AFO Pre-Construction Requirements

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Permitted Projects

Pre-construction requirements for permitted projects, all confinement feeding operations that use unformed manure storage or operations with 1,000 animal units or more that use formed manure storage. A construction permit and manure management plan are required for new construction, modifications and expansions. Owners must apply for a construction permit at least 60 days prior to start of construction, and should plan for additional time (e.g. 18 to 120 days) to allow for mail delivery or appeal actions by the county. For permitting requirements, see the following items that are possibly needed to complete your application package:

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Non-Permitted Projects

Pre-construction requirements for non-permitted confinement feeding operations, proposed sites with an animal unit capacity greater than 500 but less than 1,000 animal units and that use formed manure storage.

A construction permit is not required, however, a Construction Design Statement (CDS) and a manure management plan, form 542-4000, must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the start of construction, even if a manure management plan has been filed before. Some construction requirements and design standards must be met. For specific requirements, see the following items that are possibly needed to receive your construction approval letter:

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Small AFO's

Pre-construction requirements for small animal feeding operation, or SAFO, confinement feeding operations with an animal unit capacity of 500 animal units or less and that use formed manure storage.

While construction permits and manure management plans are not required, the following pre-construction requirements apply:

  • Minimum Separation Distances for Confinements, form 542-1420, includes small animal feeding operations (SAFOs), see definition below.  
  • Designated Wetlands
  • Stormwater Plan
  • A one hundred year floodplain and karst determination must be done prior to the start of any construction. Refer to the DNR's AFO Siting Atlas.
  • An artificial ground water lowering system (drain tile) must be installed if a SAFO uses formed storage that is constructed below or partially below the ground. The only time a lowering system would not be required is if a professional engineer determines that the formed storage would be constructed above the seasonal high water table according to 567 IAC 65.108(6).  

For more information, check Proper Siting Requirements or contact your local DNR field office.

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Open Lots

Open feedlots, solids settling facilities, feed storage runoff control structures and Alternative Technology (AT) systems shall be separated from water wells as follows: for both public and private wells, 200 feet from shallow wells and 100 feet from deep wells.

Settled open feedlot effluent basins shall be separated from water wells as follows:

  • Public wells. 1,000 feet from shallow wells and 400 feet from deep wells;
  • Private wells. 400 feet from both shallow and deep wells.

These requirements apply to open feedlots that are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System or NPDES permit.

Contact your local DNR field office with any questions.

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Combined Operations

Livestock producers who have animals in both confinement (totally roofed) and open feedlot (partially roofed or unroofed) facilities face a somewhat more complex situation than producers who have only one type of housing. They may need a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit required by federal regulations if a discharge would be expected from the facility. A non-discharging open feedlot that is part of a combined operation will need to follow state regulations for open feedlots. The confinement portion of the operation will need to follow state regulations when operating or building a confinement facility. These combined facility situations can be confusing and complex, so producers are encouraged to contact their local DNR field office to ensure the correct requirements are being followed.

The following form provides additional information for livestock producers who need a permit for a combined operation.

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AFO Truck Wash

A New Animal Truck Wash Facility that plans on constructing a truck wash that will wash all single-unit trucks, truck-tractors, semi-trailers or trailers washed at the facility that are owned by multiple people or owned by the same person but planning on using more than an average of 2,000 gallons per day must submit a Truck wash construction permit application packet, form 542-0982. The application packet must contain the designs of the truck wash and a Nutrient Management plan (NMP), NMP form 542-2021.

An animal truck wash facility must obtain a construction permit prior to any of the following:

  1. Constructing or expanding an animal truck wash effluent structure.
  2. The department has previously issued the animal truck wash facility a construction permit and the volume of the animal truck wash effluent would be more than the volume approved by the department in the previous construction permit.
  3. The animal truck wash facility is part of a confinement feeding operation and all of the following apply:
    1. The department has issued a construction permit or an NPDES permit for the confinement feeding operation or a letter approving a construction design statement for the confinement feeding operation in lieu of a construction permit.
    2. The animal truck wash effluent will be added to an existing manure storage structure resulting in a total stored volume greater than that approved in the construction permit or the construction design statement approval letter.
  4. The animal truck wash facility is part of an open feedlot operation and all of the following apply:
    1. The department has issued a construction permit or an NPDES permit for an open feedlot operation.
    2. The animal truck wash effluent will be added to an existing settled open feedlot effluent basin resulting in a total stored volume greater than that approved in the construction permit or NPDES permit.
  5. An animal truck wash facility is constructed or expanded as part of a small animal feeding operation that includes a manure storage structure, the animal truck wash effluent will be added to the manure storage structure.
    1. The department has issued a construction permit or an NPDES permit for an open feedlot operation.
    2. The animal truck wash effluent will be added to an existing settled open feedlot effluent basin resulting in a total stored volume greater than that approved in the construction permit or NPDES permit.
  6. An animal truck wash facility is constructed or expanded as part of a small animal feeding operation that includes a manure storage structure, the animal truck wash effluent will be added to the manure storage structure.

Contact your local DNR field office with any questions.

Caution: This web page summarizes Iowa laws, including the DNR's administrative rules. While every effort is made to keep this page current and accurate, there are frequent changes to the laws governing animal feeding operations; the law will prevail in the event of a conflict between this web page and the law. We encourage users to consult Iowa Code Chapter 459 and 567 Iowa Administrative Code chapter 65 for current statutory provisions and administrative rules.

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