Land
Stewardship for Horse Farms includes innovative ways to manage manure. One approach would be regional centers for
horse manure composting as recommended in this 2004 study from Montgomery County
2004
“Another issue
that is becoming more and more critical is manure management. With the
passage of the Water Quality Improvement Act , anyone with more than eight
animal units or who grosses more than $2,500 per year must have a nutrient
management plan. As part of the plan, animal owners must account for how their
manure is disposed. Many horse properties in Montgomery County who are required
to have a nutrient management plan are already having difficulty finding
acceptable ways of disposing of their stall waste, either because they don’t
have enough land to spread it and the cost of having it hauled away is
prohibitive or commercial haulers already have more clients than they can
handle. Composted horse manure makes an excellent fertilizer and soil
amendment. But most horse operations don’t have the room or the manpower to
devote to the composting process. There is a great need for regionally located
manure composting facilities, or at least a drop-off point, where the owners of livestock—not
just horses—can bring their manure . Gardeners , nursery operators, and
landscapers all could make use of the final product . Nominal fees could be
charged at both ends to help offset operating costs of the facility.”
