Now is the time to prevent the crap hitting the fan this winter
Harvest is in full swing; grain drills are following behind and aerial seeded cover crops are starting to enjoy the sunlight. As the fall season continues to progress and cooler air moves in, the thought of winter weighs heavily on those that don’t work in hours but acres. Freezing, thawing, sleet, and the beauty of snow are on the way.
Manure on farm fields and as a source of nutrients is very beneficial, when applied properly using best management practices. Manure application is nature’s ultimate recycling project. Proper manure application makes good sense for the environment and for your bottom line. But the key is that manure applications must be done correctly.
At Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), we do not recommend applying manure to frozen or snow-covered ground. Manure applications in the winter should not be part of a regular nutrient management plan for an operation. With farmers increasingly under the spotlight when it comes to water quality and environmental stewardship, producers owe it to themselves and the rest of the industry to take responsibility and plan for proper manure applications. Plus, proper manure application is the law, and there can be serious consequences if the choice is to not follow those practices and an impact to waters of the state occurs.
However, as fellow farmers and agriculturists know, the reality is sometimes “crap” happens on the farm and emergency applications may be necessary to prevent storage overflow. If “crap” happens, it’s important to remember to only spread enough manure to prevent manure from overflowing and in the safest location possible, until soil conditions improve to be able to follow best management practices.
During an emergency winter application, it’s important to follow these guidelines:
Liquid manure must be injected or immediately incorporated & cannot exceed 5,000 gallons/acre.
Land must have at least 90 percent surface residue; that most likely means cover crop ground or forage fields.
Apply to least risky fields with the least slope. Fields with over a 6 percent slope (that’s a lot of northeast Ohio) must be applied in alternating 60-200 feet strips on the contour.
Manure cannot be applied on more than 20 contiguous acres.
Applications need to have a setback of a minimum 200 feet from all surface water & 300 feet from all wells, springs and drinking water.
Application rates cannot exceed those specified in Table 3, page 16 of the NRCS Conservation Standard Code 590, Nutrient Management.
While it’s important to follow these guidelines, they are not a “get out of jail free” card. Even if you are following these guidelines and your manure application enters waters of the state (ditches, streams, rivers, etc.) you are still ultimately responsible and may face financial fines and improvement practices on the farm may be enforced. Keeping nutrient application records for five years is best practice.
Manure can be overwhelming on the farm no matter the size of facility. Not sure what fields to spread on? Great news, there is help for that! Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) and Ashland SWCD offer assistance with Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) to address where and when to place the manure (and other nutrients) at what rate. CNMPs utilize soil testing and application timing along with other details to help develop a plan that works for the producer as well as following NRCS 590 Standards.
Ashland SWCD will be hosting another information meeting at The Ohio Theatre in Loudonville on December 5th at 5:30p. Hear from NRCS with cost share opportunities for manure management practices, Ohio Department of Agriculture representative Kip Studer will talk about nutrient management plans and statewide expansion of H2Ohio with incentives for the plans. There will also be a panel of CNMP writers to discuss “feces from all species” and answer any crappy questions.
The doors will open at 5:00 with the program starting at 5:30. Pizza and water will be supplied, but if you want popcorn, candy, or other drinks they will be available for purchase at the concession stand. We do ask that you RSVP to Ashland SWCD at 419-281-7645 to ensure seating and pizza for all attendees. Ticket pricing is $5 per person or bring a friend and both get in free.