1. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS for equine and Small Farm Operations
Erosion & Sedimentation Nutrient Management

2. PA produces 26,000,000 tons of manure a year (excluding equine)
A dairy cow produces 2,500 gallons of milk and 6,000 gallons of manure a year
A pig gains 250 lbs in 5 months and
produces 2,000 lbs of manure
A horse produces 16,000 lbs of
manure a year.
Only 25% of PA horse farms use their
manure
What is your definition of manure? (This question is designed to help people think about what manure is actually composed of.) Manure is not all bad!

3. Manure is a Resource!!!!!!!!!!!! What is Manure? Great Stuff!!!!
Organic matter and soil microbes
Water and nutrient holding capacity
Micro nutrients (Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, Zinc, and more)
Macro nutrients (N – P – K)
Value based on N-P-K value alone is approximately:
$287/cow/year
$785/1000 broilers/year
$34/hog/year
To the general public, manure is often depicted as a smelly waste product that animal owners need to remove from their property. But in reality, manure is a valuable resource. Manure consists of fiber, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the pasture grasses, hay, and feed that was not utilized by the animal. In addition to the macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), manure may contain valuable trace minerals and elements such as iron and zinc. Manure is a great source of organic matter, which improves soil quality and enhances soil water holding ability. Unlike commercial fertilizers, manure provides a slow release of nutrients to the plant, making the nutrients continuously available to meet the plant’s needs. With the increasing cost of commercial fertilizers, composted manure becomes a valuable resource to cropland, pastures and gardens.

4. WHY? What’s at stake? Soil Erosion Nutrients
If manure is such ‘good stuff’, then what is the issue?
When manure is stored and handled improperly, and continuously over applied, the environment suffers. Overgrazed pastures and cropland lacking vegetated cover contribute to soil erosion resulting in water quality degradation.

5. What is Erosion & Sedimentation?
RAIN – a bomb raid for bare soil!
DETACHMENT
Impacts of raindrops on bare soil breaks apart soil aggregates
Erosion is the physical wearing away of the soil surface. Rain on bare soil is a major contributor to soil loss. When rain drops strike the soil, soil aggregates break apart resulting in soil erosion.

6. Picture: Example of sediment transport caused by rain having a direct connect with bare soil.

7. Picture: Example of the aftermath of continual erosion – resulting in formation of gullies.
What threat can gullies present? Gullies can provide a direct access route for pollutants and sediments to reach streams; deep gullies in pastures are a danger to livestock.

8. Eroded sediments often are deposited in nearby streams, polluting and degrading water quality.

9. Sediment in Streams Biggest water pollutant in PA by volume
What does it do?
Reduces flow capacity of ditches, canals, culverts, other water conveyances
Increases flooding potential
Accelerates stream bank erosion
Increases turbidity (think murky, muddy water)
Degrades water quality
In addition to degrading streams pristine appearance, what’s the concern with excess sediments in water?
Sediments in surface water increase water temperature
Warm water holds less oxygen for fish and other aquatic life forms
Sediments reduce sunlight penetration in water that is necessary for aquatic plant growth
Sediments suffocate bottom dwelling aquatic organisms – disrupting the water ecosystems

10. SEDIMENT NEVER TRAVELS ALONE….
Use this slide to introduce nutrients as pollutants. Ask what else moves with sediments (pollutants such as oil, herbicides, nutrients, etc.)
SEDIMENT NEVER TRAVELS ALONE….

11. Nutrients
In the process of producing, storing, transporting and land applying manure, pathogens and nutrients (nitrogen & phosphorus) can be transported to surface and ground waters.
All affect water quality

12. Phosphorus Phosphorus is lost and enters waterways through
Phosphorus is often the limiting growth element for aquatic plants
Aquatic plants and algae bloom under high phosphorus conditions
As aquatic vegetation dies, oxygen is depleted
Use of water for drinking, fishing, and recreation is limited
Phosphorus is lost and enters waterways through
EROSION
Eutrophication is caused by an increase in nutrients in bodies of water causing a drastic surge in aquatic plant growth (especially algae). As algae populations increase and subsequently die and decay, oxygen levels are depleted causing dead zones. Very small amounts of P are needed to cause eutrophication.

13. Phosphorus Pollution
How does phosphorus become a pollutant? Does location of your farm’s manure pile and/or where you spread manure lead to phosphorus pollution? Phosphorus contamination occurs through soil loss/ erosion. When determining the potential for phosphorus pollution, it is important to identify two things: transport (click to show stream) and source (click to show watershed boundary). Areas where source and transport meet are known as Critical Source Areas. They are areas where high soil P levels (source) coincide with areas of high erosion, runoff, and direct flow (transport). Approximately 90% of the P comes from 10% of the area.

14. Chesapeake Bay Watershed
One of the best known situations resulting from excess nutrient and soil loss is the water quality impairment occurring in the Chesapeake Bay. Degradation of water quality within the Bay has led to increased state and federal nutrient management regulations.

