Buying or selling manure may sound straightforward, but liquid manure adds a layer of complexity due to specific regulatory requirements. Unlike solid manure, which is generally covered by more straightforward guidelines provided by 200A, liquid manure requires coordination with a farm's management plan, especially if the seller's operation has more than 500 animal units.
Here's a breakdown of the requirements and steps for selling
liquid manure.
1. Understand the Role of the Manure Management Plan (MMP)
Liquid manure applications are tightly regulated for any
farm with over 500 animal units. The field receiving the manure must be
included in the farm's Manure Management Plan (MMP). This plan essentially
documents where, when, and how much manure will be applied to stay within
environmental and agronomic limits.
For liquid manure sales, this means:
Sellers must ensure the buyer's application fields are
listed in their MMP. The field needs to be soil sampled and have Phosphorus
Index tests run before manure is applied. These results are good for up to four
years (assuming they align with the timing of the farm's manure management
plan).
Buyers need to provide a "Statement of Intent" to
specify the amount of commercial nitrogen they plan to use on the field
receiving the manure.
2. Statement of Intent for Commercial Nitrogen
The Statement of Intent from the purchasing farm clarifies
how much additional nitrogen they propose to apply. This document helps
regulators and sellers confirm that the buyer follows appropriate nutrient
management practices. The Statement of Intent also ensures that applications
don't exceed environmental thresholds.
3. Why Liquid Manure Requires a Plan (and Solid Manure
Doesn't Always)
In the case of solid manure, sales are often managed through
simplified "200A regulations," which allow farms to record sales
without extensive management plan updates. Generally, the solid manure analysis
goes through a process to get registered with the Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), which provides a
"guaranteed" nutrient value basis. The guaranteed analysis is
generally set lower than anticipated for nutrient concentration to ensure it
always meets this level. Farmers can use this, or other sample analysis
results, to negotiate a sale price based on the actual value, not just the
guaranteed value.
Liquid manure, however, isn't sold through IDALS. The
regulatory burden to ensure good use of manure nutrients is adhering to the MMP
and ensuring a compliant nutrient application strategy.
4. Finalizing the Sale: Ensuring Compliance and
Environmental Responsibility
The final steps involve ensuring both parties understand the
value and nutrient content of the liquid manure. Although a nutrient guarantee
isn't required, many sellers will still provide an analysis to give the buyer a
reliable estimate. This analysis can help both sides negotiate a fair price and
set application rates that respect crop nutrient needs and environmental
limits.
In summary, selling liquid manure can be a practical and
profitable move with some additional planning:
- Ensure
the application field is in the seller's MMP if the operation exceeds 500
animal units.
- Buyers
should provide a Statement of Intent for commercial nitrogen.
- Clarify
the nutrient value of the liquid manure with a shared analysis.
By following these steps, buyers and sellers can take
advantage of liquid manure's benefits, navigating the regulatory requirements smoothly
while maintaining their farm's productivity and environmental compliance.
