Concentrated

Animal

Feeding

Operations

What Are the Federal Requirements for 

Beef Cattle and Veal Calf CAFOs?

In December 2002, EPA revised the Clean Water 

Act regulation for Concentrated Animal Feeding 

Operations, or CAFOs. If you own or operate a 

beef cattle or veal calf CAFO, you must apply for 

a permit. This pamphlet gives general information 

about what your permitting authority might 

require in your CAFO’s permit. 

Clean Water Act Requirements

Information Series Pamphlet 

Penalty for Private Use $300Official BusinessWashington, DC 20460Environmental Protection Agency (4203)United States

Other Pamphlets in EPA’s CAFO Clean Water 

Act Requirements Information Series

Will My Operation Be Regulated?

EPA 833-F-02-006

What Are the Federal Requirements for Swine CAFOs?

EPA 833-F-02-007

What Are the Federal Requirements for Chicken and 

Turkey CAFOs?

EPA 833-F-02-008

What Are the Federal Requirements for Dairy Cow and 

Heifer CAFOs?

EPA 833-F-02-009

What Are the Federal Requirements for Horse and 

Sheep CAFOs?

EPA 833-F-02-0011

What Are the Federal Requirements for Duck CAFOs?

EPA 833-F-02-0012

What Are the Federal Record-Keeping and Reporting 

Requirements?

EPA 833-F-02-0013

How do I contact my permitting authority?

Visit www.epa.gov/npdes/afo/statecontacts for contact 

information on your permitting authority.

Where can I get copies of these brochures and 

more information?

Call the Office of Water Resource Center, 

(202) 566-1729 to request copies of these pamphlets and 

other documents. Call the CAFO Phone Line at 

(202) 564-0766 with questions or visit the following EPA or 

USDA web sites.

EPA:

www.epa.gov/npdes/caforule

www.epa.gov/agriculture

USDA:

www.usda.gov

Photos courtesy of USDA and USEPA OECA

EPA 833-F-02-0010

December 2002
Requirements for large beef cattle or veal calf CAFOs 

Nutrient management plans for large beef cattle or veal 

calf CAFOs have more requirements for production and 

land application areas.

Production area

ü Design your production area to contain all of your 

CAFO’s manure plus the runoff from a 25-year, 

24-hour rainfall event (large storms). (Overflows 

from large storms are 

allowed only if your 

operation is designed 

and operated to meet 

these specifications.)

ü Install depth markers in 

liquid manure storage 

structures

ü Inspect your production 

area weekly and all water 

lines daily

ü Correct any problems you 

find as soon as possible

ü Properly handle dead 

animals

Land application area

ü Apply manure at rates that meet your permitting 

authority’s standards

ü Analyze manure for 

nutrient content at least 

once a year

ü Analyze the soil from 

your land application 

fields for phosphorus 

amounts every 5 years

ü Avoid applying manure to 

any land within 100 feet 

of surface water

ü From time to time, inspect your land application 

equipment for leaks

Transferring manure to other persons

ü Keep records for at least 5 years on the date, 

recipient, amount, and nutrient content of the 

manure you transferred 

ü Information about the nutrient content of your 

manure must be given to the recipient 

Is my beef cattle or veal calf operation 

a CAFO? 

Your operation is a CAFO if it is 

an animal feeding operation 

(AFO) and it meets one of the 

following conditions

Large CAFOs

Your beef cattle or veal calf AFO is a Large CAFO if it 

has at least

ü 1,000 beef cattle

ü 1,000 veal calves

Medium CAFOs

Your beef cattle or veal calf AFO is a Medium CAFO if it 

has at least

ü 300 beef cattle

ü 300 veal calves

and

ü a man-made ditch or pipe carries manure or 

wastewater from your operation or

ü your animals come into contact with surface 

water running through the area where they’re 

confined

Designated CAFOs

No matter what size your operation is, if it is an AFO, it 

can be designated a CAFO. If your permitting authority 

inspects your operation and finds that it’s adding 

pollutants to surface waters, your operation might 

need a CAFO permit. 

My operation is a CAFO. What do I 

have to do? 

You must apply to your permitting authority for a 

permit. Most states have the authority to manage 

CAFO programs and issue permits. State CAFO 

programs are based on the revised national CAFO 

regulation. You can use this pamphlet to help you learn 

about the minimum requirements for a permit. You 

should contact your permitting authority to find out 

what your state-specific requirements are and how to 

apply for a permit. Check the insert to this pamphlet 

for your permitting authority’s contact information.

What will my operation’s permit require? 

Your CAFO permit will require you to meet certain 

conditions for your production 

and land application areas. The 

specific requirements of your 

permit will depend on whether 

your operation is a Large, 

Medium, or designated CAFO. 

Requirements for all beef cattle or veal calf CAFOs

You can expect your permit to require you to 

ü Implement a nutrient management plan

ü Submit annual reports to your permitting authority

ü Keep your permit current until you completely close 

your operation and remove all manure

ü Keep records of your nutrient management 

practices for at least 5 years (See the pamphlet What 

Are the Federal Record-Keeping and Reporting 

Requirements?)

Nutrient management plans for all beef cattle and 

veal calf CAFOs must include provisions for

ü Assuring adequate manure storage capacity

ü Proper handling of dead animals and chemicals

ü Diverting clean water from the production area

ü Keeping animals out of surface water

ü Using site-specific 

conservation practices

ü Developing ways to test 

manure and soil

ü Assuring appropriate 

use of nutrients when 

you spread manure

ü Keeping records of your nutrient management practices

Your permitting authority might set more requirements 

for any size CAFO. 

Requirements for Medium and designated beef cattle 

or veal calf CAFOs 

Your permitting authority might set more requirements for 

your nutrient management plan. These requirements will 

depend on the permit writer’s best professional judgement 

and could be like the requirements for Large beef cattle or 

veal calf CAFOs. 

The production area

is the area where 

your animals are 

housed and manure 

is stored.

Some Large beef cattle 

or veal calf CAFOs may 

qualify for equivalent 

discharge allowances. 

If you use innovative 

technologies, like 

treating wastewater in 

your production area, 

ask your permitting 

authority about your 

options.

The land application

area includes all 

the land under your 

control where you 

spread manure.

See the pamphlet 

Will My Operation 

Be Regulated? for 

the definition of 

an AFO.

New Large Veal Calf 

CAFOs

Must design your 

production area to 

completely contain all 

manure plus the runoff 

from all storm events, 

or to contain manure 

and runoff from a very 

large storm. (Overflows 

are allowed if your 

operation is designed 

and operated to meet 

these specifications.)