OCAMM odds & ends

News and more from the manure and composting worlds:

From the North Central Region Water Network:
Manure & Soil Health: Roundtables to advance our understanding of the state of the science. Recordings on the following sessions are now available: (1) manure and soil health testing; (2) manure and soil biology; (3) manure and soil runoff, erosion, and losses; and (4) manure and cover crops.   Recordings (scroll down to links)

From Manure Manager:
Safety first when pumping manure. Precautions are needed when agitating manure stored in deep pits as dissolved gases can be released in concentrations that can kill animals and humans.   Article

Safety watch: Plan now for safe manure handling. An Iowa farmer shares suggestions for keeping employees and others safe, including signage and fall prevention.   Article

Public perception, a positive message for custom applicators. The executive director of the Minnesota Custom Applicators Association shares suggestions for handling and applying manure to minimize impacts on the general public.   Article

Poultry manure far outweighs hog waste, report finds. In North Carolina, swine facilities have been the focus of regulations designed to reduce nutrient impacts on water quality. While the number of hog farms have been relatively constant, an increased number of poultry farms, which are less regulated, annually produce 3X more N and 6X more P compared to hog farms.   Article

From Andy Londo (OSU):
Study quantifies effects of ‘legacy phosphorus’ in reduced water quality. A Wisconsin study shows that excess accumulation of phosphorus in soil affects water quality and requires significant reductions in new applications to reduce impacts.   Article

New data to be used to target farms polluting rivers and lakes. Ireland also faces water quality challenges and has drafted a plan to invest and address issues from both farm sources of nitrogen and waste water treatment plants.   Article

From Ohio Ag Manager:
Nutrient stewardship in the Western Lake Erie Basin. A recent survey of farmers in the basin showed that 60-90% are willing to adopt practices to protect the ecological health of the lake. Those less willing to implement a best practice tended to be less well educated about nutrient stewardship.   Article

From Morning Ag Clips:
Farmers back Great Lakes restoration. In spite of potential decreased federal funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, several Ohio livestock organizations have indicated the need to continue efforts to reduce nutrient runoff and implement other goals of the initiative.   Article