Nutrient Management

The University of Maryland Extension Nutrient Management Program assists farmers with the Water Quality Act created to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by applying fertilizers, animal manure, and other nutrient sources in an effective and environmentally sound manner.

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Thermochemical processing is a high-heat way to turn farm waste into fuel, fertilizer, and other useful products. Farm waste like poultry litter can be processed at high temperatures into things like bio-oil, biochar, or gas, using heat and special systems.

Maryland’s Nutrient, Animal Waste, and Technology Landscape summarizes and offers an updated perspective on the current conditions presented in the Maryland Animal Waste Technology Assessment and Strategy Planning Report.

Animal waste includes dairy and swine livestock manure and poultry litter. This waste is normally applied directly on agricultural fields as an important fertilizer source. Animal waste technologies can be used to process this waste and provide added value.

This report explores how Maryland can manage animal waste better by using smart technology, protecting the environment, and keeping costs low for farmers and communities. The Maryland Animal Waste Assessment and Strategy Plan was created to guide future Animal Waste Technology Fund (AWTF) awards administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA). The stated goal of the AWTF is “to encourage the development and implementation of economically feasible technologies that help protect public health and the environment by reducing the amount of nutrients from animal waste to enable farmers to meet nutrient management requirements and provide alternative animal waste management strategies to farmers.

Environmental Justice addresses the uneven distribution of pollutants in our environment. Pollutants include chemicals and biological substances that cause negative health impacts, but also can include loud or consistent noise, excessive or persistent odors, and inappropriate and intrusive artificial lighting. Where conservation-focused environmentalism may be concerned with the impact of industry on local and global ecosystems, justice-oriented environmentalism is concerned with who is impacted by the negative effects of industry, where those impacts are felt, and how decisions about the siting of polluting activities are made. We heard about a variety of issues related to agricultural waste management pollution during our interviews across the Eastern Shore, including odors and noise from farm operations and Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) management, and high nitrate levels in local soil and water.

Composting is a natural, biological process that transforms organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner called “compost.” Composting involves the controlled aerobic decomposition of organic waste, including kitchen waste (such as fruit, vegetables, and coffee grounds) and yard waste (such as leaves and grass clippings). The composting process produces heat, which decreases pathogens, viable seeds, and the volume of the organic materials. Composting reduces greenhouse gas emissions and allows nutrients from waste to be returned to the agricultural production systems, enhancing the circular bioeconomy.

Anaerobic digestion is a technological process that transforms waste into renewable energy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. During anaerobic digestion, biogas is produced from a natural consortium of microbes that break down biodegradable material inside a sealed, oxygen-free reactor. Anaerobic digesters can use a wide range of waste, such as food scraps, manure, crop waste, or sewage sludge.