Source: VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE submitted to NRP
INNOVATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE PHOSPHORUS BALANCE AND SUSTAIN AGRICULTURE ON THE DELMARVA PENINSULA.
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1015029
Grant No.
2018-68008-28089
Cumulative Award Amt.
$300,000.00
Proposal No.
2017-08751
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
May 15, 2018
Project End Date
May 14, 2023
Grant Year
2018
Program Code
[A1701]- Critical Agricultural Research and Extension: CARE
Recipient Organization
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
(N/A)
BLACKSBURG,VA 24061
Performing Department
Crop and Soil Environ. Science
Non Technical Summary
This project integrates research, extension, and educational activities to address the stakeholder identified critical issue of phosphorus (P) imbalance on the Delmarva Peninsula. We will: (1) investigate current soil fertility practices in P deficient and P surplus areas to identify practices Delmarva farmers are willing to adopt to maximize crop yields; (2) estimate and map (a) the current quantity of exported litter and (b) the current and potential use (demand) of poultry litter on the Delmarva Peninsula; (3) quantify the economic and yield benefits of using poultry litter on low P fertility soils; (4) develop a regional clearinghouse to connect farmers with a P deficit to farmers with P surplus on the Delmarva Peninsula, and (5) update and deliver poultry litter management and soil fertility recommendations for regional grain production to increase crop yields in P deficit areas. The goal is to better distribute poultry litter within the region by decreasing application of poultry litter in areas of P surplus (e.g., lower Eastern Shore) and increasing application in areas of P deficit (e.g., Upper Shore and Virginia's Eastern Shore). Better distribution of poultry litter on low P soils will improve grain yields, achieve P balance in the region, and reduce concerns about water quality impairment due to excessive P loss from P saturated soils. This project is submitted under the Critical Agricultural Research and Extension (CARE) program area (A1701) and addresses three Farm Bill priorities: Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment; Agriculture systems and technology; and Agriculture economics and rural communities.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1021510106070%
1121510106030%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
1510 - Corn;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
The motivation for the proposed project originated from extensive discussions with the Delmarva LLC once the extent of the P imbalance on Delmarva was recognized. The long-term goal of this project is to reduce agricultural P losses by achieving regional P balance on the Delmarva Peninsula. To achieve this goal, we seek to improve how poultry litter is distributed and land applied on the Delmarva Peninsula and increase grain yields on P deficient soils by educating, engaging, and empowering stakeholders. Our specific research and extension objectives are to:1. Investigate current soil fertility practices used by farmers in P deficient and P surplus areas and identify the factors that drive fertility management decisions (Research).2. Estimate and map (a) the current quantity of exported litter and (b) the current and potential use (demand) of poultry litter on the Delmarva Peninsula (Research).3. Quantify the economic and yield benefits of using poultry litter on low P fertility soils (Research/Extension).4. Develop a regional framework to connect farmers with a P deficit to farmers with P surplus on the Delmarva Peninsula (Extension/Education).5. Update and deliver poultry litter management and soil fertility recommendations for regional grain production to increase yields in P deficit areas (Extension).The specific research objectives will be achieved by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from three land grant institutions on the Delmarva Peninsula (Virginia Tech, University of Delaware, and University of Maryland). This research plan will leverage our combined expertise on soil fertility and nutrient management (PD Reiter and Co-PD Shober), soil chemistry and water quality (Co-PD Toor), and survey design and econometric analysis (Co-PD Palm-Forster). In addition, three of the key project personnel (Reiter, Shober, and Toor) are state Extension specialists with connections to key stakeholders in the region and documented success developing and delivering impactful extension programming related to nutrient management (see an example impact infographic at https://goo.gl/NhKFZk).
