How Dusty Am I?

When farmers hear of the proposed regulation, no doubt they wonder where they stand with regard to the new standard. Are they already generating dust at a level that exceeds the standard? Or, do they have nothing to worry about? Maybe they almost meet the new standard, but not quite.

How can they find out? The concentration of particulate in the ambient air leaving their farm is most likely determined in one of two ways:

1. The most direct approach is to use ambient air sampling equipment to measure the concentration of particulate leaving the farm. This ambient monitoring program must take into account variable wind conditions, and also variability of activity on the farm. Ultimately you want to prove that the ‘most dusty’ conditions still meet the ambient air quality standard.
2. The second approach may not be so obvious. It involves running air dispersion computer models. Necessary input data includes information about the property, wind conditions, level of activity on the farm and days with rainfall. Other parameters may also be required to represent real world conditions to the computer model. The computer model is run and generates a grid of anticipated high ambient concentrations.

Both of these methods will cost the farmer money, and I am not talking pocket change. Is this really a good idea?