15. You might believe that your farm is not large enough to have a negative impact, but it only requires a small amount of P to degrade water quality. Understanding basic BMPs that can be implemented on your farm will help to create a positive impact for the Bay and other local watersheds.

16. What is being done? Agencies are implementing stronger
regulations and accountability programs
to control agricultural runoff.
In the past, the emphasis was on larger operations, new emphasis will be on smaller operations, especially equine (large number of high density horse operations in all states)

17. WHO is Regulated? All Animal Operations (AOs) AOs (40,000+)
All operations generating/utilizing manure
Regulated by PA DEP (PA Clean Streams Law)
AOs (40,000+)
Concentrated Animal Operations (CAOs)
Animal Density greater than 2 AEUs/ Acre
1 AEU = 1000 lbs
8 or more AEU’s
Regulated by PA State Conservation Commission (Act 38)
CAOs (1,050+)
CAFOs (340+)
What is your farm ... CAFO, CAO, or AO?
An Animal Unit (AU) is 1000 pounds of live animal weight.
An Animal Equivalent Unit (AEU) is 1000 pounds of live animal weight adjusted for the number of days that the animals are on the farm.
Animal Equivalent Units per Acre takes into account the number of animals on the farm, animal weight, number of days the animals are on the farm, and the number of acres suitable for manure application.
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
Based on animal numbers and/or animal density
Farms > 1,000 AEUs, CAOs > 300 AEUs
Regulated by PA DEP (for US EPA)

18. Necessary Calculations
Animal Equivalent Units (AEU) =
Average # of Animals x Average Animal Weight (lbs) ÷ 1000* x
Number of Days on Operation ÷ 365
Animal Density =
AEU ÷ Number of Acres Suitable for Manure
Concentrated Animal Operation (CAO) :
More than 2 AEU/ Acre AND More than 8 AEUs
* 1 AU = 1000 lbs

19. Animal Inventory: 8 Draft Horses 4 Ponies 6 Mules
15 Finishing Hogs (grow – finish) on farm for 100 days
Land Inventory: Farmstead: 2 Acres
Woodland: 5 Acres
Pasture: 10 Acres
Rented Cropland: 12 Acres
Animal Type
No. Animals X
Animal
Weight (lbs) ÷
1000
Production
Days
365
AEUs
Total AEU =
Acres available for manure
Animal Density: AEU/ Acre =
Fill in the chart using the example provided and use the equation to decide if this sample farm is a CAO or an AO. Then use the process to determine if your own farm would classify as either a CAO or an AO.

20. Use these tables for animal weights for the sample problem.

21. Acres Available for Manure AEUs/Acre (Animal Density)
Type
No.
Animals X
Weight (lbs) ÷
1000
Production
Days
365
AEU
Draft 8
1,800
1,000
14.4
Ponies 4
600
2.4
Mules 6
1,100
6.6
Hogs 15
155
100 .6
Total AEUs = 24
Acres Available for Manure
÷ 22
AEUs/Acre (Animal Density)
= 1.1
Is the farm considered a Concentrated Animal Operation (CAO) or an Animal Operation (AO)? AO
Review: Are the following operations CAOs or AOs?
10 (1000 lb) horses maintained on 10 acres of pasture – year round? AO
10 (1000 lb) beef cows maintained on 2 acres of pasture – year round? CAO
4 (1000 lb) horses maintained on a 1 acre drylot – year round? AO (below 8 AEU threshold)

22. What are the regulations?
AO - produce manure
Manure Management Plan
State
AO - with an animal concentration area
Manure Management Plan and Conservation/Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
Concentrated Animal Operation (CAO) - over 8 AEUs and 2000 lbs animal per acre
Nutrient Management Plan
Conservation Plan (Erosion)
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)
- animals confined to houses and/or feedlots and exceeds PA DEP animal group thresholds
Nutrient Management Plan
Federal
Conservation Plan (Erosion)
CAFO permit

23. Certified nutrient management planner
DEP Manure Management Plan
Act 38 Nutrient Management Plan
Written By
Farmer
Certified nutrient management planner
Cost
May be of no cost to farmer
$ varies by operation
Who Needs One
Farms with livestock and/or that apply manure
Concentrated Animal Operations; Volunteer Farms
Regulates
Animal Concentration Areas
Manure Storage
Pasture
Mechanical Manure Application
Agency
Regulated by DEP/ Conservation Districts
Regulated by SCC/ Conservation Districts
Approval
None required
Approved by Conservation District Board
Liability Protection
None claimed
Limited liability for civil complaints

24. DEP Manure Management Regulations
All farms generating/using manure MUST have a Manure Management Plan
Must use the workbook provided (
Must be a written plan and include farm maps
Can be written by farmer or other non-certified individual
No submission and no approval required
Kept on site
May be required to produce the plan upon request
Must keep records
All farms in PA must have either an approved Act 38 nutrient management plan or a manure management plan. Under Act 38, CAOs are required to have a nutrient management plan prepared by a certified planner for their farm operation. The certified plan will take the place of a manure management plan.