Project Methods
Objective 1: We will survey two key stakeholder populations in Delmarva: 1) crop farmers, and 2) nutrient management consultants. A unique survey instrument will be developed for each stakeholder group.Two questionnaires (one for farmers and another for nutrient management consultants) and our interview questions for poultry litter brokers will be designed to identify current soil fertility management practices, perceptions about using poultry litter as a nutrient source, the production and use of poultry litter across the region, and the opportunities to improve poultry litter utilization and redistribution. Data collected about fertility management (via surveys) and the transportation of poultry litter (via broker interviews) will allow us to map current production and use of poultry litter at the county-level (see Objective 2). The survey will also be used to collect information about the factors that motivate current fertility management and farmers' perceptions about alternative management practices. For example, if an operator is currently relying completely on inorganic P fertilizers, it is important to understand why they are not incorporating poultry litter in their soil fertility plan. Additional details about sampling, survey design and implementation, and data analysis are described below.?Objective 3:? Poultry litter will be delivered to the participating farmer by a poultry litter broker up to 120 days prior to planting. At delivery, the project personnel will work with the broker and producer to properly field stage the poultry litter following regulatory setbacks as outlined in Binford and Malone (2008).A total of 8 to 12 strip trials will be planted in 2018 and 2019 (for a total of 16 to 24 site years) on fields of cooperating farmers with soil test P concentrations below the agronomic critical level (50 mg kg-1 Mehlich 3); preference will be given to growers with fields in the agronomic low category (0 to 25 mg kg-1) who have not had recently used poultry litter. Participating growers for the 2018 growing season were identified in Delmarva counties with known P deficit (e.g., New Castle and Kent [DE], Kent [MD], and Northampton [VA]; see Collaboration). At each site, project personnel will collect pre-plant soil samples and apply three fertilizer treatments (supplied by project personnel) in a randomized complete block design with four replications (approximately 0.2 ha strips per plot). The treatments will include: no P, poultry litter at a rate to match the P removal rate for the current crop rotation, and inorganic P fertilizer to match poultry litter application rates. Nitrogen, potassium, and lime (if needed) will be balanced across all plots. Cooperating farmers will plant and manage the corn crop (e.g., planting population, hybrid selection, irrigation and pest management) based on the current field practices in the region. During the season, project personnel will collect plant tissue samples at three times (whole plant samples at V2, ear leaf samples at silking, and grain samples at harvest). At harvest, project personnel will determine yield in each strip using a weigh wagon or a calibrated yield monitor and collect post-harvest soil samples.Pre-plant and post-harvest soil samples will be collected from each strip (for a total of 16 samples per site) and analyzed for routine soil test (pH, organic matter, and Mehlich 3 nutrients) using standard methods by the University of Delaware Soil Testing Program (NECC, 2011). Plant tissue samples will be processed by the University of Delaware Soil Testing Program for total digestible elements using standard methods (NECC, 2011).Participating farmers will be encouraged to participate in poultry litter field staging, poultry litter and fertilizer spreading, and harvest activities. These one-on-one interactions with new poultry litter users during treatments will allow us to train participating farmers on various aspects of poultry litter use (see Objective 5). These farmers can then act as "poultry litter" ambassadors throughout the project period as they interact with other nearby farmers who may be interested in using poultry litter on their fields.Data analysis. Strip trials will be arranged in a randomized complete block design with four blocks (replications). Soil, plant tissue, and yield data will be analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA with fertilizer treatment as a fixed effect and block as a random effect to determine the effects of P treatments on soil test P, plant tissue P, and yield. Normality will be checked by examining histograms and normality plots of the conditional residuals. Pairwise comparisons will be conducted using Tukey's honestly significant difference test at an significance level of ? = 0.05.Objective 4:?In partnership with the University of Delaware Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships (OEIP), we will assemble a team of students through the Spin In® program (www.oeip.udel.edu/special-programs/spin-in/) to develop a regional framework to connect farmers with poultry litter in areas of P surplus on the Delmarva, to crop farmers in need of poultry litter in areas of P deficit on the Delmarva Peninsula. Previously, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension partnered with OEIP to assemble a Spin In® team to assist Christmas tree farmers with "on-the-go" disease identification. The successful team developed a mobile phone app called Pocket Farmer.This type of partnership allows the project personnel to leverage the intellectual resources of some of University of Delaware's brightest students across several disciplines (agriculture, marketing, business, computer science, policy, etc.) and financial resources of OEIP to develop a useful tool for Delmarva stakeholders in a cost-effective way. In addition, the partnership with OEIP and the Spin In® team allows us to integrate education into the proposals, as members of the student team gain valuable experience in entrepreneurship.We envision that the Spin In® team will develop a web-based tool (e.g., mobile website and/or phone app) that will be available on multiple platforms for the widest impact. We hope the poultry litter clearinghouse will function much in the same way as popular dating apps, by matching compatible groups of poultry litter generators, poultry litter brokers, and grain farmers. Development of the poultry litter clearinghouse will be completed by the Spin In® students with guidance from project personnel, OEIP staff, and key stakeholders from the advisory team (e.g., poultry litter brokers, crop consultants, state agency personnel). More specific details about development of the poultry litter matching platform are kept confidential at this time, due to the innovative and entrepreneurial nature of the Spin In® program.Objective 5:? ?See Products section for list of materials to be made for trainings.

Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for project data included farmers, federal governmental stakeholders (i.e. USDA-NRCS, USEPA), state government employees (i.e. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts), other researchers, students, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, Certified Crop Advisers, Nutrient Management Planners, along with homeowners and others that are interested in utilizing poultry litter instead of inorganic fertilizer sources and reducing nutrient loads to ground and surface waters. Data was presented at: the 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT, the Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show in Belle Haven, VA, the Master Gardener Nutrient Management Training Session in Painter, VA, the Mid-Atlantic Crop School (virtual), webinars hosted by local stakeholder groups, and to targeted farmers that have interests in using poultry litter as a nutrient source. Data was also used by an OMALS student at Virginia Tech for her project report, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. student at the University of Delaware for her M.S. thesis, a University of Delaware undergraduate student team who developed a minimum viable product for a poultry litter market portal, and by a University of Pennsylvania Masters of Environmental Studies student for his capstone study. Changes/Problems:Nothing additional. All changes and problems were already reported in annual reports. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, fact finding data was used to supply an attempted regional nutrient mass balance. All information collected is routinely used to train Master Gardeners, Nutrient Management Planners, Farmers, USDA-NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District Personnel, Certified Crop Advisors, graduate students, undergraduate students, and so forth. The following students were trained (or continue training) through participation in this project: a PhD student at Virginia Tech, an OMALS student at Virginia Tech, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. thesis student at the University of Delaware, and interdisciplinary University of Delaware undergraduate student project development team (development of the online poultry litter market portal). Professional development is a continuous occurrence for our research teams as well as other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, findings were incorporated into the Extension and university graduate student programming. This information will further be added into Extension publications and scientific research reports, including graduate student dissertations, to have a wide and impactful dissemination. We have also used our fact-finding information to advise the Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI), NGOs (Sustainable Chesapeake and NFWF), industry (Maryland Grain Producers) and government (Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Investigate current soil fertility practices used by farmers in P deficient and P surplus areas and identify the factors that drive fertility management decisions (Research). Completed in previous years. Objective 2: Estimate and map (a) the current quantity of exported litter and (b) the current and potential use (demand) of poultry litter on the Delmarva Peninsula (Research). Completed in previous years. Objective 3: Quantify the economic and yield benefits of using poultry litter on low P fertility soils (Research/Extension). We have summarized existing poultry litter management publications within the mid-Atlantic region and found gaps for two main publications that we are now writing. We found need to complete a publication that first updated poultry litter nutrient concentrations for mid-Atlantic grown poultry to accurately understand nutrient concentration per ton of material. Secondly, another publication is under draft that summarized 5-year fertilizer value along with current "peak" fertilizer value due to record inorganic fertilizer prices. Objective 4: Develop a regional framework to connect farmers with a P deficit to farmers with P surplus on the Delmarva Peninsula (Extension/Education). Virginia now supports a robust Poultry Litter Transport Program to assist growers in phosphorus deficient areas with obtaining poultry litter on the Eastern Shore at a subsidized cost. More information about the Virginia transport program can be found at: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/nmlitter. Additionally, the main issue now is finding available poultry litter for farmers to use that grow crops in P deficient areas. We need to continue to work on protocols, regulations, and cost-share needs for moving poultry litter across state lines as Virginia row crops could absorb more poultry litter sustainably, albeit from Maryland and/or Delaware. Objective 5: Update and deliver poultry litter management and soil fertility recommendations for regional grain production to increase yields in P deficit areas (Extension). We are again delivering poultry litter fertilization information to growers around the Delmarva region. We held a field day that discussed stacking shed best management practices and poultry litter nutrient value to grain crop farmers. In Virginia, we are also currently working on updating the Virginia Tech Soil Testing data management and recommendation system. Poultry litter guidelines and codes are being built into this new system.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Rieke, E. L., Cappellazzi, S. B., Cope, M., Liptzin, D., Mac Bean, G., Greub, K. L. H., . . . Honeycutt, C. W. (2022). Linking soil microbial community structure to potential carbon mineralization: A continental scale assessment of reduced tillage. SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY, 168, 11 pages. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108618
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Reiter, M. (2022). Fertilizer: Making sure you are getting your money's worth. In The 32nd Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show. Belle Haven, VA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Badon, T., Reiter, M., & Eick, M. (2022). Edamame Phosphorus Management for the Delmarva Peninsula. In Annual Meetings of the Soil Science Society of America. Baltimore MD.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Reiter, M. (2023). Fertilizer efficiency: Where to focus your money with high input prices. Annual meeting of the Virginia Crop Production Association, Inc., Richmond, VA.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Reiter, M. (2023). A roundtable discussion: Advanced nutrient management. Central Virginia Crops Expo, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Brookneal, VA.


