If farmers have manure, DEP requires a management plan.
The Armstrong Conservation District is hosting a Manure Management Planning Workshop in the Kittanning office tonight from 5-8PM.
Conservation Representative Jessica Schaub explained the necessity of having a manure management plan.
“In 2011, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) made some changes to Chapter 91 of the Clean Streams Law where they require that every farm operation in Pennsylvania that applies manure, regardless of its size, is required to have and implement a written manure management plan,” Schaub said. “If they generate manure on the farm or receive it from somebody else, even if you don’t have animals on your property, but you are a crop farmer, and take your neighbor’s manure, you still need to have a manure management plan.”
Schaub said there is a manual online or farmers can get a copy of the manual by coming to the workshop tonight.
“If you come to my free Manure Management Plan Workshop, you will get a workbook that needs to fill out. It’s made up of 7different sections.
Schaub said her job at the Armstrong Conservation District is to educate the public on what is a Manure Management Plan and actually help them through each one of these steps in the manual to complete their manure management plan.
Schaub said the workbook is easy to fill out.
“It’s actually a very nice workbook. There’s examples of everything in there and it’s nicely described for the land owner. It’s easy to follow. And, if the person were to get more complicated to where if you have many different manure groups and if you have many different crops you use. Then, it can get a little more complicated, but I’m here at the Conservation District. I know how to write a Manure Management Plan. I’d be more than happy to help anybody that would need help doing those calculations.
Schaub expects about 20 people to attend the workshop tonight in Suite 5 Conservation Conference Room between the Courthouse and Fox’s Pizza. For more information, call Ms. Schaub at 724-545-3628.