Pa’s Pa’s RevisedRevised Manure Manure

Management Manual Management Manual

Dauphin County Conservation DistrictDauphin County Conservation DistrictPhone: 717.921.8100Phone: 717.921.8100www.dauphincd.org

http://panutrientmgmt.cas.eduhttp://panutrientmgmt.cas.edu

February 2012February 2012

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Proper Manure Management, Proper Manure Management, it’s a good ideait’s a good idea

Get the maximum use of your Get the maximum use of your on-farm resourceson-farm resources

Manure has:Manure has: Organic matter Organic matter (water holding, nutrient holding, soil microbes)(water holding, nutrient holding, soil microbes) Micro/Secondary nutrients Micro/Secondary nutrients (Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Zinc, etc) (Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Zinc, etc) Macro nutrients Macro nutrients (N – P – K)(N – P – K)

The value of manure based on N-P-K value alone is:The value of manure based on N-P-K value alone is: ($287/($287/cowcow/yr); ($785/1000 /yr); ($785/1000 broilersbroilers); ($34/); ($34/hoghog/yr)/yr)

Proper management is also required by lawProper management is also required by law AllAll farms that use manure have state requirements farms that use manure have state requirements, requirements vary , requirements vary

based on farm scopebased on farm scope In the past, the emphasis was on larger operations, In the past, the emphasis was on larger operations, new emphasis will new emphasis will

be on smaller operationsbe on smaller operations

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Animal Operations in PAAnimal Operations in PA

CAFOs (365+)

All Animal Operations (AOs) All operations generating/utilizing manure * Regulated by PA DEP

Concentrated Animal Operations (CAOs)

High animal density farms farms > 2,000 lbs/acre animal density

* Regulated by PA SCC

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)

Based on animal numbers and/or animal densityFarms > 1,000 AEUs, CAOs > 300 AEUs, EPA head #’s * Regulated by PA DEP (for US EPA)

CAOs (1,050+)CAOs (1,050+)

AOs (40,000+)

• Approved nutrient mgmt plan• CAFO permit from DEP• Certified planner• Public access

• Approved nutrient mgmt plan• Certified planner• Public access

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Manure management on smaller farmsManure management on smaller farms AllAll farms generating/using manure must have a farms generating/using manure must have a manuremanure

mgmt planmgmt plan ( (or Nutrient Mgmt Plan, CNMP planor Nutrient Mgmt Plan, CNMP plan))

Includes very small (one horse) operations and operations Includes very small (one horse) operations and operations without any animals as long as manure is spread therewithout any animals as long as manure is spread there

Must be a Must be a writtenwritten plan (including farm map), plan (including farm map), kept on sitekept on site• NoNo submission and submission and nono approval required approval required

Can be Can be written by farmerwritten by farmer or other non-certified individual or other non-certified individual

New New DEP approved standardized planningDEP approved standardized planning includes: includes:• N and P application rates,N and P application rates,

• Application setbacks, winter applicationApplication setbacks, winter application

• Pastures , Barnyard runoffPastures , Barnyard runoff

• Storage and stacking criteriaStorage and stacking criteria

AOsAOs

Manure Application RatesManure Application Rates

3 options3 options for developing for developing manure ratesmanure rates::1)1) Use manure application Use manure application chartscharts ((easyeasy, but not farm specific), but not farm specific)

N based N based if current soil test < 200 ppm Pif current soil test < 200 ppm P P based P based if > 200 ppm P if > 200 ppm P oror no soil test (approx 1/3 N rate) no soil test (approx 1/3 N rate) No certified planner requiredNo certified planner required Based on crop and manure type Based on crop and manure type

2)2) Use Nutrient Balance Sheet Use Nutrient Balance Sheet worksheetworksheet ((harderharder but site specific) but site specific) N based N based if < 200 ppm P; if < 200 ppm P; P based P based if > 200 ppm P or no soil testif > 200 ppm P or no soil test No certified specialist requiredNo certified specialist required

3)3) Use the PA Use the PA Phosphorus-IndexPhosphorus-Index ((most complexmost complex but most flexible) but most flexible) Will need to use an Will need to use an authorized plannerauthorized planner N or P based dependent on the results of the P-indexN or P based dependent on the results of the P-index May allow for N based application on soils with > 200 ppm PMay allow for N based application on soils with > 200 ppm P