Progress 05/15/21 to 05/14/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for project data includes farmers, federal governmental stakeholders (i.e. USDA-NRCS, USEPA), state government employees (i.e. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts), other researchers, students, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, Certified Crop Advisers, Nutrient Management Planners, along with homeowners and others that are interested in utilizing poultry litter instead of inorganic fertilizer sources and reducing nutrient loads to ground and surface waters. Data was presented at: the 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT, the Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show in Belle Haven, VA, the Master Gardener Nutrient Management Training Session in Painter, VA, the Mid-Atlantic Crop School (virtual), webinars hosted by local stakeholder groups, and to targeted farmers that have interests in using poultry litter as a nutrient source. Data is being prepared to be presented over the next project year to farmers at Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) trainings to better explain how valuable poultry litter can be as a fertilizer source during record fertilizer prices. Data is also being used by an OMALS student at Virginia Tech for her project report, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. student at the University of Delaware for her M.S. thesis, a University of Delaware undergraduate student team who developed a minimum viable product for a poultry litter market portal, and by a University of Pennsylvania Masters of Environmental Studies student for his capstone study. Changes/Problems:We have encountered several problems over the course of the project. Problem #1 was initiation of the overall project as the implementation date in 2018 was after corn planting season for Delmarva. The project started 15 May 2018, while most corn is planted in mid-April. Therefore, we were not able to establish wide spread field implementation as expected during the 2018 growing season. This was not a drastic problem as we increased our overall project site implementation in 2019 to fill in the missing 2018 data points. However, we ran into major problem #2 on March 13, 2020 with the USA undergoing an emergency declaration for the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. We had field plots areas identified with producers, poultry litter delivery lined up, and protocols established. However, travel and teleworking restrictions were placed on all university personnel involved in this project and field work had to cease. Therefore, we did not have any active field sites for season 2020. Website, survey, and marketing plan development was hampered with all work moving remotely; however, we believe we are still progressing satisfactorily in this area although a bit delayed. We requested and were granted a no-cost extension to facilitate project completion. We also ran into issues with the development of the Delmarva Manure Market MVP. Another entity developed and released a similar "app" designed to match individuals in need of manure with those who have manure. The competitor application is currently available for download and use. In addition, we lack the financial and technical resources to fully deploy our MVP. However, we believe that our product has features that would improve the utility of existing products on the market. We are exploring options to work with competitors to make improvements to the existing tool based on marketing research conducted as part of the Spin In process. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, fact finding data was used to supply an attempted regional nutrient mass balance. All information collected is routinely used to train Master Gardeners, Nutrient Management Planners, Farmers, USDA-NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District Personnel, Certified Crop Advisors, graduate students, undergraduate students, and so forth. The following students were trained (or continue training) through participation in this project: a PhD student at Virginia Tech, an OMALS student at Virginia Tech, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. thesis student at the University of Delaware, and interdisciplinary University of Delaware undergraduate student project development team (development of the online poultry litter market portal). Professional development is a continuous occurrence for our research teams as well as other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, findings were incorporated into the Extension and university graduate student programming. This information will further be added into Extension publications and scientific research reports, including graduate student dissertations, to have a wide and impactful dissemination. We have also used our fact-finding information to advise the Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI), NGOs (Sustainable Chesapeake and NFWF), industry (Maryland Grain Producers) and government (Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will continue the dissemination efforts as described in the project plan and timeline for year 3, since we were granted a no-cost extension. During this project period we will continue data analysis for the field trials, have one more field day, data summation from several data sources, and survey research analysis. We will also finish our Extension fact sheet publications.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have accomplished at least one component of all objectives. Objectives 1 &2: We have summarized soil test P recommendations from DE, MD, and VA and compared different extraction methodologies and nutrient management plan requirements for farmers utilizing poultry litter as a fertilizer source. We have also inventoried probable soil test P concentrations from within the Delmarva Region. We developed, pretested and implemented a questionnaire for Delmarva manure brokers and poultry growers to determine 1) how much manure is transported by brokers by month, 2) the origins and destinations of poultry litter in the Delmarva Region, and 3) constraints limiting the transport of additional litter. We transitioned from electronic to paper surveys for remaining respondents to reach individuals that had not responded. We worked with researchers and practitioners at Sustainable Chesapeake and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop, pretest and implement a survey of crop producers that is designed to identify current soil fertility practices and barriers to using poultry litter as a nutrient source on cropland. The survey was conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) and was completed in September 2020. Survey data was analyzed by Univ. of Delaware faculty and students. Using data from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, we