03--2010 - Dealing with the Mud
Dealing with the Mud
By JB Harrold NRCS Somerset, PA
Well for most of us mud season is just around the corner. You know the greasy, sticky, aggravating mud that affects us, our livestock, our equipment, and our environment. I recall rescuing my six-year-old son last year after he lost a boot next to the round bale feeder. He said, “Dad you need some concrete!”
We all dream of a winter that would provide frozen ground with little snow. That never happens! We always warm up and get moisture at some point. No one has invented the perfect solution for mud management at this point and every situation is different. Basically I think you have three choices: 1)feed on the pastures and move the feed around trying not to destroy too much; 2)use a sacrifice lot and deal with the mud; or 3)install a stabilized feeding area. Each option has pros and cons.
Feeding on pasture can work to a degree in the right situation. Pastures with well drained soils are the only way to go. Avoid feeding in swales, waterways, and wet areas. Place the feed at a different location every time you feed. Some people have good success unrolling bales when they feed. Livestock are not congregated around a feeder which tends to reduce trampling. Good, stable access roads are needed to deliver feed to the field unless the hay is preplaced before winter and livestock access is controlled with temporary fencing.
A sacrifice lot can work if properly placed. This prevents the chance of destroying all the pastures on the farm. Again, use well drained soils and avoid swales, waterways, and wet areas. Keep back from streams, ponds, and ditches. Look at surface water around the site and try to divert it around the sacrifice area. If you’re near buildings use roof runoff management and diversions/water bars to prevent surface water from entering these areas. Roofs can add a lot of unwanted water to a sacrifice lot and create even more mud. Be sure to have a large grass buffer below the sacrifice area to filter any runoff. Keep the public in mind when selecting this sacrifice lot. As famers, we are selling a product to the public. If the public drives by our farms and they see clean livestock with neat farmsteads and no environmental issues, they do not say much. But if they drive by and see a disaster area with livestock standing in mud up to their bellies, we all get a bad name and government agencies often get calls about these sites, with the public demanding answers. So the old saying, “out of sight, out of mind” should be kept in mind when selecting a site. Consider planting a tree buffer to shield the view and help filter odor and runoff from these areas. At the end of winter, collect and spread the manure/mud/wasted feed according to your nutrient management plan or nutrient balance sheets. Soil test the grass buffer to determine nutrient levels and monitor for build-ups of nutrients. The sacrifice area should be rotated each year if at all possible.
A stabilized feeding area is the most expensive but convenient option. These pads are used for feeding the livestock and are usually constructed of gravel, concrete, or recently flyash. These pads usually have associated practices such as animal trails and walkways, access roads, pad runoff control measures, and surface water controls. Livestock are typically not locked on this pad all winter, but provisions are made to do that during wet muddy conditions. These pad sites must be selected carefully and should involve the Conservation District and NRCS offices. Management of these pads is also critical. Consider how you will handle the manure from this area. If there is a lot of waste hay or bedding, you may have dry stackable manure. If a lot of balage or silage is fed and no bedding is used, you will have a slurry manure to handle. Many times I have seen a beef farm install a feed pad that has always had dry stackable manure. They install the pad, do not use bedding and the resulting slurry manure can’t be handled by their box spreader. They either have to modify their spreader or invest in a new manure spreader to handle slurry. Many times a manure storage is installed with the pad. The type of storage will be dictated by the type of manure. Manure should be periodically scraped and either stored or applied according to your nutrient management plan. If a gravel pad is used, maintenance will be needed. The gravel pad will wear around the feeders, where equipment turns, and from scraping and collecting manure. Be sure to factor this maintenance cost into your decision when installing a gravel feed pad.
No matter what option you choose to deal with the mud, site selection is critical. Conservation District and NRCS personnel can help you with this task and many other conservation issues. Contact your local office for on-the-farm assistance.

