An agronomic‐economic approach to connect manure nutrients back to grain‐producing regions

Abstract

Stakeholders for nutrient‐impaired watersheds have long discussed the causes and consequences of nutrient surpluses associated with intensive livestock production. Nonetheless, nutrient surpluses relative to crop requirement, particularly with phosphorus (P), persist and continue to contribute to water quality impairment. Nutrient life‐cycle analysis shows that mineral P, from soil minerals or mined fertilizer P, flows to livestock regions from grain‐producing regions. Although creating a return flow of these nutrients to grain fields seems like an easy solution, significant economic obstacles exist to creating a connected manureshed over large geographic distances. To limit the impact of manure use on local surface water, state, federal, and nongovernmental actors have largely targeted their interventions in manure source areas. Even manure transport programs tend to focus on obstacles at the point of production in manure source areas. However, if we are to realize connected manuresheds that cost‐effectively distribute manure nutrients beyond the current publicly funded incentive programs, we must address obstacles to manure utilization in potential sink areas that supply grain to livestock regions. Further, we can harness the power of computer‐mediated market design and scientific research to build even more‐effective markets that generate manure nutrient transfers of an order of magnitude that will substantively improve water quality in source areas. This manuscript offers economic insights into potential improvements to current manure nutrient relocation programs. Under the right conditions, these improvements will relocate more manure, generate more environmental benefits, and improve the profitability of most participating farmers.

Envisioning the manureshed: Toward comprehensive integration of modern crop and animal production

“…In addition to network engagement, any grand ambition for manuresheds as a means of transforming current production and resource management systems will require the adjustment of markets. Duke and McGrath (2022) present a vision for market design for manuresheds based upon optimization of economic and water quality outcomes. Their approach, which can be readily expanded to include the optimization of other outcomes as well (e.g., reduced greenhouse gas emissions), confronts the challenges of current manure nutrient relocation programs, which lack coordination and invariably lead to unintended outcomes.…”

“…Their approach, which can be readily expanded to include the optimization of other outcomes as well (e.g., reduced greenhouse gas emissions), confronts the challenges of current manure nutrient relocation programs, which lack coordination and invariably lead to unintended outcomes. As justification for improving current systems, Duke and McGrath (2022) point to state-level manure relocation programs within the Chesapeake Bay region, in which manure flows out of Maryland to Delaware via state-subsidized programs at the same time that Delaware's programs support the relocation of manure into Maryland. Under regional and national auction systems supporting the manureshed, conflicts between local programs that seek principally to remove manure from areas of concentrated animal production could be avoided, prioritizing a balance of environmental benefit and profitability.…”

“…Moving manure from the margins of agricultural production to the center of strategic decision making confronts many of the grand, societal challenges facing urban wastewater management, although the stigma of human excrement, admittedly, surpasses that of animal manure. Regulations at all levels simultaneously drive and complicate manureshed management (Duke & McGrath, 2022; Sharpley et al., 2007). In peri‐urban areas, confrontations may stem from nuisance concerns, for which prudent management strategies can be devised (e.g., Brandt et al., 2011).…”

“…These include, but are not limited to, pelletizing of poultry litter (Pipkin, 2017), regional composting facilities for dairy manure and other byproducts (Torres, 2010), community manure digestors (Torres, 2011), electrical co‐generation (MacDonald, 2006), and biofuel export (Sweeny, 2016). Pitfalls range from economic bottom line (Pipkin, 2017), to inadequate community support and farmer commitment (Sweeny, 2016; Torres, 2011), to permitting (Sweeny, 2016), to a lack of regulatory drivers (Nesme & Withers, 2016), to a lack of coordination between programs (Duke & McGrath, 2022). Further, demand for manure products or needed services can be quickly saturated as manureshed management is upscaled; value‐added technologies alone do not achieve the regional resource balances needed to achieve a manureshed.…”

“…For manureshed social networks (Meredith et al., 2022) and relocation programs (Duke & McGrath, 2022) to succeed, data are required to support standardization of assessment, routine interaction of partners, and transparency of outcomes. A variety of datasets are used regularly to perform national and global assessments of nutrient budgets tied to agriculture (IPNI, 2012; Spiegal et al., 2022a; Statistics Canada, 2020; USDA‐NASS, 2017).…”