estimated and mapped the amount of litter being transported through the Delaware Nutrient Management Relocation Program. Additionally, we used National Agricultural Statistics Service data to map broiler, corn, and soybean production for each county on the Delmarva Peninsula to assess the regional supply of litter and the demand for nutrients. Objective 3: Economic benefits of utilizing poultry litter will be conducted over the next reporting period. We have summarized existing poultry litter management publications within the mid-Atlantic region found gaps for two main publications that we are now writing. We found need to complete a publication that first updated poultry litter nutrient concentrations for mid-Atlantic grown poultry to accurately understand nutrient concentration per ton of material. Secondly, another publication is under draft that summarized 5-year fertilizer value along with current "peak" fertilizer value due to record inorganic fertilizer prices. Objective 4: An interdisciplinary student product development team was assembled within the University of Delaware's Spin-In® program. Co-PDs Shober and Palm-Forster mentored the students, who developed a minimum viable product and marketing plan for a regional framework for poultry litter dispersal. The team met weekly through Feb 2020. The website highlighting the MVP can be viewed at https://www.manuremarket.net/ and the marketing report is available upon request. Co-PDs Palm-Forster and Shober worked with a University of Pennsylvania master's student to identify policy challenges limiting improved litter management in Delmarva. The student designed a capstone study in which he interviewed regional stakeholders and reviewed policy guidelines related to transportation, storage, and use of poultry litter in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. In addition to identifying policy challenges, his study suggests opportunities to refine policies to use Delmarva poultry litter more efficiently. Objective 5: In-person events have resumed and we are now again delivering poultry litter fertilization information to growers around the Delmarva region. We plan to hold at least 1 more field day that discusses stacking shed best management practices and poultry litter nutrient value to grain crop farmers.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ignosh, J., Reiter, M., Ogejo, J., & Neill, C. (2021). Evaluation of an On-farm Bioenergy System with Value-added Nutrient Recovery & Reuse: An Opportunity for Circular Agricultural Systems? In ASABE 2021. Virtual.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Badon, T., Reiter, M., & Zhang, B. (2021). Optimizing Phosphorus Application for Edamame Production on the Delmarva Peninsula. In 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. Retrieved from https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2021am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/136523
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: King, R., Palm-Forster, L.H. & Shober, A.L. (2021). "Barriers to Use and Distribution of Poultry Litter in Delmarva." In 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting. Salt Lake City, UT. November, 9, 2021. Retrieved from https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2021am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/134386.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Smith, N. (2022). Fertilizer hot topic in wake of supply, rising costs at Corn Specialist Day. Delmarva Farmer. Retrieved from https://americanfarmpublications.com/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: King, R., L.H. Palm-Forster, A.L. Shober, and M.S. Reiter. 2021. "Report for the 2020 Poultry Litter Nutrient Distribution Producer Survey." Applied Economics & Statistics Research Report, University of Delaware, RR21-02. Retrieved from https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/28836
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Maroccia, J. 2022. Policy Actions to Improve Economic and Environmental Outcomes of Poultry Litter Management in Delmarva. Master of Environmental Studies Capstone Projects. Available at: https://repository.upenn.edu/mes_capstones/94
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Reiter, M., Ignosh, J., Neill, C., Zimmerman, E., Hughes-Evans, K., & Morris, V. (2021). Financial Feasibility and Market Analysis of Poultry Litter Ash Fertilizer Granules (SPES-330NP). Virginia Cooperative Extension. Retrieved from https://resources.ext.vt.edu/
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Reiter, M., Lopez, L., Torres, E., Kuhar, T., Brooks, K., Zhang, B., . . . Goerlich, D. (2021). 2021 Eastern Shore AREC Interactive Research Field Day (SPES-359NP). Retrieved from https://resources.ext.vt.edu/


Progress 05/15/20 to 05/14/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for project data includes farmers, federal governmental stakeholders (i.e. USDA-NRCS, USEPA), state government employees (i.e. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts), other researchers, students, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, Certified Crop Advisers, Nutrient Management Planners, along with homeowners and others that are interested in utilizing poultry litter instead of inorganic fertilizer sources and reducing nutrient loads to ground and surface waters. Data was presented at: The Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show in Melfa, VA, at the Master Gardener Nutrient Management Training Session in Painter, VA, and to targeted farmers that are hosting demonstration plots. Data is also being used by an OMALS student at Virginia Tech for her project report, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. student at the University of Delaware for her M.S. thesis, and by University of Delaware undergraduate student team working on the online poultry litter market portal. Changes/Problems:We have encountered several problems over the course of the project. Problem #1 was initiation of the overall project as the implementation date in 2018 was after corn planting season for Delmarva. The project started 15 May 2018, while most corn is planted in mid-April. Therefore, we were not able to establish wide spread field implementation as expected during the 2018 growing season. This was not a drastic problem as we increased our overall project site implementation in 2019 to fill in the missing 2018 data points. However, we ran into major problem #2 on March 13, 2020 with the USA undergoing an emergency declaration for the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. We had field plots areas identified with producers, poultry litter delivery lined up, and protocols established. However, travel and teleworking restrictions were placed on all university personnel involved in this project and field work had to cease. Therefore, we did not have any active field sites for season 2020. Website, survey, and marketing plan development was hampered with all work moving remotely; however, we believe we are still progressing satisfactorily in this area although a bit delayed. We requested and were granted a no-cost extension to facilitate project completion. We also ran into issues with the development of the Delmarva Manure Market MVP. Another entity developed and released a similar "app" designed to match individuals in need of manure with those who have manure. The competitor application is currently available for download and use. In addition, we lack the financial and technical resources to fully deploy our MVP. However, we believe that our product has features that would improve the utility of existing products on the market. We are exploring options to work with competitors to make improvements to the existing tool based on marketing research conducted as part of the Spin In process. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, fact finding data was used to supply an attempted regional nutrient mass balance. All information collected is routinely used to train Master Gardeners, Nutrient Management Planners, Farmers, USDA-NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District Personnel, Certified Crop Advisors, graduate students, undergraduate students, and so forth. The following students were trained (or continue training) through participation in this project: an OMALS student at Virginia Tech, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. thesis student at the University of Delaware, and interdisciplinary University of Delaware undergraduate student project development team (development of the online poultry litter market portal). Professional development is a continuous occurrence for our research teams as well as other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, findings were incorporated into the Extension and university graduate student programming. This information will further be added into Extension publications and scientific research reports, including graduate student dissertations, to have a wide and impactful dissemination. We have also used our fact-finding information to advise the Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI), NGOs (Sustainable Chesapeake and NFWF), industry (Maryland Grain Producers) and government (Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will continue the field, laboratory, and dissemination efforts as described in the project plan and timeline for year 3 during year 4, since we were granted a no-cost extension. Field projects were deferred until year 4 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel and university personnel work restrictions. During this project period we will continue data analysis for the field trials and survey research associated with this project.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have accomplished at least one component of objectives 1 through 4. The fifth objective will mainly occur during the last year of the project as we have data from field demonstration sites. Objectives 1 &2: To date, we have summarized soil test P recommendations from DE, MD, and VA and compared different extraction methodologies and nutrient management plan requirements for farmers utilizing poultry litter as a fertilizer source. We have also inventoried probable soil test P concentrations from within the Delmarva Region. We developed, pretested and implemented a questionnaire for Delmarva manure brokers and poultry growers to determine 1) how much manure is transported by brokers by month, 2) the origins and destinations of poultry litter in the Delmarva Region, and 3) constraints limiting the transport of additional litter. We transitioned from electronic to paper surveys for remaining respondents to reach individuals that had not responded. We worked with researchers and practitioners at Sustainable Chesapeake and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop, pretest and implement a survey of crop producers that is designed to identify current soil fertility practices and barriers to using poultry litter as a nutrient source on cropland. The survey was conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) and was completed in September 2020. Survey data is currently being analyzed by Univ. of Delaware faculty and students. Using data from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, we estimated and mapped the amount of litter being transported through the Delaware Nutrient Management Relocation Program. Additionally, we used National Agricultural Statistics Service data to map broiler, corn, and soybean production for each county on the Delmarva Peninsula to begin to assess the regional supply of litter and the demand for nutrients. For field plots, we have changed protocols and implemented small plots for demonstration in Summer 2021 thanks to a no-cost extension that was granted. Objective 3: Economic benefits of utilizing poultry litter will be conducted over the next reporting period. During this reporting period we collected data mentioned for Objective 2; which will be utilized. Objective 4: An interdisciplinary student product development team was assembled within the University of Delaware's Spin-In® program. Co-PDs Shober and Palm-Forster mentored the students, who developed a minimum viable product and marketing plan for a regional framework for poultry litter dispersal. The team met weekly through Feb 2020. The website highlighting the MVP can be viewed at https://www.manuremarket.net/ and the marketing report is available upon request Objective 5: Field test sites and in-person Extension events were largely halted during Summer 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person events were transitioned to virtual events via Zoom. We plan on having a field day in Virginia in July 2021 where plots will be showcased.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Millsaps, C., Reiter, M., Thomason, W., Maguire, R., Whitehurst, G., & Whitehurst, B. (2021). Granulated poultry litter ash acidulation and physical characteristics. Transactions of the ASABE. doi:10.13031/trans.14164
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Ervin, C. 2021. Poultry litter ash as an alternative fertilizer source for corn. Ph.D. Dissertation. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg. Available at: https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/handle/10919/103199. Reiter, M. 2020. Common Fertilizers Used in Virginia: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Publ. SPES-199NP. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Blacksburg.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Reiter, M. and C. Ervin. 2020. Fertilizer: The Many Forms You Can Use. Publ. SPES-187NP. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Blacksburg.