02--2010 - A Look at Foodshed Systems
Article written by Alison Hastings, Sr. Environmental Planner, DVRPC


The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) recently completed the Greater Philadelphia Food System Study, a project that evaluates the food system that serves the nine counties of Greater Philadelphia. This study looked at a broad range of food supply issues, such as agricultural production trends, natural resource constraints, the origins and destinations of food imports and exports, and the significance of the food economy. For the purposes of this study, DVRPC defined the metropolitan area's "foodshed" as a 100-mile radius from a center point in downtown Philadelphia.
Findings of significance include:
• The nine-county region cannot subsist on local foods alone because Greater Philadelphia's food demand is greater than the 100-Mile Foodshed's food supply.
• Local agriculture benefits from Philadelphia's consumer markets; but the DVRPC nine-county region is losing viable farmland each year to inefficient land use.
• The Greater Philadelphia region has fewer aggregate food dollars than other nearby metro areas. This increases our food supply deficit, as some suppliers prefer selling food for higher prices in the New York and Washington D.C. metro areas and not in the DVRPC nine-county region.
• An American culture of cheap, processed, and convenient food has led to a culture of unhealthy eating.
• Recently, efforts to strengthen the regional food system have been gaining momentum. Interest in local foods, land trusts, and urban agriculture are all indicative of positive changes for the nine-county region.

DVRPC became interested in food system planning through its open space protection and farmland preservation initiatives – important growth management tools that protect natural resources, focus future growth in appropriate places, and make the metropolitan area more livable. Through this work, DVRPC interacted with many farmers who were interested in preserving their land or staying in farming while the region continues to suburbanize. Many farmers said, “You can preserve the farm, but you cannot preserve the farmer.”
DVRPC recognizes the need to ensure the vitality and viability of the agricultural industry as a more comprehensive growth management strategy; and the Commission quickly learned that food system planning is a comprehensive field that tries to better understand the complicated processes that produce, process, distribute, prepare, sell, and dispose of food, as well as the societal implications of economic development, environmental conservation, fairness, food access, health, and hunger.
DVRPC's Greater Philadelphia Food System Study will be followed by the Plan for a More Sustainable Food System, to be completed in the summer of 2010.The plan will use the results of the study to identify recommendations for improvement and create a vision for a more sustainable and resilient food system for Greater Philadelphia.
For more information, visit www.dvrpc.org/food.
DELAWARE VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION

DVRPC is dedicated to uniting the region’s elected officials, planning professionals and the public with the common vision of making a great region even greater. Shaping the way we live, work and play, DVRPC builds consensus on improving transportation, promoting smart growth, protecting the environment, and enhancing the economy. We serve a diverse region of nine counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer in New Jersey. DVRPC is the official metropolitan planning organization for the Greater Philadelphia Region - leading the way to a better future. DVRPC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. For more information, visit www.dvrpc.org.

01--2010 - Horse Rescues: What You Should Ask Before Donating
Horse Rescues: What You Should Ask Before Donating
By Ann Swinker, Penn State University Extension Horse Specialist and Unwanted Horse Coalition Member

We have all heard the stories were animals needed to be rescues form the rescues. So if you want to become involved, how do you know if the organization you are interested in helping is on the “Up and Up.”

