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Getting manure applied has been challenging

boom-tank-pit2-resizedExcessive rain has caused a wide range of challenges – from getting the crop planted, to harvesting wheat.

On his dairy farm near Forest, Ohio, Geert Kruitr says getting manure applied has been extremely challenging.

“We’ve got a 600 cow operation and when we bought it, it was not in really good shape for 600 cows, manure storage wise,” Kruitr said. “We added some lagoons and did a lot, but it’s not enough.”

Gerdt says they also need to increase their compost storage and do a better job of managing water coming off the concrete pads.

Audio: Geert Kruitr, dairy farmer, Forest, Ohio

Because his manure storage was emptied in November, Northwest Ohio pork producer Duane Stateler says he is in good shape through Labor Day.  Even with that cushion, the McComb farmer tells Brownfield getting manure applied is worrisome.

“Normally when I’m finishing up and sowing our cover crops, we’re just going to be putting manure down,” Stateler said.

Permitted livestock farms in Ohio are required to have a minimum of 180 days storage for liquid manure. A number of permitted dairy farms in the state are designed for 365 days of storage.

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