Progress 05/15/19 to 05/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for project data includes farmers, federal governmental stakeholders (i.e. USDA-NRCS, USEPA), state government employees (i.e. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts), other researchers, students, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, Certified Crop Advisers, Nutrient Management Planners, along with homeowners and others that are interested in utilizing poultry litter instead of inorganic fertilizer sources and reducing nutrient loads to ground and surface waters. Data was presented at: The Annual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show in Melfa, VA, at the Master Gardener Nutrient Management Training Session in Painter, VA, and to targeted farmers that are hosting demonstration plots. Data is also being used by an OMALS student at Virginia Tech for her project report, an Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. student at the University of Delaware for her M.S. thesis, and by University of Delaware undergraduate student team working on the online poultry litter market portal. Changes/Problems:The biggest problem to date was initiation of the overall project as the implementation date in 2018 was after corn planting season for Delmarva. The project started 15 May 2018, while most corn is planted in mid-April. Therefore, we were not able to establish wide spread field implementation as expected during the 2018 growing season. This was not a drastic problem as we increased our overall project site implementation in 2019 to fill in the missing 2018 data points. However, we ran into major problem #2 on March 13, 2020 with the USA undergoing an emergency declaration for the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. We had field plots areas identified with producers, poultry litter delivery lined up, and protocols established. However, travel and teleworking restrictions were placed on all university personnel involved in this project and field work had to cease. Therefore, we do not have any active field sites for season 2020. Website, survey, and marketing plan development was hampered with all work moving remotely; however, we believe we are still progressing satisfactorily in this area although a bit delayed. We expect to apply for a no-cost extension. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, fact finding data was used to supply an attempted regional nutrient mass balance. All information collected is routinely used to train Master Gardeners, Nutrient Management Planners, Farmers, USDA-NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District Personnel, Certified Crop Advisors, graduate students, undergraduate students, and so forth. Professional development is a continuous occurrence for our research teams as well as other stakeholders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, findings were incorporated into the Extension and university graduate student programming. This information will further be added into Extension publications and scientific research reports, including graduate student dissertations, to have a wide and impactful dissemination. We have also used our fact-finding information to advise the Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI), NGOs (Sustainable Chesapeake and NFWF), industry (Maryland Grain Producers) and government (Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will continue the field, laboratory, and dissemination efforts as described in the project plan and timeline for both years 2 and 3. Field projects needed to be deferred until year 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel and university personnel work restrictions.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have accomplished at least one component of objectives 1 through 4. The fifth objective will mainly occur during the last year of the project as we have data from field demonstration sites. To date, we have summarized soil test P recommendations from DE, MD, and VA and compared different extraction methodologies and nutrient management plan requirements for farmers utilizing poultry litter as a fertilizer source. We have also inventoried probable soil test P concentrations from within the Delmarva Region. We are currently working with government and industry professionals to update amounts of poultry litter being produced in the area and amount of inorganic fertilizer applied to produce a mass balance of nutrients for the region. We have also started developing a poultry litter clearinghouse website with a team of six undergraduate students. Field test sites that compare inorganic fertilizer production to inorganic fertilizer are being implemented and will serve as field day locations during the upcoming project period. Objectives 1 &2: We developed, pretested and implemented a questionnaire for Delmarva manure brokers and poultry growers to determine 1) how much manure is transported by brokers by month, 2) the origins and destinations of poultry litter in the Delmarva Region, and 3) constraints limiting the transport of additional litter. We transitioned from electronic to paper surveys for remaining respondents to reach individuals that had not responded. We worked with researchers and practitioners at Sustainable Chesapeake and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop, pretest and implement a survey of crop producers that is designed to identify current soil fertility practices and barriers to using poultry litter as a nutrient source on cropland. The survey was conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) and they are currently completing data collection. Using data from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, we estimated and mapped the amount of litter being transported through the Delaware Nutrient Management Relocation Program. Additionally, we used National Agricultural Statistics Service data to map broiler, corn, and soybean production for each county on the Delmarva Peninsula to begin to assess the regional supply of litter and the demand for nutrients. Objective 4: We have developed a student led program within the University of Delaware's Spin-In® team to begin working on a regional framework for poultry litter dispersal. The team has met weekly and are working towards a "match.com"-type litter clearinghouse as an end goal. The team is also working on a marketing plan to facilitate poultry litter being utilized as a product versus a waste.