Application Rate, ChartsApplication Rate, Charts

Nitrogen BasedNitrogen BasedLiquid DairyLiquid Dairy

Finding rate for spring applied liquid dairy manure on 23 ton corn silage

Manure Application SetbacksManure Application Setbacks

Year-round manure application setbacksYear-round manure application setbacks Only relevant to Only relevant to mechanicalmechanical manure application manure application

• No setbacks for pasturesNo setbacks for pastures

100’ manure application setbacks established for 100’ manure application setbacks established for • Streams; (at times when water flows in these channels)Streams; (at times when water flows in these channels)• Lakes, ponds, existing open sinkholesLakes, ponds, existing open sinkholes• Private or public drinking water sourcePrivate or public drinking water source

Setback may be reduced for streams, lakes, ponds:Setback may be reduced for streams, lakes, ponds:• 100’ if 100’ if notnot using no-till and cover crops using no-till and cover crops and and nono buffer buffer • 50’ if 50’ if < 200 ppm P< 200 ppm P, , usingusing no-till and cover crop no-till and cover crop, but , but nono buffer buffer• 35’ setback if using a 35’ setback if using a permanent veg bufferpermanent veg buffer next to stream next to stream

Winter Spreading RestrictionsWinter Spreading Restrictions ““WinterWinter” is anytime any one of the following are true:” is anytime any one of the following are true:

The date is on or between Dec. 15 to Feb. 28, The date is on or between Dec. 15 to Feb. 28, oror The ground is frozen 4 inches or more, The ground is frozen 4 inches or more, oror The ground is snow coveredThe ground is snow covered

A A maximum application ratemaximum application rate for the winter months : for the winter months : 5,000 gallons per acre of liquid manure 5,000 gallons per acre of liquid manure 20 tons per acre dry non-poultry manure20 tons per acre dry non-poultry manure 3 tons per acre dry poultry manure3 tons per acre dry poultry manure

25% plant or residue cover25% plant or residue cover at application time at application time

No winter application on No winter application on slopesslopes steeper than 15% steeper than 15% A, B and C slopes acceptableA, B and C slopes acceptable

Pasture ManagementPasture Management

Pastures on the farm must be included in planPastures on the farm must be included in plan Pastures are a Pastures are a crop fieldcrop field that must be that must be nutrient balancednutrient balanced..

Pastures need to be properly managed by either:Pastures need to be properly managed by either: Maintaining dense vegetationMaintaining dense vegetation including always having at least 3” including always having at least 3”

growth during growing season, orgrowth during growing season, or Implementing a Implementing a grazing plan meeting the NRCS standardgrazing plan meeting the NRCS standard

Stream bank fencing Stream bank fencing restricting animal access to restricting animal access to a stream is a stream is notnot required for a required for a true pasturetrue pasture

If overgrazedIf overgrazed, then the field would be considered , then the field would be considered a a barnyardbarnyard (ACA) requiring addition protections (ACA) requiring addition protections including including animal exclusion from the streamanimal exclusion from the stream

Animal Concentration Area Animal Concentration Area Management (ACAs)Management (ACAs)

ACAs must be included in the planACAs must be included in the plan These are barnyards, exercise lots, other denuded These are barnyards, exercise lots, other denuded

animal concentration areasanimal concentration areas

ACA criteria include:ACA criteria include: Diverting upslope water Diverting upslope water Ensuring polluted runoff goes into Ensuring polluted runoff goes into storage or storage or

vegetative treatment stripvegetative treatment strip or system or system Remove manureRemove manure where it accumulates where it accumulates Disallowing animal access to streamsDisallowing animal access to streams except properly except properly

constructed crossingsconstructed crossings Keeping Keeping watering areas, feed areas, etc away from watering areas, feed areas, etc away from

streams streams when possiblewhen possible

Manure Storage RequirementsManure Storage Requirements

As of 2000, all newly built As of 2000, all newly built liquid and semi-solidliquid and semi-solid manure storages must be:manure storages must be: Designed by a Designed by a Pa registered Professional EngineerPa registered Professional Engineer Construction must be Construction must be signed offsigned off by engineer and by engineer and

certification kept on sitecertification kept on site

Manure storage facilities requiring a Manure storage facilities requiring a DEP permitDEP permit:: > 2.5 million gallons> 2.5 million gallons > 1.0 million gallons in a SP or impaired watershed> 1.0 million gallons in a SP or impaired watershed

