A review of regulations and guidelines related to winter manure application

• Published in: Ambio Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 657 - 670
• Main Authors: Liu, Jian, Kleinman, Peter J. A., Aronsson, Helena, Flaten, Don, McDowell, Richard W., Bechmann, Marianne, Beegle, Douglas B., Robinson, Timothy P., Bryant, Ray B., Liu, Hongbin, Sharpley, Andrew N., Veith, Tamie L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Science + Business Media 01.10.2018; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Animal production; Animals; Atmospheric Sciences; Case studies; Developed countries; Developing countries; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental Management; Environmental Sciences; Farmers; Government Regulation; Guidelines; Guidelines as Topic; LDCs; Management; Manure; Manures; Markvetenskap; Miljövetenskap; Nitrogen; Nutrient loss; Phosphorus; Physical Geography; Regulation; Regulations; REVIEW; Seasons; Soil Science; Storage; Water Quality; Winter; Manure management regulations; Winter manure application; Animal production; Nutrient management; Eutrophication
• ISSN: 0044-7447; 1654-7209; 1654-7209
• DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1012-4

Winter manure application elevates nutrient losses and impairment of water quality as compared to manure applications in other seasons. In conjunction with reviewing global distribution of animal densities, we reviewed worldwide mandatory regulations and voluntary guidelines on efforts to reduce off-site nutrient losses associated with winter manure applications. Most of the developed countries implement regulations or guidelines to restrict winter manure application, which range from a regulative ban to guidelines based upon weather and field management conditions. In contrast, developing countries lack such official directives, despite an increasing animal production industry and concern over water quality. An analysis of five case studies reveals that directives are derived from a common rationale to reduce off-site manure nutrient losses, but they are also affected by local socio-economic and biophysical considerations. Successful programs combine site-specific management strategies along with expansion of manure storage to offer farmers greater flexibility in winter manure management.