Land application of manure by animal feeding operations: Is more land needed?

ABSTRACT:

Animal manure has become a major focal point of conservation efforts. A shift in the industry over the past decade towards fewer, larger operations has resulted in concerns over the utilization and disposal of animal manure. Land application of manure, a preferred disposal method, may be difficult and costly to implement on larger operations if restrictions on land disposal increase the amount of land required for spreading. The hog sector provides an example of how restrictions on manure application rates can affect the need for land. Using data from the 1998 Hog Agricultural Resource Management Survey we found that most confined hog operations would need to increase the land receiving manure to meet the needs of a nitrogen-based (N-based) or phosphorus-based (P-based) nutrient management plan. Both are possible under proposed Clean Water Act regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and program goals for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Smaller operations tended to have adequate land on the operation to meet the needs of a N-based plan in most regions. Larger operations generally had inadequate land for N-based plans. All large operations would need to find substantial amounts of additional land to meet the needs of a P-based plan.