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| September 14, 2009 |
A Penton Media, Inc Publication
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Iowa State University (ISU) has put together a top 10 list of steps
to take to prepare for fall manure application. ISU’s Manure
Management Action Group encourages producers to plan ahead by paying
attention to the following points.- Review manure management
plans. Prior to land application, review manure, nutrient, or
comprehensive nutrient management plans. Share information with
employees and commercial manure applicators and evaluate fields for
application.
- Know and follow land application separation distances. All animal
feeding operations, regardless of size, are subject to separation
distances from designated areas, such as water sources in Iowa. ISU
suggests getting copies of aerial photographs of your and neighbors’
fields to which manure is to be applied. Map out neighbors’ houses, in
addition to churches, businesses, schools, cemeteries and public use
areas. Also mark designated areas such as wells, abandoned wells,
cisterns, designated wetlands, tile inlets to agricultural drainage
wells, etc. Sketch out separation distances.
- Make sure manure applicator certification is current. If you are not
sure of your current applicator certification status, contact your local
Department of Natural Resources licensing bureau.
- Develop an emergency action plan. Train employees in manure spill
response procedures. Ask your commercial manure applicator if they have
an action plan in the event of a spill. Post and share important contact
phone numbers for emergency response units. Review safety issues and
procedures related to dangerous manure gases. Never enter a building or
manure storage unit when pumping or agitating. ISU offers a number of
resources for developing emergency action plans and safety training.
- Take manure samples. Taking manure samples prior to land application
will provide nutrient analysis results to help plan application rates
for this fall.
- Take time for soil sampling. Will you need to update a Manure
Management Plan in the next year or two requiring soil samples for
recalculating phosphorus indexes? If so, fall is a good time to take
samples. Samples should be taken prior to manure application.
- Calibrate application equipment. Calibrating manure application
equipment helps ensure correct application rates and also makes it
possible to better use manure nutrients.
- Pay attention to proper timing of manure application. A new law was
passed in Iowa prohibiting the application of liquid manure from
confinement facilities on snow-covered or frozen ground during certain
times of the year. Be aware of application requirements.
- Consider the neighbors. Work with your neighbors to let them know
about your manure application plans. If possible, tell them how long it
might take to apply manure, how you plan to apply the manure, and how
long they might expect to smell the manure. Inquire about any outdoor
events coming up in the neighborhood, such as weddings, Friday night
football games, and cookouts to avoid controversy related to spreading
manure prior to those events.
- Be safe. Many manure spills happen because people are in a hurry or
are tired from long hours of application work. Get plenty of rest, take
breaks and slow down. Take time to inspect equipment. This will help
protect employees and reduce the chances of equipment malfunction.
Observe all laws of the road and watch out for the “other driver”
who may not realize you are moving at a much slower rate of speed. Check
and replace slow- moving vehicle signs as needed. Check lights to make
sure they are working and are visible.
ISU’s Manure Management
Action Group offers additional details on many of these points, in
addition to providing links to brochures on a number of related topics
online at www.agronext.iastate.edu/.
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Now’s the Time to incorporate a Slurrystore System into your nutrient
management program. Slurrystore is compatible for any system whether
your goal is long term storage, nutrient retention, green containment,
digesters or manure processing. Plus Slurrystore Systems include the
added feature of agitation to help ensure nutrient consistency. Click here or contact your local
Authorized Slurrystore Dealer for more information.
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Minnesota farmers and producers who participated in University of
Minnesota (UM)-sponsored small group manure management workshops are
likely to adopt water-friendly practices that also save them money,
according to a survey by UM’s Water Resources Center.
During the winter of 2008-2009, Water Resources Center researchers
held “Value of Manure” small group workshops in 22 counties across
the state. The 267 workshop participants, 87% of whom were agricultural
producers, learned to use a university-developed spreadsheet program to
compare costs and returns from alternative manure management practices
on their own farms.
As a result of the workshop and spreadsheet findings, 74% of workshop
attendees said they would change their application rates and timings.
And about one-third of all attendees who weren’t already testing,
calibrating and keeping a record of their manure applications said they
would start as a result of the workshops.
In addition to helping farmers reduce the amount of phosphorus and
pathogens that enter surface and ground water as a result of
over-application, the plans had the added benefits of lowering costs.
Nearly 75% of attendees said they could improve manure economic return
per acre by $5 or more based on their spreadsheet calculations.
The workshops were organized by the Water Resources Center and
University of Minnesota Extension, with assistance from Soil and Water
Conservation Districts, and County Feedlot Officers. They were funded by
a federal grant through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Learn
more at wrc.umn.edu
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The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) offers hang tags to help
promote safety by keeping people out of swine buildings during manure
pit pumping. The tags boldly communicate the message, “STOP! Manure
Agitation and Pump–Out in Progress,” and are designed to hang on
facility doors. These tags are available to pork producers and
commercial manure applicators. The tags are designed to limit confusion
and increase employee and family safety.
