State agencies are responsible for implementing laws passed by the Iowa General Assembly. The Department of Natural Resources writes rules to implement the laws. Expand the accordion for help finding specific sections of administrative rules or laws governing animal feeding operations.
The Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) includes all rules written by state agencies, including the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These rules are written to administer state laws. Rules for animal feeding operations are found in Chapter 65 of the Iowa Administrative Code under the Environmental Protection Commission [567] listing.
- 567 IAC Chapter 65 - effective June 19, 2024.
- 65.1 (2) Incorporation by reference. Documents are available directly below in the tab named "Adopted by Reference Documents".
- A cross reference document is provided as guidance for where the old rule citation was and where it is in the effective June 19, 2024 version.
Note: The documents below are incorporated into Chapter 65 by reference and shall not be changed unless it is reviewed through the formal rulemaking process.
65.1(2) Incorporation by reference. The text of the following incorporated materials is not included in this chapter. The materials are provided on the department’s website at the following link https://iowadnr.gov/afo/rules. The materials listed below are hereby made a part of this chapter. For material subject to change, only the specific version specified in this subrule is incorporated. Any amendment or revision to a reference document is not incorporated until this subrule has been amended to specify the new version.
a. “Act” means the federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act as defined by 40 CFR 403.3 as amended through July 19, 2023;
b. “AFO Siting Atlas” means an online mapping tool to assist in determining compliance of potential building sites to meet regulatory requirements. The AFO Siting Atlas is located on the department’s website, and the regulatory layers are effective as of June 19, 2024. Any changes to the regulatory layers of the AFO Siting Atlas shall be done through rulemaking. Regulatory layers include: karst, 100-year floodplains of a major water source, and sinkholes;
c. “CFR” or “Code of Federal Regulations” means the federal administrative rules adopted by the United States as amended through July 19, 2023;
d. County Parks and Recreation Areas listed in Iowa’s County Conservation System Guide to Outdoor Adventure (pdf file) - effective date June 19, 2024;
e. Parks in Iowa under the federal jurisdiction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers listed on the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ website (pdf file) - effective date June 19, 2024;
f. Designated Wetlands in Iowa - effective date August 23, 2006;
g. Emergency spill line telephone number is 515-725-8694 - effective date January 1, 2023;
h. Appendix A: Open Feedlot effluent control alternatives for open feedlot operations (pdf file) - effective date December 14, 2016;
i. Appendix B: Master Matrix (pdf file) - effective date March 1, 2003;
j. Appendix C: Design specifications – formed manure storage structures (pdf file) - effective date March 24, 2004;
k. Table 1: Major Water Sources – Rivers and Streams (pdf file) - effective date December 14, 2016;
l. Table 2: Major Water Sources – Lakes (pdf file) - effective date December 14, 2016;
m. Table 3: Annual pounds of nitrogen per space of capacity (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
n. Table 4: Crop nitrogen usage rate factors (pdf file) - effective date December 14, 2016;
o. Table 5: Manure production per space of capacity (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
p. Table 6: Required separation distances for confinement feeding operations construction on or after March 1, 2003-swine, sheep, horses, poultry, and beef and dairy cattle (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
q. Table 6a: Required separation distances for confinement feeding operations constructed on or after January 1, 1999, but prior to March 1, 2003-swine, sheep, horses and poultry (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
r. Table 6b: Required separation distances for confinement feeding operations constructed on or after January 1, 1999, but prior to March 1, 2003-beef and dairy cattle (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
s. Table 6c: Required separation distances for confinement feeding operations constructed prior to January 1, 1999-swine, sheep, horses and poultry (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
t. Table 6d: Required separation distances for confinement feeding operations constructed prior to January 1, 1999-beef and dairy cattle (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
u. Table 7: Required separation distances for open feedlot operations, stockpiles from open feedlot operations, stockpiles from dry manure confinement operations and stockpiles from dry bedded confinement operations - effective date September 15, 2010;
v. Table 8: Summary of credit for mechanical aeration (pdf file) - effective date September 15, 2010;
w. List of High-Quality Water Resources in 567 IAC 61 - effective date January 1, 2001;
x. NRCS Iowa Technical Note No.25 Iowa Phosphorus Index - publication date March 2024;
y. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication PM 1688, "A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa" (pdf file) - publication date February 2023;
z. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication PMR 1003, "Using Manure Nutrients for Crop Production" (pdf file) - publication date April 2023;
aa. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication AE 3550, "How to Sample Manure for Nutrient Analysis" (pdf file) - publication date January 2021;
bb. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication CROP 31-8, "Take a Good Soil Sample to Help Make Good Fertilization Decisions" (pdf file) - publication date December 2016;
cc. NRCS Iowa Technical Note No.29 Dominant Critical Area (pdf file) - publication date April 2024.
The Iowa Code includes all laws passed by the Iowa General Assembly. To find a specific section of Iowa Code relating to animal feeding operations:
- Iowa Code, select chapters for Title XI – Natural Resources (Ch 455 – 485). Applicable chapters include:
- Chapter 459 -- Animal Agriculture and Compliance Act
- Chapter 459A -- Animal Agriculture and Compliance Act for Open Feedlot Operations
- Chapter 459B -- Dry Bedded Confinement Feeding Operations
- Click on the rules, PDF or RTF tabs in the right-hand column under the appropriate chapter.
As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. This program includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) rule. In Iowa, EPA delegates enforcement of the NPDES program to the DNR. The DNR's NPDES section issues NPDES permits and stormwater permits to animal feeding operations and provides technical assistance to animal feeding operation owners and operators. The EPA rules and rule history are available on its CAFO website.