We all know that when the economy falls on hard times, animals are among the first to suffer. Numerous media reports suggest that the problem of unwanted horses is growing. We can all argue about why the numbers are increasing, but the current state of the economy has left many horse owners in serious financial hardship, forcing them to make the decision to part with their horses. The problem is that these horses need a place to go. Reports from the Unwanted Horse Coalition, founded by the American Horse Council, reports that there at not enough horse rescues for all of the unwanted horses in this country.
Horse Rescues are always in need of donations of funding and volunteer help. While a donation of money, feed, hay, and other supplies is an urgent need for rescues, nothing can replace adoption. If you are interested in taking in a horse, or in the market to buy one, why not check out the adoptable horses first?
If you want to make a tax deductable donation you must first determine if the facility is eligible for that status. Is the organization an entity exempt from federal tax under Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code? Does it file IRS Form 990 and forms required by the state? If a facility has gone through the trouble of receiving tax exempt status, it is an indication that they are serious about their rescue/retirement/rehabilitation efforts.
If you are donating a horse, as a responsible and concerned horse owner, you want to make sure they will be well cared for and happy in their future endeavors. There are many options out there if you have to give your horse away, but before you settle on one you must know the right questions to ask any organization. First, make it a point to visit the facility and have a look around. What are the physical characteristics of the facility? Does the facility provide horses with ample room to move about and graze? Do the horses have easy access to suitable drinking water? What type of shelter is provided for the horses? Every facility will not be picture perfect, but having your horse’s basic needs provided for in a safe environment is what matters. As you’re looking around, write down any questions you might have about what you see.
You should know an organization’s mission statement. See if they have a website and check it out. If so, how does the website compare with your first hand visit to the facility? How long has the facility been in operation? Do they have a board of directors? If so, who are they? Have any welfare charges been brought against the facility? You must know an organization’s specific means and goals. Also, does the facility provide routine and emergency veterinary and dental care and farrier needs?
Some rescues may only take Thoroughbred horses off the track, some may not accept horses that are owner initiated surrenders and some may be a horse sanctuary only. Make sure you understand what type of organization the facility is. If you know of a facility near you and cannot give your horse to them due to these specific limitations, still ask them for helpful suggestions they may have connections with other facilities.
Follow up with the new owners to ensure the horse is being properly cared for? What becomes of the horse when the adopter or the foster care giver no longer wants the horse? You may want to visit your horse from time to time. Ask if this is allowed and if they will let you know when your horse is transferred to a new owner. Also, there may come a time when you are able to have a horse again. Find out what their policy is on an original owner taking his/her horse back. If the facility cannot place your horse in a new home, will they euthanize the horse? If so, will you be notified before hand?
If the organization is a rescue/retirement/rehabilitation facility, ask if they will try to place your horse into foster care. If the facility does use foster care, ask how the homes are screened. If the facility only adopts horses out, ask what the requirements are for adoption. Does the facility Does the facility train or retrain the acquired horses and then sell them for profit? While there is nothing wrong with this, it is something you should definitely know. Many organizations may sell a horse for profit after they put the time, money and energy into rehabilitating it. If they don’t resell the horses, most organizations must charge a low adoption fee which covers the horse’s basic care.
Before donating or giving your horse to any organization, it is your responsibility to know the facts.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners laid out general guidelines for operating facilities called “Care Guidelines for Rescue and Retirement Facilities.” There are several resources that can be accessed through the Unwanted Horse Coalitions (UHC) “Own responsibly” handbook by going to www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org Information presented in this article was taken from articles developed by the UHC web site. The UHC is a broad alliance of equine organizations that have joined together under the American Horse Council to reduce the numbers of unwanted horses and help horse owners understand the various options, services and assistance available to them when they are considering what to do with a horse they can no longer care for. The coalition’s website has information on the issue of the unwanted horse.
This series is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Ombudsman Program, which serves state-wide as a liaison to communities for conflict management on issues affecting agriculture, land use, environment and planning. Contact information: Shelly Dehoff, Lancaster County Conservation District 717-880-0848 or shelly.dehoff@gmail.com –or--Beth Futrick, Blair County Conservation District 814-696-0877 or bfutrick@blairconservationdistrict.org

########

10--2009 - Celebrate Farm City Week: November 20-26, 2009
Celebrate Farm City Week: November 20-26, 2009

By: MeeCee Baker, PhD

The week before Thanksgiving has been consistently designated Farm City Week by White House proclamation since 1955 when President Eisenhower initiated the recognition. The intent of the celebration is to help Farm and City neighbors gain a greater understanding and appreciation for our interdependence. Since that time, the Farm City movement has been adopted in varying formats across the nation.

Traditionally, job exchanges and evening banquets featuring elected officials have been popular during Farm City Week. More recently, school based agricultural literacy programs hosted by farm and youth organizations have gained in popularity. Further, the Agritainment trend (hay rides, corn mazes, pick your own stands, et. al.) now help Pennsylvanian’s mark Farm City Week.

National Farm City Week organization is provided by Farm Bureau. Readers can glean ideas for event planning as well as purchase materials to assist their efforts at the web site www.farmcity.org or by calling 202.406.3706. In addition, the web site hosts fun facts, contact information, and applications for groups to nominate their Farm City Week affairs for recognition.

