Government has financing to weatherize rural buildings WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new financing program for weatherizing homes and other facilities served by rural electric cooperatives was announced at die White House last week by President Carter. The president’s an nouncement was made to rural electric co-op leaders and other agricultural, residential and community leaders at a ceremony beginning phase two of the energy, conservation outreadi efforts by the president. Explaining the energy resources conversion program, Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland How to heat high cost of nitrogen fertilizer GEORGETOWN, Del. - As the cost of commercial nitrogen fertilizer continues to climb, Delaware fanners keep looking for less ex pensive alternatives. Some have been using poultry manure. It’s a plentiful by-product of the Delmarva poultry industry, and it does cost less than commercial nitrogen fertilizer. What’s more, using it in this manner provides an ecologically sound solution to a troublesome waste disposal problem. But how good is poultry manure fertilizer? At what said it would be “available' on a voluntary basis to the rural electric systems. It permits them' to delay principal payments on their loans to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Electrification Ad ministration in amounts equal to loans to their con sumers for energy con serving measures. “The plan, patterned in part after conservation programs of the Tennessee Valley authority, will make low-interest loans available to people served by rural electric cooperatives,” Bergiand said. The decision to participate in the program will be made rates is it safe and effective? Farmers wanted to know, so University of Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station researcher William C. Liebhardt decided to find out. At the University of Delaware’s Georgetown Substation, where the sandy soils are typical of those where poultry manure is used in crop production, Liebhardt grew com using various rates of poultry manure fertilizer—6, 12, 24, and 80 tons per acre. He monitored water quality, measured yields, studied costs, and deter by the board of directors of each local co-op, and each board also sets the rate of interest for the loans (0 to 5 percent). The loan payback period can be up to seven years. The energy conservation plan will work with a minimum ot paperwork, Bergiand said, because the program was developed with practical suggestions from rural electric systems nationally and a review by two Congressional com mittees. Authority for the program is provided in section 12 of the Rural Electrification Act which permits the ad ministrator of USDA’s Rural mined the nutrient content of the manure. Taking all these factors into consideration, Liebhardt found that the best results occur when ap plications are kept relatively moderate—three to five tons per acre. Too much poultry manure (more than 25 tons per acre) results in poor com yield. Liebhardt says this is due to high soil salinity, primarily an overabundance of potassium on the soils tested. The problem is temporary, however. The effect lasts only during the application Electrification Ad- objectives of the local rural ministration to defer prin- electric systems.” cipal payments on REA A packet of information ipnns when economic con- providing details of the ditions warrant or to achieve program for the 934 REA important and strategic financed electric systems national objectives. has been mailed. REA Administrator Robert W. Feragen said the new loan program can provide a truly significant contribution to the president’s goal of energy conservation at the same time that it serves individual and local interests. “Participation in the program,” he said, “will also have the very positive effect of generating greater consumer interest and in volvement in the affairs and year. After that, winter rains cause sufficient potassium leaching to reduce the ex cess soil salinity. Liebhardt found that an application rate of six tons of poultry manure is safe. Higher rates (12, 24, and 80 tons per acre) result in in creasing levels of nitrate in the ground water. A high nitrate level in drinking water is hazardous to health, particularly for infants. Leached nitrate is also lost to crop production. The nutrient level of poultry manure is high, the researcher found. A 4.5 ton load, costing $3O-$32, sup- A LESSON LEARNED... Lancaster Farming's CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS! Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 27,1980—81 l Provisions of the program include: Loans can be made to both owners and renters of structures receiving electric service from the rural electric systems. Loans cannot be made to refinance earlier con servation obligations or structures to be built or under construction. Loans may be provided for materials and labor for caulking, weather-stripping, insulation for ceilings, walls, plies about 212 pounds of nitrogen, 198 pounds of phosphorus, (P 205), 185 pounds of potash (K2O), plus various amounts of other plant nutrients. Purchasing an equivalent amount of commercial fertilizer would cost about $6O for nitrogen $6O for phosphorus (P 205) and $2B for potassium. Even if a farmer were to apply poultry manure for the nitrogen alone, it’s a great bargain, says Liebhardt. And much of the poultry manure nitrogen is in a complex organic form which WELL floors, duct pipes and water heaters, storm or thermal windows and doors, clock thermostats and attic ventilation fans. If the consumer installs the materials, the loan will be limited to financing the materials. Loans will be limited to $3,000 for single family dwellings, $4,000 for structures with two through four residential units, and $l,OOO per unit for larger family multi-family structures. Loans in excess of $5,000 must be approved by a credit committee composed of at least three directors of the cooperative who will determine adequate security for these larger loans. is released slowly, an ad vantage under Delaware conditions. As a result of Liebhardt’s research, farmers know they can save money on fertilizer without sacrificing yield or safety. Delaware farmers who chose to use poultry manure fertilizer at recommended rates—no more than six tons per acre—can now rest assured they are supplying the nutrient requirements of their com, smsdl grain and grass crops while putting an available waste product to good use.
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