25. Pasture Management Pastures need to be properly managed by either:
Maintaining dense vegetation with at least 3” growth during growing season (or)
Implementing a grazing plan meeting the NRCS standard
Overgrazed pastures not meeting the above requirements
Must be considered a barnyard or Animal Concentration Area (ACA)
Stream bank fencing restricting access to a stream is not required for a true pasture
In order to prevent erosion, you need to protect and cover you soil. This is achieved in pastures by maintaining YEAR ROUND vegetative cover. Managing and making sure your pastures maintain at least a 75-80% ground cover, and creating the a good canopy is critical to preventing soil loss.

26. Pasture Management Unacceptable Acceptable
The picture on the left is a pasture that lacks adequate canopy cover. Pastures that continue to lack plant cover will suffer from the effects of soil erosion. The picture on the right is a pasture that is being managed to maintain proper plant height and density.
Acceptable

27. Animal Concentration Area Management (ACA)
It is much better to construct small ACAs to protect pastures from overgrazing than to allow all of the pastures to deteriorate and become ACAs.
Animal Concentration Area Management (ACA)
Barnyards Exercise Lots Bare Animal Concentration Areas

28. ACA Management Divert upslope water
Direct polluted runoff into storage or vegetative treatment strip or system
Remove manure
No animal access to streams from an ACA except using properly constructed crossings
Keep water/feed areas away from streams
ACAs must be managed to keep clean water clean. Divert clean water away from the ACA. Direct contaminated water to vegetated buffers or treatment system.

29. Manure Storage Requirements
As of 2000, all newly built liquid and semi-solid manure storages must be: Designed by a Pa registered Professional Engineer
Larger manure storage facilities require a DEP permit
Must be maintained

30. In-Field Manure Stacking
Unimproved in-field stacking areas:
100’ from streams, water wells and sinkholes
Divert upslope water
Place the stack on less than 8% slopes
Not same place as last year
Manure must be dry to allow it to be stacked
Cover the stack if it will be there more than 120 days
Stacking on improved areas (such as in the farmstead) does not need to follow these same restrictions, just no direct runoff to waters

31. Mechanical Manure Application Setbacks
100’ manure application setbacks for
Streams, lakes, ponds, and existing open sinkholes
Private or public drinking water source
100’ may be reduced for streams, lakes, ponds
35’ with a permanent vegetative buffer
50’ with current soil tests (3 years) less than 200 ppm P and use no-till and cover crops
Pastures meeting the pasture management requirements
35’ mechanical manure application setback

32. Winter Spreading Restrictions
Defines “Winter”
Between the dates of December 15 to February 28 (or)
The ground is frozen 4 inches or more (or)
The ground is snow covered
Provides maximum application rate for the winter months
5,000 gallons per acre of liquid manure
20 tons per acre dry non-poultry manure
3 tons per acre dry poultry manure
Requires 25% plant or residue cover at application time
No winter application on slopes steeper than 15%

33. Manure Application Rates
Three options for developing manure rates:
1) Use manure application charts in workbook
Easiest but very general – not farm specific
Based on crop groups and yield, type of manure, and application method
Can use N based charts if current soil test is < 200 ppm P
Must use P based charts if current soil test is >200 ppm P or no soil test is available
Based on the phosphorus that the plants are able to remove
Approximately 1/3 N rate
These charts are found in the DEP Manure Manual Workbook.

34. Manure Application Rates
Charts are found in the back of DEP Manure Management Workbook.

35. Manure Application Rates
Three options for developing manure rates:
2) Use Nutrient Balance Sheet Worksheet
Harder but site specific
Use N based option if current soil test is < 200 ppm P
Use P based option if current soil test is >200 ppm P or no soil test is available
Approximately 1/3 N rate

36. Manure Application Rates
Three options for developing manure rates:
3.) Use the PA Phosphorus-Index
Most complex
Most flexible
Will need to use an authorized planner
N or P based on the results of the P Index

37. Help? Agencies that can help you……..
Conservation District
Penn State Extension
Natural Resource Conservation Service
Department of Environmental Protection

38. Regulations Summary… All animal farms
Manure Management Plan (pre-approved standardized format)
Written by farmer
Manure application, ACAs, pastures and barnyards
No submission, review or approval
Higher density animal farms (CAOs)
Nutrient Management Plan, more detailed
Written by certified planner
Submitted, reviewed and approved by Conservation District
Larger animal farms (CAFOs)
Nutrient Management Plan – reviewed and approved
DEP CAFO Permit

39. Donna L. Foulk dlf5@psu.edu
Extension Educator – Equine Natural Resources
Sarah M. Rihl
Equine Program Assistant
Penn State Cooperative Extension, Northampton County,
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