Manure is Good. But Does Everyone Think So?

For many years, everyone argued with each other, trying to prove they were right. Manure is waste, said the experts of Rosprirodnadzor, because it is on the list of substances in the Federal Classification Catalog of Waste, and besides, its hazard class can be determined as easy as one, two, three.

Manure is a substance for increasing soil fertility and producing agrochemicals; it contains plenty of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other micro- and macronutrients, the experts of Rosselkhoznadzor unanimously stated. Meanwhile, agricultural producers simply said: this is our most valuable product in the closed loop of our economy.

We grow grain, produce feed, raise animals, and return the resulting manure to the soil to grow new grain.

So what is the problem, you might ask?

Everyone looks at the same thing based on their own experience. However, all participants unequivocally agree on one thing: its application must be safe. Both Rosprirodnadzor and Rosselkhoznadzor have repeatedly encountered unscrupulous nature users. Unfortunately, the consequences for the environment in such cases take on catastrophic proportions.

How can we make the use of manure safe for business and nature while bringing benefits to the state?

1. The most important thing is to assess your capabilities. What volume is generated? What infrastructure and equipment are available for application, and over what distances can the enterprise transport the manure? How much land does the enterprise have for manure application, and what is the resulting application rate? What restrictions are imposed on these lands during application (proximity to water bodies, settlements, roads, etc.)? Answering these questions is crucial, as this is an actual inventory.
2. The next most important step is the standardization of your processes. (Or building them from scratch. Here, as they say, it depends on your luck.) My experience suggests that dealing with manure should start from the moment the animals are fed and watered. The life cycle process consists of a large number of stages. I recommend analyzing each one in detail. For example, the volume generated depends on how your animal drinkers work. If water leaks, the volume increases out of nowhere. Clogged manifolds fail to pump the required volume, and swollen lagoons store two or three times less manure. Your ideal process must be documented, responsible persons must be appointed, clear boundaries of stages must be defined, and the procedure for information exchange must be established.
3. Control. We cannot do without it. It is human nature to simplify everything we do. That is just how we are wired. We cut across the lawn, so to speak. If continuous control is not ensured, the system will die before it is even born. It takes years for an uncompromising picture of their actions to form in the minds of employees. And the enterprise also needs time to bring order to its operations. So, all participants in the process mature and develop.

From my own experience, I can say that when we can invite colleagues from supervisory and regulatory bodies to every stage and demonstrate our work, showing that we do it thoughtfully and consciously, understanding the consequences of negligence and accepting responsibility, questions and disputes disappear on their own. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Safe work to everyone.