On October 13th a circular addressed to farmers in Ohio confirmed that the State Department of Agriculture is extending the 2021 H2Ohio Program relating to overwintering cover crops and application of manure.  Manure spreading must conform to the Nutrient Management Standard NRS 590 that is designed to prevent runoff from wet soil.

The Ohio H2Ohio Program, established in 2019, will be a long-term, water quality plan based on field data to limit algal blooms in rivers and dams.  The collaborative program involves the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Lake Erie Commission.

It is anticipated that additional states will impose restrictions on application of raw manure, predicating the need for drying or additional treatment before application. For additionalinformation on commercially available manure drying equipment enter “Uzelac” into the SEARCH block.