Co-Authored by PRO-DAIRY and Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA)

We are in a season that is very risky time for manure applications.While this winter has offered  conditions we have not had for severalyears, please take care to follow winter and wet weather manure spreading guidance and follow the winter spreading plans in your CNMP.  

Weather across New York over the next few days will cover the gamut between additional snow fall, warming temps that are conducive to major thawing events, rain and more freezing conditions. Rainfall on snowpack will saturate soils and creates a high risk for significant runoff. And in many locations this year, concrete frost means many fields are still frozen and unable to infiltrate snowmelt, precipitation or manure applications. Care should be taken when deciding if, when and where to make manure applications.  Monitoring fields for runoff from prior applications is also advised.

Beyond the coming days and with spring on its way, farms are poised to move a lot of manure in the weeks ahead. Before transferring manure to fields, check soil conditions, tile outlets and weather forecast to see if prohibited or high-risk conditions are present or if heavy or persistent rain is in the forecast. During wet weather, the CAFO Permit indicates that the Revised Winter and Wet Weather Guidelines should be followed. 

Manure may not be applied to saturated or frozen-saturated soils and conditions are considered to be "high risk" when significant rain is forecast within 48 hours and when tile outlets are flowing at least moderately from field drainage. Fields for application should be selected carefully in these conditions and in accordance with your CNMP.  If unsure, contact your planner for help. It is always a good idea to monitor tile outlets during application.

For permitted CAFO farms, the overtopping of a storage is a permit violation and requires the storage be re-evaluated by a Professional Engineer before it can be put back into service.

Additionally, any emergency applications of nutrients must be made in accordance with the farm's Emergency Action Plan and monitored for runoff. Discharges to surface waters; applications above the single manure application rate discussed in Part III.A.8.b of the ECL CAFO general permit (GP-0-22-001); and any storage overtopping must be reported to NYSDEC within 24 hours verbally and in writing within five days. If nutrients must be applied, they should be injected or incorporated if possible to minimize offsite movement.  

If a CAFO finds itself in an emergency situation, the farm should discuss with their AEM certified planner other interim solutions that may be available to the farm to alleviate the emergency.

Winter and Wet Weather Manure Spreading Guidelines