Animal Concentration Areas

1. Animal Concentration Areas

2. Animal Concentration Areas (ACAs) • Heavy use areas, sacrifice areas, barnyards, feedlots, loafing areas, exercise lots that will not maintain dense vegetation • Generate more environmental concern and are more heavily regulated than pastures • Why?

3. ACA Identification • Planned ACAs - Barnyards, feedlots, exercise lots, loafing areas - “Pastures” that do not meet the definition of a ‘true’ pasture - Animal confinement areas that will not maintain a growing crop. - Must be identified on map and follow regulations • Unplanned ACAs - Smaller non-vegetated animal congregation areas - Typically in pastures or part of the pasture system - Watering, feeding, and shade areas - Access lanes - Designated as an ACA on Plan and Map when there is direct flow of manure nutrients to surface water or groundwater (sinkholes)

4. Planned ACAs

5. Unplanned ACAs Which need to be addressed in the MMP?

6. ACA Management Requirements • Divert clean water flow from upslope fields, driveways, barn roofs, etc. away from the ACA • Direct or allow polluted runoff to flow from the ACA area into a storage facility or a correctly sized and well maintained vegetative filter strip • Limit animal access to surface waters to properly implemented livestock crossings - animals may not have free access to streams adjacent to or within ACAs • Keep ACAs as far away from water bodies as practical • Relocate movable structures creating animal congregation areas annually where appropriate and practical • Remove manure routinely from ACAs, where practical

7. Addressing ACA • Action to address ACA “problems” must be taken immediately • Some changes require professional design and construction - Those plans must be fully implemented within 3 years of the development date - Contact agency for assistance and document date contacted. • Immediately implement management changes that do not require professional design - Moving feeders and waterers, installing fence, removing accumulated manure, establishing vegetative buffers, etc.

8. Getting Outside Help • Depending on your situation, it might be best to get professional help from local agencies • Assist you in developing Best Management Practices (BMPs): • Diversions • Roof Runoff Management • Subsurface Drainage • Structures for Water Control

9. Erosion & Sediment Control Plan • ACAs and other soil disturbances (tillage) exceeding 5,000 sq ft, need an E & S Plan, according to Chapter 102 • However, the Manure Management Plan acts as an E &S Plan when the ACA worksheet is thoroughly completed

10. Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3, 9, 10 COMPLETE ACA INFORMATION WORKSHEET: PART 1 & 2

11. ACA Worksheets pages 9 and 10 For each ACA: • Identify ACA location • Identify BMPs: • Clean water is directed around ACA • Dirty water is directed to treatment area • Animals do not have access to surface water • Bare areas are minimized • Areas where animals congregate are away from surface water • If outside help is needed: • List date contacted • Agency contacted Fill out ACA Worksheet Part 2

12. Record Keeping

13. Recordkeeping • Manure Application Rates Record (pg. 22) • Using Appendix 1: Manure Application Rate Tables • Crop Yield Record (pg. 13) • Manure Transfer Record (pg. 14) • Manure Storage Facility Record (pg. 15)

14. Manure Application Rates Record (pg. 12) • Anyone spreading manure, must complete this worksheet

15. Crop Yield Record (pg. 13) • This worksheet needs to be completed if you have pastures, hay or other crop fields

16. Manure Transfer Record (pg.14) • Record must be completed if exporting manure

17. Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Website www.panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu • Manure Management Manual Program • Farmer Information • Manure Management Manual • Manure Management Workbook • Balance Sheets with information tables • How to calibrate the manure spreader • Pa One Stop Mapping • Agronomy Guide

18. Applying Manure

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

20. Manure Application Setbacks: Lakes, Streams and Ponds • 100 ft Setback if: • No BMPs • No Soil Test • 50 ft Setback if: • Soil Test <200 ppm P • No-till practices used • Residue or cover crop • 35 ft Setback if: • Permanent vegetated buffer

21. Sensitive Areas & Manure Application Setbacks • No mechanical manure application within 100 feet of an existing open sinkhole 100 ft 100 ft

22. Sensitive Areas & Manure Application Setbacks • No mechanical manure application: • Within 100 feet of an active private or public drinking water source • Well or a spring 100 ft 100 ft

23. Sensitive Areas & Manure Application Setbacks • No mechanical manure application within the channel of a non-vegetated concentrated water flow area • Swale, gully or a ditch

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

25. Manure Management Plan Summary (pg. 6) This summary must be completed if applying manure

26. Total Manure Production

27. Total Uncollected Manure

28. Total Collected Manure Amount of manure needed to be stored and / or spread

29. Determining Manure Application Rates Phosphorus Removal • No soil test • Phosphorus levels exceed 200 ppm • Phosphorus rates are based on the crop’s P requirements • Lower amount than N rates Nitrogen Based • Current soil test • Phosphorus levels must be below 200 ppm • Nitrogen rates are based on the crop’s N requirements • Higher amount than P rates

30. Step 1: Find the table in the back of the MMM (Appendix 1) for: • Rate basis N or P • Type of manure • Step 2: Find crop in manure type table

31. Calculating Rates for Crop Fields 15 Ton/A is the maximum amount of manure that can be applied mechanically

32. 15 T/A Maximum Manure Rate

34. Calculating Rates for Pastures

35. Calculating Rates for Pastures 10 Ton/A is the maximum amount of manure that can be applied mechanically

36. Calculating Rates for Pastures 2.3 Ton/A is the maximum amount of manure that can be applied mechanically

38. FINISH COMPLETING PLAN SUMMARY Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 6

39. Winter Application

40. Operation Information Page (p.3) • Winter Application (check yes or no) • Winter definition: • December 15 through February 28; OR • Anytime the ground is frozen at least 4 inches; • OR • Anytime that the ground is snow covered • If yes, must complete Winter Application Worksheet (p.5)

41. Winter Application Limits • Maximum of 20 tons of solid & 5000 gal of liquid manure per acre • At least 25% crop residue or established cover crop • No application to fields with slopes greater then 15% • 100 ft setback to Environmentally Sensitive Areas Cover Crop Crop Residue

42. Winter Application Worksheet (p.5) Winter application is discouraged (HIGH RISK OF LOSS)

43. 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

44. Manure Management Plan Exercise – Pg. 3 & 4 COMPLETE WINTER APPLICATION WORK SHEET

45. Penn State Equine http://das.psu.edu/equine Penn State Extension Nutrient Management Program http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu Penn State Extension Crop Management Team http://Extension.psu.edu/CMEG