ARS | Publication request: COST EFFECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL MANURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING IMPLEMENTATION AND FOSTERING INNOVATION.

Submitted to: Scientific and Technical Review
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: September 30, 2004
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Dairies are under increased pressure to address air and water quality impacts. However, effective and economically advantageous management practices and technologies, designed to handle manure in environmentally sounds ways, do exist. These practices are being tested and used successfully on dairies across the U. S. In recognition of the need for technology transfer and policies that support innovation, two nonprofit environmental organizations, Sustainable Conservations and Environmental Defense, teamed up to form a National Dairy Environmental Stewardship Council (NDESC), a group of manure management specialists from dairy producer and environmental organizations, USDA, USEPA, academic researchers and extensions agencies. The objective of the NDESC was to identify innovative and successful dairy waste treatment options that are both environmentally beneficial and economically viable, and to recommend strategies for increased adoptions of these practices. The NDESC focused on technology or practices that warrant increased promotion and adoption, as well as those that are promising and worthy of further research. The outcome of these efforts is a final report, available online at http://www.suscon.org/dairies/ndesc.asp, that highlights the most promising dairy waste treatment options for various regions and dairy farm sizes, successful models for implementation, and policy strategies to promote wider adoption.