Animal Waste Disposal Laws in Arkansas: What Livestock Owners Must Know
October 9, 2026
Bury a dead cow anywhere you like in Arkansas and you could be looking at a misdemeanor charge. State rules on animal waste disposal laws in Arkansas spell out exactly how far a carcass burial site must sit from a well, how hot a compost pile needs to run, and which agency signs off on your manure management plan before you ever spread litter on a field.
If you raise cattle, hogs, poultry, or any other livestock in the state, you’re already operating inside this framework whether you’ve read the rules or not. This breakdown walks through what you’re required to do with dead animals, manure, and wastewater, who enforces those requirements, and what happens if an inspector finds a violation.
What Arkansas Requires for Livestock Waste and Dead-Animal Disposal
Arkansas splits animal waste regulation into two separate tracks. Dead-animal disposal falls under the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, while manure and liquid waste from confined operations fall under a mix of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Division of Environmental Quality. Under state law, all large animal carcasses and all parts of large animal carcasses shall be disposed of in a manner prescribed by rules of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, and no large animal carcass shall be buried or otherwise disposed of in any landfill operated under a permit issued by the Division of Environmental Quality without prior approval.
The Arkansas Code also addresses producers who run operations across multiple properties: if a person or entity conducts a farming activity at more than one location, it shall not be necessary for such person or entity to have a disposal ditch or facility at each location unless specified by the State Veterinarian. If you’re already tracking herd identification for other compliance reasons, the rules covered in our livestock microchipping laws in Arkansas guide dovetail with these disposal obligations, since proving ownership matters when a carcass turns up on someone else’s property.
Pro Tip: Keep a written log of how and when you disposed of each dead animal. If a neighbor complains or a well tests positive for contamination nearby, documentation showing you followed an approved method protects you from a misdemeanor citation.
Manure Storage, Stockpiling, and Land-Application Rules in Arkansas
Manure handling rules changed hands recently. The Liquid Animal Waste Management System (LAWMS) Program was transferred from the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture through Act 824 of 2023. The rule applies to the operation of swine, poultry, or dairy farms or other confined animal operations using liquid animal waste management systems, though it is not applicable to commercial waste hauling or commercial land application companies.
Once you’re operating under a permit, the rules are strict about where that waste ends up. The operator of a confined animal operation constructed and operated as authorized by permit shall not allow or cause a point source discharge from any part of the liquid animal manure management system. Before you can spread manure on a field, you also need to prove you control that ground: waste management plans must be signed and approved by an NRCS area engineer, an Arkansas registered professional engineer, or an Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation District water quality technician, and proof of ownership or control of the land must be submitted to the department.
Land-application timing matters as much as location. The plan must address the timing of land application of wastes with respect to the nutrient uptake cycle of the vegetation found on the application site, and once approved, the facility waste management plan shall be reviewed annually by the operator. If you’re adding new poultry houses on land that’s also zoned for other agricultural use, it’s worth reviewing our kennel zoning laws in Arkansas article, since local zoning and state waste permitting often intersect on the same property.
| Requirement | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Waste management plan approval | Signed by an NRCS engineer, registered Arkansas engineer, or Soil and Water Conservation District technician |
| Land ownership proof | Deed or lease agreement submitted before land-application sites are approved |
| Annual plan review | Operator reviews the plan yearly; updates required after significant changes |
| Point source discharge | Prohibited from any part of the liquid manure management system |
For the full text of the current program, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s LAWMS page lays out permitting steps, and the Division of Environmental Quality’s animal waste disposal page covers the notification process to the Arkansas Department of Health.
How You Must Dispose of Dead Livestock Carcasses in Arkansas
Arkansas recognizes several approved disposal methods for dead livestock: rendering, burial, extrusion, cooking for swine feed, composting and incineration. Each comes with its own technical requirements, and most producers end up choosing between burial, composting, and incineration since rendering pickup for large animals is hard to arrange in the state.
Burial rules are specific. Carcasses may be buried at a site at least 100 yards away from a well and in a place where a stream cannot be contaminated, may be covered with lime to control odors, and must be covered with at least 2 feet of soil. You cannot use a landfill instead, because carcasses are not to be buried in a landfill without prior approval of the State Animal Health Official or Director of the Livestock and Poultry Commission. That said, some sanitary landfills do accept carcasses: sanitary landfills, which are designed and operated to prevent leaching into ground or surface water, are permitted to accept dead animals, although it may not be the policy of the landfill operator to take them.
