Rules need to be followed when spreading manure

Spreading manure on frozen or snow-covered ground is prohibited by Alberta’s Agricultural Operation Practices Act (AOPA) unless the Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) has given operators special authorization.

AOPA addresses the management of manure to minimize risk to the environment and, in particular, to groundwater and surface water. The act generally prohibits spreading manure on frozen or snow-covered ground because it cannot be incorporated into the soil. When snow melts or frost comes out of the ground, run-off occurs and unincorporated manure creates a greater risk of contamination of water bodies.

Confined feeding operations are required to have a minimum of nine months of winter storage for manure, and operators should ensure that their storage facilities can accommodate that level of storage before winter sets in.

Producers typically have a window of opportunity after harvest until temperatures dip below freezing and snow starts to accumulate in which to land-apply their manure and incorporate it into the soil.

“The NRCB does have the ability to issue a special dispensation for manure spreading in unique circumstances, provided that the manure application will not cause a risk to the environment,” says Andy Cumming, director of field services for the NRCB. “If producers need to spread manure but are facing winter conditions, they should contact the NRCB ahead of time so an inspector can carry out a site visit, ensure that what the producer has planned won’t create a risk to the environment and determine if a special one-time dispensation can be issued to allow the manure to be spread on specific parcels of frozen or snow covered land.”

Producers can call their local NRCB office or the NRCB response line at 1-866-383-6722. A call back will be received within 24 hours or on the next business day.

Once a producer contacts the NRCB to discuss their circumstances, an inspector will call the producer back and arrange a site visit to determine if there is land suitable for spreading.

“If the risks are not acceptable, the inspector will not issue dispensation to spread and will explain the requirements of the regulations to the producer to help them identify other options to manage their manure,” says Cumming. “If someone is spreading manure on frozen or snow covered ground, the NRCB will usually be alerted through a complaint. This will trigger a site visit by an inspector and, if the spreading is causing a risk to the environment, may result in an enforcement or emergency order being issued.”