Politics of Manure

Government Regulation Discussed at North American Manure Expo

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The North American Manure Expo made its first Canadian appearance at the University of Guelph’s Arkell Research Station this past week. Discussion revolved around best practices for manure application, technology and equipment.

The theme “Getting it Right: Precision Manure Application” attracted attendees from across North America, and even Europe. The demonstrations featured the latest manure application equipment and technology which attracted large crowds of agricultural producers and industry experts.

Besides all the equipment talk, there was some dialogue about the politics of manure.  One of the presentations at the expo discussed the role governments can play when dictating manure application. Walkter Veenhuis explained European rules governing manure application and the important role manure injection has played in the industry.

While injection isn’t a widely common practice among North American producers, Veenhuis said its benefits should be considered. EU regulation requires farmers to apply manure through injection on both grasslands and arable land.  Regulators enforce standards by measuring injection depth and keeping track of the frequency of application. Farmers were urged to take note of EU policies, suggesting that it is only a matter of time before regulations are ramped up in Canada and the United States.