Several outstanding Farm City programs are held annually throughout the Commonwealth. Lawrence County holds a large scale event for all fourth grade students. The pupils participate in rotating workshops that focus on hands-on activities. The Berlin Brothers Valley area has historically hosted exceptional events as well. Perhaps there are others. Feel free to contact me, the PA Farm City Coordinator, at mbaker@versantstrategies.net or 717.635.2320 to share ideas or ask for assistance.

A National Farm City Symposium is set for November 19, 2009, in Indianapolis. The conference’s high light will be a forum addressing facts and myths of animal production. A topic not doubt formulated in response to California’s Proposition 2. Registrations are open to the public. Again check the web site or call either number above for more information.

Perhaps Farm City Week is needed now more than ever. With fewer and fewer people understanding the basics of agriculture, fallacies regarding production abound in popular press. Even if not participating in a formal Farm City happening, consider taking the time to regularly talk to our more urban brothers and sisters about the agricultural bounty that feeds the world. At the same time, ask about their lifestyles and careers. Better understanding leads to greater appreciation and ultimately accomplishes the founding purpose of Farm City Week.

09--2009 - The Benefits of Buffers
The Benefits of Buffers
Beth Futrick

Riparian Buffers do not discriminate. They function as a stream protector no matter where they are planted. They also provide benefits to their community no matter who lives upslope from them. In Pennsylvania, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, stream buffer establishment is typically associated with agricultural conservation. Excluding livestock from the stream and planting a buffer helps reduce sediment and nutrients from the entering the waterway. However, there are other land uses in the communities that play a part in the sediment and nutrient pollution found in streams. Over fertilized lawns and golf courses can add nutrients into waterways. Roads and parking lots can contribute to sediment and other pollution runoff, and eroded stream-banks significantly add sediment to the stream.
Buffers benefit streams by slowing storm-water runoff, soaking up nutrients, shading and cooling the water, and providing food for aquatic bugs and fish. There are benefits buffers bring to a community as well. Clean water is something every town, city, and rural community wants. But what do clean streams really do for us.
Water Treatment - Communities can spend millions of dollars treating their municipal’s water supply. Sediment, nutrients, and other contaminates flow off our yards, parking lots, farm fields and construction sites. These contaminates must be removed before the water makes its way into our drinking supply. The more energy the water authority puts into removing contaminates, the more expensive it becomes to provide safe drinking water. Forested buffers trap sediment and take up nutrients from upland runoff. Riparian buffers can help reduce the amount of contaminates entering the stream.
Flood Protection – Floods are a natural occurrence, and while riparian buffers do not prevent flooding, they can be part of flood control. A heavy sediment buildup in a stream is usually caused from upstream erosion. The sediment fills in the streambed and pushes the stream outside its banks. Buffers help reduce downstream sediment depositions. Buffers also provide an area in the floodplain to capture and retain stormwater runoff. The trees, shrubs and grasses in the buffer will slow the speed of the flooded stream. The root system of the vegetation acts like a sponge and will soak in the floodwater. This retention of storm runoff helps reduce the amount of water in the stream.
Outdoor Recreation – The economic impact of angling is significant in Pennsylvania. It is important to maintain our pristine trout stream and restore other streams to their full potential. Fine silt from erosion can damage the fish population by destroying spawning sites. Silt can also damage fish by clogging their gills. Riparian buffers help keep water clean by trapping sediment and reducing the amount of silt entering the stream. Forested riparian areas also provide a food source for the bugs in the stream. Fallen leaves make their way to the stream bottom and become food for aquatic bugs. These aquatic bugs are the main food source for fish. Trees also shade the stream and cool the water. A healthy trout stream requires cool water temperatures, leaf debris, and limited amount of sediment.
Riparian areas provide food, shelter, and travel corridors for other wildlife such as game birds and deer. Hunting is also an important revenue source for Pennsylvania. Protecting buffers help protect wildlife habitat. There are also a variety of other outdoor activities we enjoy in Pennsylvania. Hiking, canoeing, swimming, and bird watching can all take place in a healthy riparian buffer and stream system.
The streams and rivers that flow through our farms, backyards, and cities can benefit from a riparian buffer. Forested buffers can enhance any community by improving water quality, reducing sedimentation and nutrients, lessening flood damage, and providing clean water for work and play.

