MDA Announces New Cost-Share Assistance for Manure Injection/Incorporation

ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 17, 2012) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) today announced that cost-share assistance is now available to dairy, beef or swine farmers who incorporate manure into their crop fields using manure injection and incorporation equipment designed to conserve the soil and reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses to the environment.

“We are extremely excited to offer this new conservation tool to farmers,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “In the past, manure has been typically applied to the soil’s surface.  The only way to get it below the surface was to till it into the soil, which can promote soil erosion.  Since many Maryland farmers use no-till cultivation, manure incorporation has become more challenging. Today, there are several new technologies that allow farmers to partially incorporate or directly inject manure below the surface.  These techniques have been scientifically proven to reduce ammonia nitrogen losses to the environment from the manure and minimize soil erosion.  It’s a win-win for farmers and the environment.”

According to MDA officials, $85,000 has been earmarked for manure injection/incorporation.   Qualifying farmers will be reimbursed between $10 and $45 an acre to rent manure injection and incorporation equipment or hire contractors to perform the work for them. Eligible equipment includes no-till manure injectors and vertical tillage equipment such as the Turbo-Till and AerWay. In  addition, other brands of vertical tillage equipment may be eligible for this cost share program. Minimum tillage equipment such as a chisel plow and disk harrow do not qualify for financial assistance.
Under the program, liquid, slurry, semi-solid and solid dairy, beef and swine manures are eligible to be injected or incorporated into the soil.  Incorporation must be performed within 24 hours of surface application.  Manure application and injection/incorporation may only occur during spring, summer or fall under certain conditions.  For more information, farmers should contact their local soil conservation district or the MACS program at 410-841-5864.

The manure injection/incorporation program is administered by the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program and available to farmers statewide on a first come basis.  All participants must have a current nutrient management plan and be in full compliance with all nutrient management regulations.