RE: manure & food safety

mike richardson (mrichardson@tn.nrcs.usda.gov)
Wed, 01 Sep 1999 08:24:24 -0500

Manure from hog and dairy holding ponds (solids and liquids - usually
slurried) is commonly pumped onto crop, hay, and (less so) pasture
fields. Used properly it is a valuable source of nutrients for farmers
and recovers much of the cost that they put into (and through) their
animals, while lessening the cost of buying commercial fertilizers
(thereby lessening the mining of raw materials, use of natural gas,
etc). Using manures in nothing new. Composting of liquid manure
systems is not needed, but composting of dry systems is, especially for
chicken and turkey houses, especially since the litter also contains
dead birds. There are several very good designs for handling solid or
liquid animal wastes safely. (Notice that I have not said anything
about using human waste, and won't)

However, as has been alluded too, improper use of animal manures can and
does cause significant water quality problems. Applying manure on
frozen ground, steep slopes, just prior to significant rainfall, or on
land that is fequently flooded can all cause major problems for water
quality. Also, the field(s) being used for such manure disposal should
also be tested regularly for phosophorous loading and nitrate leaching.
If a farmers is close to a urbanizing area he/she can expect trouble
from non-farming neighbors that are downwind of the manure application.
In such a case, broadcast spraying might not be the best method, going
instead to an injection system.

This is only the briefest of comments on use of animal manures in
farming operations. For more detailed information there are many good
publications and expert people sources at colleges of agriculture, the
Agriculture Research Service, Extension Service, and Natural Resources
Conservation Service, to name but a few.

Son of Richard

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