This series is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Ombudsman Program, which serves state-wide as a liaison to communities for conflict management on issues affecting agriculture, land use, environment and planning. Contact information: Shelly Dehoff, Lancaster County Conservation District 717-880-0848 or shelly.dehoff@gmail.com –or--Beth Futrick, Blair County Conservation District 814-696-0877 or bfutrick@blairconservationdistrict.org

*********************************************************

07-01-2009 - Cover Your Soil for Profit and Clean Water
Cover Your Soil for Profit and Clean Water
Beth Futrick

Here we are in midsummer already and the spring rush is over. The corn is planted and the first cutting of hay is in the barn. This is a good time to start thinking about a fall cover crop planting. Finding the time to plan ahead for a cover crop is sometimes a challenge for producers. Taking the extra time to plan a cover crop could payoff later. To begin with, cover crops have a variety of agronomic benefits that can improve productivity by improving organic matter, reducing soil compaction, and suppressing weeds.

Using cover crops can also help improve water quality by reducing sediment erosion and limiting nutrient runoff or leaching from cropland. Sediment and high levels of nutrients are considered a pollutant and are detrimental to a stream’s ecosystem. Cover crops can also hold onto nutrients and prevent nitrogen from leaching into groundwater.

Producers don’t want to lose valuable soil or nitrogen. In the end, this loss can hurt production. But, finding the time and money to plant a cover crop is difficult for most farmers. This is why it is important to examine the economic benefits of using cover crops in a rotation. Is planting a cover crop worth the time and money? The money invested in seed purchase and planting costs can increase production expenses. The time associated with cover crop management is also a cost to the producer. However, selecting and managing specific cover crop species can offset other farm cost such as nitrogen fertilizer and herbicide purchases. The cover crop investment return may not be noticeable in the short term. The main monetary benefit of a cover crop is seen through the improvement of soil quality. Using cover crops over multiple growing seasons can certainly enhance a producer’s bottom line.

To improve water quality, any type of cover crop is better than nothing. Having vegetative material covering the soil’s surface reduces impact rain has on the soil. When soil takes a direct hit from rain drops, the soil particles are loosened, carried off the field, and deposited into waterways as sediment. Usually nutrients are carried off with the sediment and can have an additional negative impact on streams. Cover crops also provide a root system that holds the soil in a field after the cash crop has been removed. A well established root system will take up extra nutrients and reduce the potential for nitrogen leaching and contaminating groundwater. However, for producers to gain specific agronomic improvements, selecting the right cover crop species is important. To increase cropland productivity, select a cover crop to address the needs in the field. This is the first step in seeing the full potential of a cover crop in a rotation. For example, planting barley as a cover crop can suppress weeds by establishing quickly and shading out the competition. Planting radish can help relieve soil compaction by creating large taproot holes. A legume such as red clover or hairy vetch can increase the nitrogen available for the following crop. And, if too much nitrogen is a problem, annual ryegrass, cereal rye, or oats can recapture and use the excess nutrients. Selecting the right cover crop species can improve soil quality and productivity. A good resource and management tool to help with selection is a book published by Sustainable Agriculture Network from Beltsville MD titled “Managing Cover Crops Profitably”. This book outlines the benefits and management of a number of cover crop species ranging from Annual Ryegrass to Woollypod Vetch.

A profitable cover crop program requires good planning and understanding the different management and agronomical characteristics of cover crop varieties. Producers can find technical support from their local extension agent, conservation district, or NRCS technician. Producers can also find support and increase their knowledge about cover crops by attending workshops and conferences. To learn more about cover crop managment and water quality this summer, attend the Cover Your Soil for Profit and Clean Water Conference. The conference will be held at The Park in Morrison’s Cove, Martinsburg, PA on August 6th from 8:00am – 3:30pm. The first 50 people registered will receive a free copy of the Sustainable Agriculture Network book “Managing Cover Crops Profitably”. Two of the speakers scheduled for this event are Jim Hoorman from Ohio State Extension and Dr. Jack Meisinger with United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. Both will discuss how managing cover crops will improve soil and water quality. For more information call Beth Futrick at 814-696-0877 or visit the PA Agricultural Ombudsman website: www.agombudsman.com

