Manure storage facilities are used to store manure and other agricultural waste when conditions make field application challenging. Waste stored in these facilities include: manure, anything mixed with manure (e.g. bedding, soil, compost, feathers, hair, etc.), manure by-products (e.g. sand, separated solids, sludge, etc.), process wastewater (e.g. milkhouse waste, runoff from barnyards, feed leachate, etc.), and other agricultural wastes.
Types of storage facilities include stacking pads for solid manure, liquid manure storage facilities, transfer systems, digesters, composting facilities, and runoff collection systems for barnyards, manure storage or feed storage areas.
Manure storage and management requirements are addressed in the Dane County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 49: Agricultural Performance Standards and Manure Management. The goal of the ordinance is to protect human health and safety as well as surface and groundwater resources. See below for information on permits required for building, modifying, or closing a manure storage facility.
A Manure Storage Facility Permit covers construction, operation, and maintenance of a storage facility for 20 years, the designed life expectancy of the storage.
A Manure Storage Facility Permit is required prior to:
Tanks smaller than 1,000 gallons do not require a permit but are required to meet the standards detailed in the ordinance.
Land Conservation staff review Manure Storage Permits. Application steps are listed below:
Review (optional):
Complete the following items:
Submit an Application:
Hard copies of permit applications can be sent to Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, c/o Land Conservation Division, 5201 Fen Oak Drive, Room 208, Madison WI 53718. Digital submittals of permit applications can be uploaded to the LCD File Transfer Site.
Application Fee Payment:
Application fees can be found on the Agricultural Permit Fees webpage. Checks should be made out to Dane County Treasurer and mailed to our office. If you wish to pay electronically, please email landcon@danecounty.gov to request an invoice and include the name of your project or permit application and your email address.
Next Steps:
After receiving your completed permit application and supporting documents, the department will review and issue a decision regarding the application within 30 days. Be aware that other permits may also be required such as local building permits, construction site erosion control permits, and stormwater management permits.
Engineering and construction plans must be certified by a professional engineer or engineering practitioner, including:
Engineering professionals and practitioners can assist with:
Staff can also assist landowners with the bidding process to review proposed construction costs and hire contractors. A list of engineers, practitioners, and contractors who typically work in Dane County is available on our Service Provider Registries webpage.
The facility must be operated and maintained in accordance with the operation and maintenance plan through the permit term (20 years).
If modifications or repairs are needed during the permit term, a new application should be submitted for review and approval. In most cases, the modifications can be covered under the existing permit; however, there may be situations where modifications to the permit will be required.
At the end of the permit term (20 years):
A Manure Storage Facility Closure Permit is required when a manure storage facility is no longer used to ensure it is closed properly.
A Manure Storage Facility Closure Permit is required when a manure storage facility is no longer used to ensure it is closed properly.
Land Conservation staff review Manure Storage Permits. Application steps are listed below:
Review (optional):
Complete the following items:
All plans must be certified by a professional engineer or engineering practitioner (see Hiring Consultants and Contractors section above).
Submitting an Application
Hard copies of permit applications can be sent to Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, c/o Land Conservation Division, 5201 Fen Oak Drive, Room 208, Madison WI 53718. Digital submittals of permit applications can be uploaded to the LCD File Transfer Site.
Application Fee Payment
Application fees can be found on the Agricultural Permit Fees webpage. Checks should be made out to Dane County Treasurer and mailed to our office. If you wish to pay electronically, please email landcon@danecounty.gov to request an invoice and include the name of your project or permit application and your email address.
Next Steps:
After receiving your completed permit application and supporting documents, the department will review and issue a decision regarding the application within 30 days. Be aware that other permits may also be required such as local building permits, construction site erosion control permits, and stormwater management permits.
A Certificate of Use is an authorization that allows a landowner or producer to use an unpermitted manure storage facility (any facility constructed prior to July 1, 2019) or to continue to use a permitted manure storage facility with an expired permit. The certificate ensures the storage is being operated and maintained in accordance with the performance standards and prohibitions.
A Certificate of Use allows the landowner or operator to use the facility to store and utilize manure, process wastewater and other agricultural wastes in accordance with the following requirements:
Land Conservation staff review Manure Storage Certificates of Use. Application steps are listed below:
Review (optional):
Complete the following items:
Submitting a Physical Application
Hard copies of permit applications can be sent to Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, c/o Land Conservation Division, 5201 Fen Oak Drive, Room 208, Madison WI 53718. Digital submittals of permit applications can be uploaded to the LCD File Transfer Site.
Application Fee Payment
Application fees can be found on the Agricultural Permit Fees webpage. Checks should be made out to Dane County Treasurer and mailed to our office. If you wish to pay electronically, please email landcon@danecounty.gov to request an invoice and include the name of your project or permit application and your email address.
Next Steps:
After receiving your completed permit application and supporting documents, the department will review and issue a decision regarding the application within 30 days. Be aware that other permits may also be required such as local building permits, construction site erosion control permits, and stormwater management permits.
For any questions regarding nutrient management plans, please feel free to reach out to Dane County staff. To find the staff contact in your area, view the Staff Contact Map. If you can’t tell who your staff contact should be, please email Land Conservation Division landcon@danecounty.gov or call the office (608) 224-3730.
