Let’s Begin! Writing Manure Management Plans!

Manure Management Manual DEP Manure Management Manual can be divided into 3 Parts: Part I Requirements/Guidelines Sample Plan Part II Checklist MM Plan Workbook Recordkeeping Forms Part III Appendix 1 – Manure Application Rate Tables

Manure Management Plan Checklist (p.1)

Contact Information Page (p.2) Required – Owner/operator contact information – Date of development (Fill in when complete) Only if applicable – Preparer other than owner/operator – Contact information

Manure Management Plan Exercise - Pg. 2 COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION PAGE

Generate Farm Maps Maps should include: 1. Farm boundaries 2. Individual field/pasture boundaries 3. Field Identification and acreage 4. Road names surrounding farms 5. Manure storage and stacking areas

Generate Farm Maps (pg. 7) 6. Animal concentration areas: Planned (barnyards) Unplanned (if impacting water quality) 7. Environmentally sensitive areas: Public or private drinking wells Streams, lakes, ponds Sinkholes Areas of concentrated water flow-ditches, swales, gullies

Generate Farm Maps 8. Winter manure application information: (If you spread manure in winter) Average field slopes will need to be identified (NRCS Soil Survey Map will meet requirements) Manure application setbacks will need to be identified on the map

Generate Farm Maps (pg. 7) Maps can be: Hand drawn Google maps D raw required areas Ag Erosion and Sediment or Conservation Plan maps Computer generated maps

PA One Stop Mapping Free online source

GENERATE FARM MAPS Note: Additional information can be added as you develop your plan Manure Management Plan

Operation Information Page (p.3) Acres on the operation available for manure application – Owned – Rented Animals on the operation – Animal type – Animal numbers On a typical production day – Days on farm per year Crop rotation(s)

COMPLETE OPERATION INFORMATION PAGE A - C Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3

Environmentally sensitive areas (check yes or no) If yes, must complete Environmentally Sensitive Areas Worksheet (p.4) – Drinking water wells Private and public – Streams, lakes and ponds – Sinkholes – Areas of concentrated flow Swales, ditches, gullies, etc. See Glossary – Above ground inlet to ag drainage system Only for winter manure application Operation Information Page (p.3)

Environmentally Sensitive Areas WELLS PONDS STREAMS

List associated fields Identify environmentally sensitive areas Mechanical manure application setbacks are required, regardless of the slope of the land or the ground cover Identify on Farm Map Environmentally Sensitive Areas Worksheet (p.4)

Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3, 4 COMPLETE ENVIROMENTALLY SENSITIVE WORKSHEET:

Operation Information Page (p.3)

Manure Storage

What’s considered a Manure Storage Facility? – Designated location to hold manure before it is utilized on or off the farm If Manure is stored, then Manure Storage Facility Worksheet (pg. 8) must be completed Manure Storage Facilities (p. 3)

Leaching into groundwater Runoff to surface water

Locating the Prefect Site When deciding where to locate and store manure, consider the following: – Surface Water: Lakes, Ponds, Streams – Drinking Wells: public and private – Relatively flat area, avoid steep slopes – Away from flood prone areas Storm water should be diverted around and away from storage area

Locating the Prefect Site Considerations when deciding where to locate and store manure: – Away from high water tables – Neighbors and property lines “Out of sight out of mind” – Accessible year round (all weather) Unloading and loading manure – Aesthetics

Constructing the Perfect Storage Base DEP Manure Management requires an “improved” base - limits manure from leaching into ground water - concrete, crushed stone Slope slightly so liquid draining from the pile drains to the outside and to a vegetative filter Loose wet or moist soils should NOT be used as a base - More likely to drain nutrients into soil and ground water

Unimproved & Unacceptable

Improved & Acceptable

Constructing the Perfect Storage Covering Manure Pile Storage needs to be covered or stored on an improved base - Tarp - Permanent roof - Prevents pools of seepage from saturated manure Gutters are advised to collect and drain storm water away from storage

VEGETATION!! Areas of land in permanent vegetation, designed to filter out Sediments and Nutrients, before entering water sources Vegetated Treatment Area

Vegetation should be at least 2 -3 times larger than the size of the manure storage Maintenance – Control undesired weeds species Inhibit function – Inspect after major storm No concentrated flow of water – Maintain height of vegetative stage

1-2% slope 1-2” perforations every 10ft Impervious base – concrete, stone, 2ft compacted clay Grassed buffer area (~2 to 3x length) length

Manure Storage Facilities Worksheet (p.8) List all storage facilities or areas: - Type of Storage - Year of Construction (if known) List size of storage and if exposed to precipitation List any additional materials added Example – bedding Evaluation Documentation - Identify problems - Practices that need to be installed to address problems - Date to correct problems and install practices

Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3, 8 COMPLETE MANURE STORAGE FACILITIES INFORMATION WORKSHEET:

In –Field Stacking

Solid Manure Stockpiling/ Stacking – Temporary storage – At least 100 ft from sensitive areas Streams, lakes, ponds, wells, open sinkholes – Cannot be placed within a concentrated water flow Swale, ditch or gully – Cannot be in the same location each year – Divert upslope water away from stacking areas – Place on areas with less than 8 % slope – Limit volume to amount that can be spread on nearby fields – Stack must be covered if in field for more than 120 days

Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3, 20 COMPLETE SOLID MANURE STACKING AND STOCKPILING INFORMATION