Poultry Litter Management and Transport

Dr. Dour Parker is the PI. He has authored 1 journal article describing the WQIA and its potential impacts on the use of poultry litter (Parker, Doug, "Controlling Agricultural Nonpoint Water Pollution: Costs of Implementing the Maryland Water Quality Improvement Act of 1998," Agricultural Economics, December 2000, 24, 23-31). Doug has also authored a couple of newsletter items on the subject as well (Parker, Doug, “Alternative Uses for Poultry Litter,” Economic Viewpoints, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, (3)1 Summer 1998: Lichtenberg, Erik, and Doug Parker, “Nutrient Management in Maryland: A 1998 Snapshot,” Economic Viewpoints, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, (3)1 Winter 2001). The first article discusses the impacts of the WQIA on farmers and shows the expected costs of transporting manure to alternative farms. This work was updated in the working paper publication referred to in Erik Lichtenberg’s letter to you. The second article shows NMP adoption in Maryland at the time the WQIA was passed.

In addition to these publications Dr. Parker has given over 20 talks on WQIA, poultry litter management and nutrient management. In general these talks use the economic analyses that have been done to demonstrate the value of poultry litter in alternative uses. The general conclusions from this research are that land application is usually the highest value use and that there is enough land on the Delmarva Peninsula to use all of the poultry litter created. One caveat is that this analysis assumes that nearly all farmers are willing to substitute poultry litter for commercial fertilizer. We know that some farmers will be unwilling or unable to do this. So there does seem to be a need for some alternative uses. The poultry litter pelletizing plant and composting seem to be sufficient for this purpose. We may see some energy uses coming up as well.

For more information, contact Dr. Doug Parker

Last updated: 02/6/2008