If Phosphorus-Based Nutrient Management Plan Is Adopted,
What Does That Mean To Applicators?
ANDY ANDREWS phosphorous higher and higher,”
Editor said Doug Beegle, Penn State soil
LEESPORT (Berks Co.) If
the Pennsylvania Nutrient Man
agement Law, or Act 6, will be
changed to a “phosphorus
based” program, dairy producers
would have to place double the
amount of manure down simply
to meet nitrogen needs of crops.
In turn, that double-edge ap
proach only “builds our soil
Speakers at the Manure Hauler Certification meeting in
Berks County included, from left, Joel Myers, NRCB; Doug
Beegle, Penn State soil fortuity specialist; Robert Melnen,
Penn State senior extension associate; and Ken Kephart,
Penn State swine specialist. Photo by Andy Andrews, editor
E a^Y-L
tei
Quiet Operation
No Installation •
eliminate odors, smoke and even second-hand
tobacco smoke Tobacco smoke is one of the most
complex indoor air contaminants known Eco Quest
recommends you try Easy Living Air by participating
in a free in-home 3-day trial Je»n more than THREE
MILLION satisfied customers and see for yourself
how effective Easy Living Air can be in your home!
■|p^ 10% OFF
% FOR CASH
ARRV! *
fertility specialist.
Beegle spoke Wednesday to
about three dozen manure hauler
personnel and agri-industry rep
resentatives at a Penn State
sponsored certification program
at the Berks County Ag Center in
Lees port.
Beegle addressed the potential
impact the changes to Act 6
The self-contained air
purification system
for YOUR home!
Start experiencing the
difference fresh air can make
in your home or office -for
just pennies a day!
• Low Maintenance
No Duct Work Needed
1060 Division Highway 322 East, Ephrata, PA 17522
1 Block East of Rt 222
(717) 733-4973 • 800-642-0310
www bowmansstove com
Mon,Toes Wed 10to6,Thurs,Fn 10to8,Sal 10to4
|||l ßfR '4
■ *
REDUCTION
* Safer Twine, 50 Lb. Feed
Additives, implant®, Wonders
And Sate Items Not Included,
could bring to the manure appli
cation business.
Beegle noted that in the past,
researchers believed several as
sumptions. One of them was that
“the only way we lost phosphortis
was by erosion,” he noted. But
there are other ways phosphorus
is lost from the soil.
In Pennsylvania, a lot of phos
phorus in soils is tied up in stable,
inorganic compounds, such as
minerals and iron, aluminum,
and silicon in clay soils. Erosion
can carry phosphorus into
streams. So can runoff from ex
cess rainfall.
Another challenge: the vast
majority of phosphorus in the soil
is tied up in the compounds in
the soil, and “very unavailable,”
Beegle said.
Because phosphorus behaves
like a “micronutrient,” Beegle
said, enough phosphorus has to
be present to meet the needs of
the crop. A real problem exists,
Beegle said. “There are lots of
phosphorus, but a very small
amount in a form that’s avail
able.”
Adjusting soil pH to the right
levels of 6-7 helps the plants uti
lize the nutrient. The producer
must do a good job of liming,
Beegle said.
A problem for dairy farmers is
Pi *ry
ffpAUL . —* J.
in D\
Your Complete Headquarters For
Sprayers And Parts
Raven Tough Polyethylene Tanks
___We Also Stock A Complete Line Of;
wSemm n*ppn *SpiayerHose
Sprayer Nozzles Pumps • Ball Valves
And And PUMPS • Nylon Fittings
Accessories Accessories * Poly Tanks
PAUL B. ZIMMERMAN. INC.
■m i 50 Woodcorner Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 FT! -HOURS
I ~ I . . . Mon , T tuns, Fi i 7-8 70
k||M) 1 Mile ' VeSt of E P hrata Tucs .Wed 75 70
UpS) (717)738-7350 s.u 7 4qo
HARDWARE - FARM SUPPLIES • CRANE SERV ICE
inventor
that they will need twice as much
land to spread the manure simply
to meet the crop nitrogen needs.
This will increase phosphorus
buildup in the soil.
For poultry manure, simply to
balance for phosphorus, produc
ers would need “four times as
much land,” said Beegle. “That’s
a big problem.”
Beegle said that a crop such as
com needs available phosphorus
at two-tenths part per million
“all the time.” Yet algae buildup
in ponds and small streams can
be caused by a tenth of that
amount.
To manage this problem, re
search has come up with the “site
index” system. If applicators can
identify and manage 10 percent
of the land that is away from
streams and potential runoff, “we
can manage 90 percent of the
phosphorus,” Beegle said.
“The challenge is, where are
those areas on the farm? Let’s
manage those and that will give
us flexibility on the other 90 per
cent.”
The site program looks into
potential transport of phosphorus
through erosion, runoif, pattern
drainage, and other factors, and
provides a rating. Naturally, a
higher rating is gained as long as
the application is away from
water sources. And the rating
mii;
-tv&t* «-W *frt **l*, «Wt-'
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 22,2001-A35
and timing of applications are
tied up in regular soil testing.
Beegle noted that Act 6 would
be up for review within the next
year. He’s not certain that the
State Conservation Commission
would decide to plan on phos
phorus-based changes to the Act.
“But if I had to guess, I think
they are,” said Beegle. “1 think if
they go with phosphorus, they
will go with the phosphorus
index approach.
“I think it is a reasonable way
to go in terms of addressing phos
phorus,” he said.
The key is to provide a review
of the plan after its potential
adoption to see if it is working.
That will provide direction to de
termine “what’s working and
what isn’t,” Beegle said.
In Maryland, a phosphorus
based plan is already in place.
Manure from poultry operations
is collected at a site and pelle
tized for use as fertilizer.
Many farms in Pennsylvania
receive their feed and thus
their phosphorus from Mid
west feed mills. That cycle has
brought phosphorus in the area,
where it stands. Experts believe
the cycle of the
phosphorus back, perhaps in
terms of fertilizer or even fuel,
could be a solution for producers
in the region.
Kb
Office Closed
Christmas,
New Year’s
On Christmas Da>, Tuesday
Dec. 25, iMncaster Farming
office is closed. The office will
reopen Wednesday Dec. 26.
For (he Dec. 29 issue, there
are some deadline changes:
Public Sale and Mailbox ads,
5 p.m. Friday. Dei. 21.
Classified, Section D ads,
5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Classified, Section (.', Farm
Equipment ads, 9 a.m. Thurs
day. Dec. 27.
General News, noon, Thurs
day Dei. 27.
On New Year's Day. Tuesday
Jan 1. iMnuister harming office
is closed. The office will reopen
Wednesday, Jan. 2.
For the Jan. 5 issue, there are
some early deadline changes:
Public Sale and Mailbox ads.
5 p.m. Friday Dec. 28.
Classified, Section D ads,
4 p.m. Mondav, Dec. 31.
Classified, Section C. larm
Kquipment ads, 9 a.m. Wed
nesday, Jan. 2.
General News, noon, Wed
nesday, Jan. 2.
A better expanded,
updated edition of the
Lancaster Farming
Agricultural Directory
is scheduled in the
Dec. 29 issue. Included
will be more contact
names, addresses,
phone numbers, and
Web addresses than
ever before.