Understanding Manure Management Behavior on Wisconsin Dairy Farms Lessons from Recent On-Farm Research Douglas Jackson-Smith (Utah State University) J. Mark Powell, Dan McCrory, & Heather Saam (Univ of WI-Madison)

Overview Present initial results of recent on-farm research Present initial results of recent on-farm research Focus: the ‘logic’ of manure mgt Focus: the ‘logic’ of manure mgt –Why do farmers spread manure (or not) on particular kinds of fields? –What obstacles prevent farmers from incorporating manure? –How do farmers view manure as a potential source of crop nutrients? Emphasis on small- and medium-sized integrated crop-dairy farms in Wisconsin Emphasis on small- and medium-sized integrated crop-dairy farms in Wisconsin

Starting Points Small- and Mid-sized livestock operations are important contributors to nutrient-water quality problems – and are not going away Small- and Mid-sized livestock operations are important contributors to nutrient-water quality problems – and are not going away These operations do not always respond well to traditional approaches These operations do not always respond well to traditional approaches –Many technical or mgt solutions are inappropriate to their situation To broaden research and policy agenda, we need to better understand these operations To broaden research and policy agenda, we need to better understand these operations Important to find ‘representative’ farms Important to find ‘representative’ farms

Constraints to Proper Manure Management (Nowak et al 1998) Institutional factors (research, extension) Institutional factors (research, extension) Engineering factors (box spreaders) Engineering factors (box spreaders) Private Sector factors (motivation of input suppliers, risk avoidance) Private Sector factors (motivation of input suppliers, risk avoidance) Economic factors (economies of scale, risk, labor constraints) Economic factors (economies of scale, risk, labor constraints) Social-psychological factors (invisibility of impacts, safety & weather concerns, low status of manure handling, vocabulary) Social-psychological factors (invisibility of impacts, safety & weather concerns, low status of manure handling, vocabulary) Environmental factors (land constraints, confinement systems, topography) Environmental factors (land constraints, confinement systems, topography)

Background to OFG study Integrated Research Into Nutrient Cycling on Wisconsin Dairy Farms Integrated Research Into Nutrient Cycling on Wisconsin Dairy Farms –Included Studies of Feeding/Diet, Manure Handling/Storage, Field Application –On-farm component  Attempt to model nutrient cycling on “TYPICAL FARMS” Fall 2002 in-depth interviews used here Fall 2002 in-depth interviews used here Modeling farms = ongoing Modeling farms = ongoing Follow-up interviews planned Follow-up interviews planned USDA NRI (Ag Systems) & IFAFS funding USDA NRI (Ag Systems) & IFAFS funding

Study of 54 Dairy Farms “On Farmers’ Ground” Within each region 18 farms selected 6 farms in each randomly selected from each animal density category SW region SC region NE region

Profile of Respondents Typical of Wisconsin dairy farms Typical of Wisconsin dairy farms –Mean herd size = 88 (median = 66) –Most cows (10% had 200+ cows) –80% stanchion barns (20% parlor/freestall) –65 lbs milk shipped / cow / day –Mean cropland = 275 acres (median 198) –Median 3.4 acres cropland / cow –Avg age = 48 –77% rely mainly on farm income for hh

Manure Management Behavior Roughly half have some manure storage Roughly half have some manure storage –Mostly concrete lagoons –Average ~ 280 days storage Most haul manure to fields daily Most haul manure to fields daily Few incorporate manure after spreading Few incorporate manure after spreading Few have written nutrient mgt plans Few have written nutrient mgt plans Storage affects manure mgt behavior Storage affects manure mgt behavior –Though not as much as we might expect

Understanding Manure Spreading Behavior Previous work found ‘manure gap’ Previous work found ‘manure gap’ –Farmers only utilizing 23-44% of cropland Why? Why? –Hypotheses Absence of storage Absence of storage Labor or machinery shortage Labor or machinery shortage Weather or soil conditions Weather or soil conditions Distance of fields Distance of fields Land tenure Land tenure

Results Structured Question: Structured Question: –How important are the following factors in your decision to spread on a particular field? Open-ended Question Open-ended Question –What kinds of fields do you seek to spread manure? Asked separately by season (fall, winter, spring, summer) Asked separately by season (fall, winter, spring, summer)

Incorporating Manure 50% overall do not incorporate at all 50% overall do not incorporate at all 25% of farms incorporate < 1/4 th 25% of farms incorporate < 1/4 th 10% incorporate 25-50% of manure 10% incorporate 25-50% of manure Why? (hypotheses) Why? (hypotheses) –Management system (daily haul, no-till) –Labor & equipment constraints –Seasonality & weather –Lack of concern/motivation

Perceptions about Manure as Fertilizer Source Open-ended questions Open-ended questions –What is the biggest advantage of manure in comparison to commercial fertilizers? –What is the biggest disadvantage of manure compared to commercial fertilizer?

Lessons and Conclusions Small and mid-sized farms face many constraints to use of recommended manure management systems Small and mid-sized farms face many constraints to use of recommended manure management systems –No storage –Inability to incorporate –Inability to get to many fields on timely basis These factors are not just ‘poor motivation’ or a lack of information These factors are not just ‘poor motivation’ or a lack of information

Implications Blanket policies to NM regulation might disproportionately impact small- and mid-sized operations Blanket policies to NM regulation might disproportionately impact small- and mid-sized operations –Unrealistic Nutrient Mgt Plans might be hard to follow (if enforced) Alternatively, policies and technical solutions limited to the largest operations might fail to provide opportunities for improved outcomes Alternatively, policies and technical solutions limited to the largest operations might fail to provide opportunities for improved outcomes

More Implications Develop technical solutions and mgt systems that work within these constraints Develop technical solutions and mgt systems that work within these constraints –Education/Info is not enough –May not be ‘optimal’ (from NM perspective), but can improve performance

Suggestions for Future Research Assume integrated crop/livestock systems Assume integrated crop/livestock systems Assume many will not have long-term storage Assume many will not have long-term storage More information about timing and placement of manure (vis-à-vis cropping patterns and landscape features) More information about timing and placement of manure (vis-à-vis cropping patterns and landscape features) Low-tech/cost options for manure handling and storage (in barn, farmstead, spreading) Low-tech/cost options for manure handling and storage (in barn, farmstead, spreading)

QUESTIONS & COMMENTS?