Publications


    Progress 05/15/18 to 05/14/19

    Outputs
    Target Audience: The target audience for project data includes farmers, federal governmental stakeholders (i.e. USDA-NRCS, USEPA), state government employees (i.e. Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts), other researchers, Master Gardeners, Extension Agents, Certified Crop Advisers, Nutrient Management Planners, along with homeowners and others that are interested in utilizing poultry litter instead of inorganic fertilizer sources and reducing nutrient loads to ground and surface waters. Data was presented at: The 29thAnnual Eastern Shore Agricultural Conference and Trade Show in Melfa, VA, at the Master Gardener Nutrient Management Training Session in Painter, VA, and to targeted farmers that are hosting demonstration plots. Changes/Problems:The biggest problem to date was initiation of the overall project as the implementation date in 2018 was after corn planting season for Delmarva. The project started 15 May 2018, while most corn is planted in mid-April. Therefore, we were not able to establish wide spread field implementation as expected during the 2018 growing season. We do not expect this to be a drastic problem as we have increased our overall project site implementation in 2019 to fill in the missing 2018 data points. However, a problem might arise if we have a drought or some other problem that negatively impacts the corn crop in 2019. ? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?To date, fact finding data was used to supply an attempted regional nutrient mass balance. All information collected is routinely used to train Master Gardeners, Nutrient Management Planners, Farmers, USDA-NRCS personnel, Soil and Water Conservation District Personnel, Certified Crop Advisors, graduate students, undergraduate students, and so forth. Professional development is a continuous occurrence for our research teams as well as other stakeholders. Palm-Forster and Shober advised an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware through the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) Environmental Scholars Program. Bass, D.A., Palm-Forster, L.H, Shober, A.L, "Mapping the movement of poultry litter produced on the Delmarva Peninsula", DENIN Research Symposium, Newark, DE, May 2018. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To date, findings were incorporated into the Extension and university graduate student programming. This information will further be added into Extension publications and scientific research reports, including graduate student dissertations, to have a wide and impactful dissemination. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we will continue the field, laboratory, and dissemination efforts as described in the project plan and timeline.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? We have accomplished at least one component of objectives 1 through 4. The fifth objective will mainly occur during the last year of the project as we have data from field demonstration sites. To date, we have summarized soil test P recommendations from DE, MD, and VA and compared different extraction methodologies and nutrient management plan requirements for farmers utilizing poultry litter as a fertilizer source. We have also inventoried probable soil test P concentrations from within the Delmarva Region. We are currently working with government and industry professionals to update amounts of poultry litter being produced in the area and amount of inorganic fertilizer applied to produce a mass balance of nutrients for the region. Field test sites that compare inorganic fertilizer production to inorganic fertilizer are being implemented and will serve as field day locations during the upcoming project period. Objectives 1 &2: We developed and pretested a questionnaire for Delmarva manure brokers to determine 1) how much manure is transported by brokers by month, 2) the origins and destinations of poultry litter in the Delmarva Region, and 3) constraints limiting the transport of additional litter. We worked with researchers and practitioners at Sustainable Chesapeake and the Maryland Department of Agriculture to develop and pretest a survey of crop producers that is designed to identify current soil fertility practices and barriers to using poultry litter as a nutrient source on cropland. The survey has been submitted to the National Agricultural Statistical Service for review and approval. Using data from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, we estimated and mapped the amount of litter being transported through the Delaware Nutrient Management Relocation Program. Additionally, we used National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) data to map broiler, corn, and soybean production for each county on the Delmarva Peninsula to begin to assess the regional supply of litter and the demand for nutrients.

    Publications