Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 600 - RULES REGARDING DISPOSAL OF CULL POTATO PILES › CULL POTATO DISPOSAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES › Section 001-600-7 - CULL POTATO ENSILING BMP

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
This BMP provides acceptable procedures for utilizing cull
					 potatoes as part of an ensiling mix, for animal feed.
Cold Weather Temporary Cull Potato Storage Criteria
					 (prior to being ensiled)
: Any temporary storage of cull potatoes,
					 between the dates of October 1 and the following March 1, must be in accordance
					 with the Cold Weather Temporary Cull Potato Storage BMP.
Warm Weather Temporary Cull Potato Storage Criteria
					 (prior to being ensiled)
: Any temporary storage of cull potatoes,
					 between the dates of March 1 and October 1 of the same year, must be in
					 accordance with the Warm Weather Temporary Cull Potato Storage BMP.
Cull Potato Ensiling Site Criteria
:
a. Cull Potato Ensiling Operations that are
				  not self contained (where leachate will be generated and discharged to the
				  soil) must be sited upon well drained, deep (40 inches or more to the seasonal
				  water table and bedrock), non-sandy soils. This criteria can be met by the
				  natural soil conditions or by modifying the site such as lowering the water
				  table or adding fill.
b. Cull
				  Potato Ensiling Operations that are self contained (where leachate will be
				  generated but will not be discharged to the soil) have no minimum soil
				  conditions for siting.
Cull Potato Ensiling Site Setback Criteria
:
					 Cull potato ensiling sites must be set back a minimum of 100 feet from
					 neighboring dwellings, property lines, wells, springs, water bodies, streams,
					 gullies, swales, ravines and downslope diversions (those not associated with
					 construction of the ensiling site).
Cull Potato Ensiling Site Slope Criteria
: Cull
					 potato ensiling sites shall be constructed on finished slopes which do not
					 exceed 6 percent.
Cull Potato Ensiling Site Covering Criteria
:
					 All cull potatoes which are in the process of being ensiled must immediately be
					 covered in a manner so as to prevent potato sprouting and the potential for
					 spreading of disease, as well as to facilitate the ensiling process. Acceptable
					 covering methods include, but are not limited to; a minimum of 6 inches of
					 sawdust, 12 inches of soil, or 6 mill black plastic polyethylene, all of which
					 must completely cover the potatoes being ensiled and must be secured and remain
					 in place.
Cull Potato Ensiling Mix and Procedure
					 Criteria
: In order to create ensilage to be used as an animal feed, a
					 bulking agent must be mixed with the cull potatoes. Refer to the University of
					 Maine Cooperative Extension, fact sheet " Feeding Potatoes to Livestock" for
					 bulking agents.
Cull Potato Ensiling Site Construction
					 Criteria
:
a. Cull Potato
				  Ensiling sites which are not self contained shall be constructed in accordance
				  with the Site Construction Criteria of the Controlled Long Term Cull Potato
				  Storage BMP.
b. Cull Potato
				  Ensiling Sites which are self contained (non discharge) have no minimum site
				  construction criteria.