The IPPA wants to remind producers and employees that no one should
enter a confinement site building or manure storage structure when
agitation and pump-out is taking place. To request tags, contact Tyler
Bettin, IPPA Producer Education Director by calling 515-225-7675 or
email tbettin@iowapork.org.
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Are you getting optimum value from your ag nutrients? Ensure an even
nutrient blend and consistency with every load using a Slurrystore® and
its center agitation system. There’s no better choice for long term
ag nutrient storage. Now’s the Time for Slurrystore. Click here or contact your local
Authorized Slurrystore Dealer for more information.
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Livestock producers located west of the Mississippi River can
receive free and confidential help preparing nutrient management plans
under the Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessment and Nutrient
Management Plans West (CLEANmp) program. The Environmental Resources
Coalition (ERC) has been awarded a federal grant to help livestock and
poultry producers obtain environmental assessments of their operations.
The group will also help develop or review nutrient management plans.
Both services are provided at no cost to the producer.
The services are implemented by approved independent service providers.
The scope of the CLEANmp program does not include the collection of soil
or manure samples. Participation in the CLEANmp program is voluntary.
The program for the western United States is available to any producer
in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions 7, 8, 9, and 10, but
excludes Hawaii. Producers must request a CLEANmp environmental
assessment or nutrient management plan project by completing an
application form. Approved CLEANmp service providers will then submit
bids to complete the requested project. The bid that represents the best
value and quality to the producer and to the program is accepted.
More specific details about the Cleanmp project for the western U.S. are
explained online at www.cleanmp-west.org/.
Visit the Environmental Resources Coalition website at www.erc-env.org/.
The Environmental Resources Coalition is a non-profit group dedicated to
water quality protection and improvement efforts. The CLEANmp program
will run until 2011.
A similar program for 27 states in the eastern United States, called
CLEANEast, is administered by RTI International and North Carolina State
University. Learn more about the eastern program online at livestock.rti.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx.
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The Texas Animal Manure Management Issues (TAMMI) Conference will be
held Sept. 29-30 at the Austin Marriott North in Round Rock, TX. The
TAMMI Conference will provide education and information about proper
animal manure management for environmental protection. The two-day
program includes keynote speeches on what the animal industry and
regulatory community need in order to ensure a viable animal industry
while working on effective environmental protection.
Learn more about the program online at grovesite.com/page.asp?o=tamu&s=TAMMI&p=353016.
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The Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship Center’s
Webcast for September is titled "Air Emissions from Land Application of
Manure." This Sept. 18 presentation will include an overview of the
issues and comparison of emissions from currently available land
application systems. Speakers will also discuss odor monitoring and
injection of solid manure including research highlights on this topic.
To participate in this Webcast please visit www.extension.org/pages/Upcoming_Webcasts.
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eHay Weekly is a weekly compilation of prices and marketing
information for commercial hay growers. Updates include local market
conditions, state and regional hay association news, hay prices from
around the nation, and links to USDA weekly hay reports. eHay Weekly is
brought to you from the editors of Hay & Forage Grower.
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The Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department at Iowa State
University is coordinating a short course on energy production via
anaerobic digestion of dairy manure during World Dairy Expo. The
training takes place Sept. 28-29 at the Madison Concourse Hotel in
Madison, WI.
The short course is designed to provide the latest information and
resources that consultants, decision makers, system reviewers,
information providers or producers can use to understand and address
issues related to anaerobic digestion of dairy manure. It has been
designed to walk through dairy manure energy production from fundamental
principles to case histories.
The course instructors have been selected from industry and academia
based on their leadership and success in this area.
The cost of the sessions is $595 for Expo attendees and $795 for
exhibitors. Registration and additional information are available online
at:
www.ucs.iastate.edu/
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Sustainability in crops and soils will be highlighted in the
research presented at the annual meetings of the American Society of
Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of
America slated for Nov. 1-5, 2009, at the David L. Lawrence Convention
Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
The combined meetings are expected to attract more than 3,000
scientists, professionals, educators and students presenting new
technologies and discussing emerging trends in agriculture, energy,
climate change, carbon trading, science education and related issues.
The meeting theme, "Footprints in the Landscape: Sustainability through
Plant and Soil Sciences," sums up a program built around daily plenary
sessions, nine distinguished lectures, 2,500+ oral and poster
presentations, an exhibit hall, career center and other events.
For meeting information, including searchable abstracts and other event
details, visit: www.acsmeetings.org.
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 NHF Weekly Preview provides pork
producers in the United States and Canada with weekly analysis of items
that will impact their business. NHF Weekly Preview is brought to
you from the editors of National Hog Farmer.
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The American Dairy Science Association is sponsoring a conference on
Nov. 2-5 to explore the Effect of the Thermal Environment on Nutrient
and Management Requirements of Cattle. The conference will be held at
the Brown County Inn, Nashville, TN. Effects of the thermal environment
on nutritional management, reproduction and genetics of both dairy and
beef cattle will be discussed.
Registration is limited to the first 120 registrants. The early
registration deadline is Oct. 2. Download a conference program or
register online at www.adsa.org/.
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Send Comments & Questions To
Dale Miller, Editor,
National Hog Farmer
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