Anthrax deaths trigger a different protocol entirely, since the disease is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax carcasses should be sited as far as possible, at least 100 yards, from a well or water source and disposed of by incineration, with the burn site acidified and then buried under 2 feet of soil.
Composting is the most common route for producers without rendering or incineration access, and the process is tightly defined. The composting process must be managed at all times to be practically odorless, prevent fly larvae development, prevent animal depredation, and stop leaching that could contaminate water or soil. The carcass must be reduced to brittle, easily broken bone, and a minimal temperature of 130°F with a maintenance temperature of at least 110°F must be reached so the finished product is pathogen-free. Compost bins have their own physical standards, too: carcasses are to be placed on at least a 12-inch thick base pad of compost material and cannot be placed within 8 inches of the sides, front, or rear of the bin.
If you choose incineration or open burning, the standard is simple but strict: Arkansas allows for the incineration or open burning of animal carcasses, as long as the carcass is reduced to ash. Any carcass being moved off-site has its own transport rule, too: carcasses must be covered by a tarp or other materials when transported.
| Method | Key Requirement |
|---|---|
| Burial | 100 yards from a well, 2 feet of soil cover, no landfill without prior approval |
| Composting | 130°F peak / 110°F maintenance temperature, odorless, leach-proof |
| Incineration | Carcass fully reduced to ash |
| Rendering | Sealed vehicle with no drainage during transport |
| Anthrax cases | Incineration at 100+ yards from water, burn site acidified and buried |
Poultry carcasses follow a nearly identical structure under a separate regulation, and small flock owners aren’t exempt just because they’re not running a commercial operation. If you keep hens or other backyard poultry, our backyard chicken laws in Arkansas page covers how these carcass rules intersect with residential flock ownership. What if you find a dead animal on your property that isn’t yours, or a carcass turns up on a rural road? Arkansas addresses that scenario directly under its large animal and poultry carcass disposal regulation, and the same question comes up often enough in our roadkill laws in Arkansas and estray livestock laws in Arkansas guides to be worth cross-referencing if ownership is unclear.
Which Agency Regulates Manure and Carcass Disposal in Arkansas
No single agency handles every part of animal waste regulation in Arkansas. Instead, responsibility splits across several state and federal bodies depending on whether you’re dealing with a dead animal, liquid manure, or a permitted feeding operation.
| Agency | Primary Role |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission | Sets and enforces carcass disposal rules; follows up on improper disposal complaints |
| Arkansas Department of Agriculture | Administers the LAWMS liquid waste program (since 2023) |
| Division of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) | Issues CAFO discharge permits and animal waste disposal permits |
| Arkansas Natural Resources Commission | Certifies nutrient management planners in surplus areas |
| Arkansas Department of Health | Reviews land-application site notifications through its Engineering Division |
Complaint follow-up on dead-animal disposal specifically rests with one body: the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission shall have the responsibility of following up complaints on improper large animal carcass disposal. For feeding operations that meet size thresholds, though, the permitting authority shifts to environmental regulators. Animal requirements determine when a confined livestock operation is considered a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, and a CAFO is required to obtain a permit from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to legally operate.
Because the LAWMS program only moved to the Department of Agriculture in 2023, some older references online still point to the Department of Energy and Environment. If you’re unsure which office now handles your specific permit, that’s worth confirming directly rather than relying on an outdated bookmark.
Water Setbacks, Groundwater Protections, and Health Standards in Arkansas
Water protection sits at the center of nearly every disposal rule in this article. State law is blunt about it: disposing of carcasses in locations where they might contaminate surface water or wells is illegal in Arkansas. That principle shows up repeatedly in the specific setback distances the rules require.
- Standard carcass burial: at least 100 yards from a well, sited where a stream cannot be contaminated
- Anthrax carcasses: at least 100 yards from any well or water source, disposed of by incineration only
- Composting: must stop leaching that could become a source of water or soil contamination
- Land application buffers for CAFOs: measured from the ordinary high water mark of streams, ponds, and lakes
General water pollution rules reinforce these specific setbacks. Under the state’s sanitation regulations, the pollution of surface waters is prohibited outright, regardless of the source. This matters beyond individual farms, too. In northwest Arkansas, phosphorus runoff tied to poultry operations has drawn regional attention after a federal court ruling against poultry companies in the neighboring Illinois River Watershed, which also includes northwest Arkansas and has raised concerns among local growers about contract stability.