Maintaining your manure storageMaintaining your manure storage:: Check for leaks, overflow, trees, or other problemsCheck for leaks, overflow, trees, or other problems Must maintain required freeboard Must maintain required freeboard

In-Field Manure StackingIn-Field Manure Stacking

In-field stacking of manure on In-field stacking of manure on unimproved areasunimproved areas is is allowed if following the below restrictionsallowed if following the below restrictions

Criteria to address unimproved in-field stacking areas:Criteria to address unimproved in-field stacking areas: 100’ setback from streams100’ setback from streams, , water wellswater wells and and sinkholessinkholes Diverting upslope water Diverting upslope water where necessary where necessary Placing the stack on Placing the stack on less than 8% slopesless than 8% slopes Not same placeNot same place as last year as last year Having a Having a drydry enough manure to allow it to be stacked enough manure to allow it to be stacked Covering the stack if it will be there more than Covering the stack if it will be there more than 120 days120 days

Stacking on Stacking on improvedimproved areas (such as in the farmstead) areas (such as in the farmstead) does not need to follow these same restrictions, just no does not need to follow these same restrictions, just no direct runoff to watersdirect runoff to waters

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In conclusion…In conclusion… All animal farmsAll animal farms

ManureManure Management Plan (pre-approved standardized format) Management Plan (pre-approved standardized format) Can be Can be written by farmer written by farmer Addresses manure application as well as ACAs, pastures and barnyardsAddresses manure application as well as ACAs, pastures and barnyards No submission No submission , review or approval, review or approval

Higher density animal farmsHigher density animal farms (CAOs) (CAOs) NutrientNutrient Management Plan, Management Plan, more detailed more detailed plan formatplan format Must be written by Must be written by certified plannercertified planner Plan Plan must be submittedmust be submitted, reviewed and approved by cons district, reviewed and approved by cons district

Larger animal farmsLarger animal farms (CAFOs)(CAFOs) NutrientNutrient Management Plan, Management Plan, like for CAOs like for CAOs (submission and approval)(submission and approval) DEP CAFO DEP CAFO PermitPermit

AOsCAOsCAOsCAOsCAOs CAFOs

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In Conclusion…In Conclusion… Begin Begin nownow to develop your plan to develop your plan

Determine if you need a Determine if you need a manure mgmt plan manure mgmt plan or a or a nutrient management plannutrient management plan• Are you a CAO or CAFOAre you a CAO or CAFO

Get a copy of the Get a copy of the MMM workbook and instructionsMMM workbook and instructions Take Take soil testssoil tests Get a farm Get a farm mapmap (from FSA, District, OneStop, etc) (from FSA, District, OneStop, etc) Determine average Determine average crop yieldscrop yields Identify nearby Identify nearby wellswells, , streamsstreams, , sinkholessinkholes CalibrateCalibrate your manure spreader (AF 68) your manure spreader (AF 68)

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In ConclusionIn Conclusion…(“…(“begin nowbegin now” continued)” continued)

Determine if Determine if winter applicationwinter application is necessary is necessary• If so, look for fields (slope and setbacks)If so, look for fields (slope and setbacks)

Check Check manure storagemanure storage for problems for problems• Leaking, trees or shrubs, cracks or tears.Leaking, trees or shrubs, cracks or tears.

Check for Check for ACA runoffACA runoff to nearby streams, etc to nearby streams, etc Look for good Look for good manure stacking areasmanure stacking areas if needed if needed Check Check pasturepasture for dense vegetation for dense vegetation Keep manure application/storage Keep manure application/storage recordsrecords Get helpGet help with your planning if needed with your planning if needed

• Cons. district, PSU ext, Ag orgs, private planners, etcCons. district, PSU ext, Ag orgs, private planners, etc• Workshops may be planned for your area soonWorkshops may be planned for your area soon

Website to print copies of the Website to print copies of the new Manure Mgmt Manualnew Manure Mgmt Manual

http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu• Button on left “Manure Management Manual Button on left “Manure Management Manual

Program”Program”

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