Manure land application in winter requires extra care

Land-applying livestock manure in winter requires much greater attention to locations and weather.
The main concern comes from insufficient incorporation into the soil and runoff from frozen and snow-covered soil.
For large livestock farms with state or federal operating permits (NPDES or SDS permits), land application of liquid manure is prohibited after Nov. 30 on frozen or snow-covered soils, unless an emergency application is approved.
However, unlike last winter's early freeze-up, some current measures at a 6-inch depth show soil temperatures at or even above freezing.
When planning to land apply either solid or liquid manure, applicators should always check soil conditions and weather forecasts.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture provides a webpage with links to soil temperature sites around the state.
Regardless of whether or not they have an operating permit, all livestock operations need to follow the Minnesota 7020 rules.
During winter land application they must maintain a 300-foot setback from all sensitive features and use other best management practices to prevent manure from running off, and preserving its nutrient value for next year’s crop.
For more information see the fact sheet, "Managing manure land application during adverse weather conditions."
 Wisconsin farmers have access to the Manure Management System Advisory System map, which provides real-time weather information about runoff risk. The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture is working on a similar map.
Some common sense best management practices include:
•Manure is applied more than 300 feet from sensitive features including lakes, streams, open tile inlets, sinkholes, water supply wells, mines and quarries, intermittent streams, un-bermed drainage ditches, or public water wetlands;
•No active snowmelt is occurring that can create runoff from an application field. Active snowmelt is deemed to be occurring if there are two or more inches of snow on the field and maximum temperatures that exceed 40 degrees are occurring or are predicted to exceed 40 degrees within 24 hours of spreading manure;
•No rainfall over 0.25 inches is predicted by the National Weather Service with a probability greater than 50 percent within 24 hours of the end of the application period;
•Slopes should be less than or equal to six percent on the entire portion of the field where manure is land applied.
•Water or ice should not occupy tillage furrows to the extent that additional snowmelt or precipitation cannot be contained between furrows or in other depressional storage areas within the field. 
Questions on winter manure application can be directed toward the Rock County SWCD/Land Management Office at 507-283-8862 ext. 4.