were 99 herds in Orange County — in 1999 there were 21 herds . The average size herd is 105 cows per operation . Dairy operations use holding pit waste systems , where the waste is collected in the pit with agitation and distribution during certain times of the year as field fertilizer . The pits can be earthen or concrete and below ground and are not operated as a lagoon . The findings concluded that there are no big hog operations in Orange County . The question raised was if there is any need for regulations . Cooperative Extension and farm representatives stated that large operations would not come into Orange County because of the expense of lands , and there are too many residential areas existing to ever build a large enough hog operation . Setback requirements and state siting regulations for large operations are in existence . DRAFT CFE 4/ 10/00 Minutes Page 2 of 6