This series is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Ombudsman Program, which serves state-wide as a liaison to communities for conflict management on issues affecting agriculture, land use, environment and planning. Contact information: Shelly Dehoff, Lancaster County Conservation District 717-880-0848 or shelly.dehoff@gmail.com –or--Beth Futrick, Blair County Conservation District 814-696-0877 or bfutrick@blairconservationdistrict.org

*********************************************************

05--2009 - The Smickville Cheese Plant – Supporting Local Agriculture
The infrastructure that supports agriculture is important to the development of food and fiber in our country. But maintaining agricultural infrastructure can become a challenge for small rural businesses. A community-owned cheese plant in Smicksburg, Indiana County faced an infrastructure challenge when the costs for disposal of the plant’s effluent became too expensive. The plant closed and the Amish community lost the only viable market for their dairy cows’ milk.

The closure had a ripple effect in the community. The closure of the plant was pressuring the Amish families to consider relocating. The town had become a tourist destination drawing thousands of visitors each year to the quaint Amish community to patronize the local shops, restaurants, and wineries. The loss of the “horse and buggy” community represented a serious economic threat to Indiana and the surrounding counties.

A team of community members rallied and found an innovative solution that led to reopening the cheese plant. A local businessman, Ed Evans and his wife Bobbi Jo purchased the cheese plant. They worked with the Indiana County Office of Planning and Development, the county commissioners, the Small Business Development Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the Department of Agriculture, Rep. Sam Smith, Sen. Don White, the Penn State Extension Office, and the Indiana County Conservation District to help get the cheese factory up and running.

To reopen the plant, Ed was faced with the expensive obstacle of disposing or treating the cheese plant’s waste water. The whey removed during the cheese process is considered a waste product and a potential environmental problem. A proper disposal method is needed when whey leaves the plant. Ed turned to Jim Resh from the Indiana County Conservation District to help him find a financially sound process to remove the whey. Jim knew a perfect place to dispose the waste material.

A year prior to Ed opening the plant, Jim was assisting a dairy producer, Keith George, with the installation of an on-farm methane digester. Keith is in partnership with his brother Kevin and William his father. They own and operate Brookside Dairy in Homer City, a neighboring town just a few miles south of Smicksburg. A methane digester is a system that generates electricity using the bio-gases from cow manure.

Brookside Dairy’s digester is fueled by 10,000 gallons of manure and animal bedding contributed daily by the farm's 450 Holstein cows. Keith had noticed the manure coming out of the barn was too dry for the digester pumps. The system requires a slurry material to work effectively so Keith needed to add water to the manure.

Jim Resh approached Keith about using liquid whey and wash-water from Ed Evans’ cheese plant to help off-set the amount of water needed to run the digester. Keith agreed and is now taking in 12,000 to 18,000 gallons of waste water weekly from the plant.


The Georges do not charge the Evans’ a tipping fee because the waste water significantly reduced his water usage. Keith also noted the whey water provides a better food source for the bacteria than manure alone. The boost in the bacteria population has increase the methane production by eight percent. The Brookside digester is steadily making 80 kilowatts of electricity an hour, and operates more than 99 percent of the time. The farm's monthly electricity bills were $4,000 to $4,500 before the digester was installed. With the digester, Keith’s monthly electric bill is in the $300 range, and only comes during the summer months when the barn ventilation fans are in use.

The cheese factory is up and running. The Evans named the plant the Smicksburg Community Cheese. Bobbi Jo Evans said. "It's named Smicksburg Community Cheese because that's the reason - it’s for the community." They are pleased to be able to provide a reliable market for their Amish neighbors and reestablish a cornerstone of the local economy.

The Smicksburg Community Cheese takes in 90,000 pounds of milk per week from 52 Amish farms in Indiana, Armstrong, and Cambria Counties. They make 9000 pounds of cheese per week. The Evans, their children, and extended family members run the business. They also have six full-time and three part-time employees.

They create 22 different types of cheeses regularly. The product is sold in the Evans' storefront and other local stores. The cheese can also be purchased through their website and shipped across the country.

The next step for Ed is to work on marketing the cheese and find more local stores to carry their product and recruit new farmers to join their team.

