Farm Horizons Farm Horizons 2/16 | Page 18

Farm Horizons • Feb. 8, 2016 • Page 18 Land-apply manure in winter requires extra care Land-applying livestock manure in clude: winter requires much greater attention to • Manure is applied more than 300 feet Lori Brinkman locations and weather. With increasing from sensitive features, including lakes, Assistant Carver County Feedlot variability during winter, and attention to streams, open tile inlets, sinkholes, waAdministrator the weather even more so. ter supply wells, mines and quarries, inThe main concern comes from insuftermittent streams, un-bermed drainage ficient incorporation, and runoff from ditches, or public water wetlands. frozen and snow-covered soil. (See ar• No active snowmelt is occurring that ticle: “Research shows winter application of manure is a can create runoff from an application field. Active snowbad idea,” from the Conservation Technology Information melt is deemed to be occurring if there are 2 or more inchCenter). es of snow on the field, and maximum temperatures that For large livestock farms with state or federal operating exceed 40 degrees F. are occurring, or are predicted to expermits, land application of liquid manure is prohibited ceed 40 degrees F. within 24 hours of spreading manure. after Nov. 30 on frozen or snow-covered soils, unless an • No rainfall over 0.25 inches is predicted by the Nationemergency application is approved. al Weather Service, with a probability greater than 50 perHowever, unlike last winter’s early freeze-up, some cur- cent within 24 hours of the end of the application period. rent measures at a 6-inch depth show soil temperatures at, • Slopes should be less than or equal to 6 percent on the or even above freezing. entire portion of the field where manure is land-applied. When planning to land-apply either solid or liquid ma• Water or ice should not occupy tillage furrows to the nure, applicators should always check soil conditions and extent that additional snowmelt or precipitation cannot be weather forecasts. The Minnesota Department of Agri- contained between furrows or in other depressional storculture provides a webpage with links to soil temperature age areas within the field. n sites around the state. Regardless of whether or not they have an operating permit, all livestock operations need to follow the Minnesota 7020 rules. During winter land application, they must maintain a 300-foot setback from all sensitive features, and use other best management practices to prevent manure from running off, and preserving its nutrient value for next year’s crop. For more information, see the fact sheet, “Managing manure land application during adverse weather conditions.” Wisconsin farmers have access to the Manure Management System Advisory System map, which provides realtime weather information about runoff risk. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is working on a similar SUBMITTED PHOTO map. Some common-sense best management practices in- Applying manure to fields in the winter takes extra care to prevent runoff from frozen and snow-covered soil. EXCAVATING, INC. Steve Burns Septic Systems Basements Hauling Road Building Wetland Mitigation 3470 Co. Rd. 21, Mayer, Minnesota 55360 (952) 955-3112