CDFA Seeks Proposals for Alternatives in Manure Management

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation is now accepting proposals for new manure management practices for inclusion in its Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP).

As part of AMMP development beginning in 2016, CDFA identified specific manure management practices eligible for funding, including solid separation and conversion from flush to scrape systems. In subsequent rounds of funding, CDFA expanded the suite of manure management practices through a public process in coordination with the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In total, four categories of manure management practices that reduce methane emission from dairy and livestock operations are currently funded through AMMP. In addition to manure collection, proposed practices must identify how the separated or collected manure volatile solids will be treated and/or stored to ensure a permanent reduction in methane emissions.

“CDFA has heard from several stakeholders about innovative manure management technologies that might fit into AMMP and offer more options for dairy and livestock operators to meet California’s aggressive methane reduction goals by 2030,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We are committed to collaborating with stakeholders, CARB, academic researchers and sister state and federal agencies for the continued evolution of this Climate Smart Agriculture program.”

There are several important requirements needed to submit a manure management practice for consideration in the AMMP. Proposal requirements, process for consideration and other details on the submission process can be found on the AMMP webpage.

Proposals are due by 5 p.m. PT on September 4, 2020 and must be submitted via email to CDFA.OEFI_ammp_tech@cdfa.ca.gov.

California Ag Today2020-07-06T18:04:17-07:00July 6th, 2020|

UC Researchers Trying to Understand Roll of Green Waste and Manure

Almond Growers Are Asked to Return Survey

Researchers are trying to find out the benefit of adding green waste from animal manure and adding it to the soil of permanent crops, and they are looking for information from local growers.

A team of UC Davis and UC Merced researchers are trying to find how and why fruit and nut growers are using organic matter amended to their soils. These amendments might include green waste composted or non composted animal manure.

The goal of this survey is to help develop better approaches so the organic matter amendment can be used more safely, according to Daniel Schellenberg, postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis, who is the coordinator of the project.

“We’re hoping to find out the benefit to the orchard for using these types of materials and how they might improve environmental quality but as well as to find out are they benefit tree nutrition are they changing the biology in the soil, or they simply increasing the capacity of the soil to hold water.” said Schellenberg.

All California almond growers will be getting a survey in their mailboxes this week.

“We’re working with in partnership with the Almond Board of California we were able to have a mailing that will go out to almond growers about their practices and have also built a website that will allow all growers of trees, fruits, and nuts to be able to take the survey.” said Schellenberg

The survey can be found here.

Previously, the Almond Board of California stated that growers should not use these amendment due to food safety, but there has been no field trials to show the risk. A research goal is to find how amends can be used safely, and to determine how much nitrogen certain amendments can provide for tree and vines.

Patrick Cavanaugh2016-05-31T19:35:27-07:00June 10th, 2014|