03--2009 - Air Quality Improvements in Pennsylvania
Air Quality Improvements in Pennsylvania

Over the past few decades Pennsylvania farming has evolved from numerous farms across the state with few animal numbers, to fewer, bigger farms with high animal numbers. Farmland is being developed at a staggering rate, and we are seeing more people who have no experience with agriculture buying homes that are in close proximity to farming operations. Neighboring home-owners may have little or no connection to agriculture and little tolerance for the odors emitted from animal facilities or manure applications. Farm odors are usually made-up of both volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). These odor compounds attach to dust particles and drift off the farm and into the surrounding neighborhoods.

This year there are many initiatives developed in Pennsylvania to help the agricultural industry reduce odors. There is a state and federal program in place that will help farmers continue delivering our food from field to table but also help curtail complaints from their non-farmer neighbors. There is also an educational series available through Penn State University. The series is intended to help inform agency personal and those involved with Pennsylvania’s agricultural businesses about new research and development on air quality technology.

Pennsylvania’s new Odor Management regulation became effective February 27, 2009. The Odor Management regulations affect CAO and CAFO operation that build or expand an animal barn or manure storage. An odor management plan will be developed on each mandated farm. An evaluation is conducted during the plan development to determine potential off-farm odor impacts and lists what odor management practices must be implemented to reduce those odor impacts. The regulations do not address odors relating to land applications of manure nor existing operations; however existing agricultural operation may volunteer to participate in the state’s odor management program. For more information contact Karl Dymond at (570) 836-2181 or at kdymond@state.pa.us.

The federal program in place is not a direct odor management program but is developed to help improve air quality. The Pennsylvania Natural Resource Conservation Service’s “Air Quality Initiative” is a program that encompasses more than just odor management. The Air Quality Initiative is intended to reduce levels of fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and 8 hour Surface Ozone (O3) which can indirectly improve odor emissions from farms. This program was brought about by the Clean Air Act Amendments passed in 1990. The Act directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish nationwide standards for the quality of air that we breathe. These standards require the reduction in levels of fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and 8 hour Surface Ozone (O3). The dust generated from farms is a contributing factor to the rising levels of Particulate Matter. As mentioned earlier, dust is the mechanism that carries odor compounds off the farm. Surface ozone is formed from the odor compounds known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Also mentioned before VOC is an odor producing chemical generated from farming activities. High levels surface ozone is generically known as smog and has the potential to negatively affect the respiratory health of some individuals.


Twenty-one of Pennsylvania's counties currently do not meet EPA’s air quality standards These counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Berks, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Chester, Clearfield, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Montgomery, Washington, Westmoreland, and York.

To help the agricultural communities in these identified counties, the Natural Resource Conservation Service is offering the Air Quality Initiative EQIP program that provides both technical and financial assistance to farmers with existing operations. The program funding is eligible to help with the installation of practices that will mitigate manure odor from land application, manure storages, and existing facilities. For more information visit http://www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/Air_Quality/Ag_Air.html or contact Gwendolyn Crews, Resource Conservationist, Pennsylvania NRCS Air Quality Contact, at 717-237-2218.

Pennsylvania State University is supporting odor reduction endeavors by offering a weekly webinar series entitle "Manure Du Jour”. This is an educational program intended for conservationists working for various agencies, but producers, agribusiness professionals, consultants and the general public are also welcome to participate.

"Air Quality – The Issues" is the theme for the series that runs from March 11 through April 16. Join in to listen to experts from across the state discuss methods, new technology and solutions for odor management. Details for accessing the webinar are found at the Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center’s Website at aec.cas.psu.edu or by visiting breeze.psu.edu/AgEnv. To access the webinar, participants will need a computer with high-speed internet connection. Those who do not have access are encouraged to contact their county Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

This series is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Ombudsman Program, which serves state-wide as a liaison to communities for conflict management on issues affecting agriculture, land use, environment and planning. Contact information: Shelly Dehoff, Lancaster County Conservation District 717-880-0848 or shelly.dehoff@verizon.net –or--Beth Futrick, Blair County Conservation District 814-696-0877 or bfutrick@blairconservationdistrict.org