Nutrient runoff into wetlands and river systems doesn’t just affect drinking water; it also shapes waterfowl habitat that hunters rely on across the Arkansas Delta. If you spend time in those wetlands, our duck hunting laws in Arkansas guide touches on some of the same watershed areas where nutrient management plans are now required.
Important Note: This article summarizes public regulatory text for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Setback distances and permit thresholds can change; verify current figures with the issuing agency before making compliance decisions.
CAFO and Nutrient Management Plan Requirements in Arkansas
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations face a heavier compliance load than smaller farms, largely because of how much waste they generate in one place. Federal rules set the baseline: CAFOs that discharge are required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit, and all NPDES-permitted CAFOs must implement a Nutrient Management Plan, while non-permitted Large CAFOs must implement nutrient management planning. Arkansas administers this program under its own authorization from the EPA.
Not every plan modification requires a full new permit, but several triggers force one. Under state rules, a permit modification is required for a greater than ten percent increase in the volume of animal waste, as excreted, generated by the facility over what was allowed by the original permit, along with any addition of new land application sites or a change in waste treatment, type, handling, or disposal method.
Areas with elevated nutrient loads face an extra layer of oversight. In Nutrient Surplus Areas, persons drafting nutrient management plans must be certified by the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission under its rules governing the Arkansas Nutrient Management Planner Certification Program. If your operation sits near a designated surplus area, this certification requirement can affect who you’re legally allowed to hire for plan preparation.
Siting new confined operations also runs into local land-use rules on top of state permits. Producers expanding poultry houses or feedlots often need to check county zoning before construction, which is where our kennel zoning laws in Arkansas resource can help clarify how zoning boards typically treat animal-related structures.
Penalties for Illegal Dumping, Missed Carcass Deadlines, and Water Violations in Arkansas
Improper disposal carries real legal exposure, not just a warning letter. Livestock owners and caretakers are subject to misdemeanor charges if animal carcasses are not properly disposed of. That charge applies regardless of whether the failure was intentional dumping or simply not knowing the rule existed.
Composting and other conditional permits can also be revoked outright when disease risk is involved. Composting privileges may be cancelled in cases of reportable disease incidents, or when the State Animal Health Official deems it necessary to stop disease spread. Beyond individual carcass violations, Arkansas has run broader enforcement campaigns against dumping generally, including the “Pick Up Arkansas” and “Illegal Dump Eradication” programs supported by the state’s environmental agency.
Water pollution violations tied to manure runoff or discharge fall under a separate, often more serious framework than a simple misdemeanor. CAFOs found in violation of their NPDES permit can face administrative orders, permit suspension, or civil penalties, since discharge without authorization is treated as a violation of the state’s core water pollution control statute. If a violation also involves neglect or abuse of the animals themselves rather than just the waste stream, it can overlap with issues covered in our animal cruelty laws in Arkansas article, since Arkansas prosecutors sometimes pursue both angles in the same case.
Common Mistake: Assuming a small hobby farm is automatically exempt from disposal rules. The misdemeanor standard for improper carcass disposal applies to any livestock owner or caretaker, not just commercial operations above a certain size.
How to Confirm Current Arkansas Animal-Waste Rules With the Agencies
Because responsibility for these rules has shifted between agencies in recent years, most notably the 2023 transfer of the LAWMS program, it’s worth confirming current requirements directly rather than relying on older articles or forum posts. A few practical steps make that easier:
- Contact the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Division of the Department of Agriculture for current carcass disposal rules and composting permits.
- Reach out to the Division of Environmental Quality’s Water Division for CAFO permitting and NPDES discharge questions.
- Check with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission if your farm sits in or near a designated Nutrient Surplus Area.
- Contact the Arkansas Department of Health Engineering Division at 4815 West Markham Street, Little Rock, if you’re submitting a new land-application notification.
- Review the current text of the Code of Arkansas Rules directly, since regulations are updated on a quarterly cycle.
Local Cooperative Extension offices are also a practical first stop if you’re unsure which agency applies to your situation, since extension specialists routinely field these questions from working producers. And if your operation includes backyard poultry alongside cattle or hogs, it’s worth a quick look at our rooster laws in Arkansas guide too, since mixed livestock operations sometimes trigger more than one set of local rules at once.
Pro Tip: Before you build a new compost bin, burial site, or land-application area, call the relevant agency first rather than after construction. Retrofitting a site to meet a setback distance is far more expensive than confirming the distance up front.