Friday, December 19, 2014

$2.9 million offered for Manure Management Technologies

Thank you to longtime MHC sponsor The Equiery for posting this on their blog.

$2.9 million offered for Manure Management Technologies

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for demonstration projects from vendors, businesses, and individuals offering technologies, equipment, infrastructure, or services that can improve the management and utilization of manure and other agricultural resources.
Maryland’s nutrient management regulations govern the amount, timing, and placement of crop nutrients—including manure and other organic nutrient sources—on agricultural land to prevent excess nutrients from impacting waterways. To help livestock producers comply with these regulations, Maryland supports and invests in alternative uses for manure such as fertilizer manufacturing, composting and manure-to-energy projects that add value to the farm business model.
MDA has $2.9 million available to invest in these types of innovative technologies during State Fiscal Year 2015, which ends June 30, 2015.Vendors, businesses, and individuals are invited to respond to this RFP; click here to download the RFP.
If you have questions about the program, contact Louise Lawrence at the Maryland Department of Agriculture at louise.lawrence@maryland.gov.
Deadline for proposals is March 6, 2015.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Energy Efficiency Funding for Horse Farms

The 2015 Kathleen A. P. Mathias Agriculture Energy Efficiency Program

This program is dedicated to the memory of Kathleen Arlee "Kathy" Petry Mathias of Ocean City, who passed away in 2011. The wife of Maryland State Senator James N. Mathias Jr., Kathy was an inexhaustible advocate for Maryland’s Eastern Shore and its farming community.
What is the program?
What are the project requirements?
How do I apply?

Subject to funding availability, MEA will provide grants to farms/businesses in the agriculture sector to cover up to 50% of the cost of energy efficiency and/or renewable energy upgrades after all other incentives have been applied.
For more information, read ourProgram Description.

  • Only energy efficiency projects, or projects that combine energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, are eligible for funding. 
  • Projects consisting of renewable energy measures only are not eligible for funding under this program. 
  • All energy measures must be installed before November 1, 2015.
  • Each project, which can consist of multiple energy measures, needs to be cost effective in aggregate.
See our Program Description for more info.

Applications must be submitted by Friday, January 30, 2015.
(Right-click and 'Save Link As' to download)
Questions? See our Application Information Q&A to assist you with completing the best application possible for this competitive program.

Upcoming Informational Sessions

MEA will hold two informational webinars on this grant program:
  • 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 7, 2015
  • 1:00 p.m., Thursday, January 22, 2015
For an invitation please contact Erin Kelly (erin.kelly@maryland.gov) and indicate which webinar you would like to attend.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about this program, please submit them to Program Manager Dean Fisher (dean.fisher@maryland.gov) or EnSave, an MEA subcontractor supporting the Mathia Agriculture program.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Composting ! Fall Farm Stewardship Meeting Report


          On October 13, 2014, the Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee held its fall meeting with a focus on composting.  Rain threatened but about fifteen people came to lovely Brooke Grove Farm in Olney to learn more about composting.  Farm owner Dr. Charles Mess is an avid composter.  He has about fifteen stabled horses and twenty field-boarded horses on 203 acres of pastures and hay fields.  Brooke Grove is one of the now twenty Certified Agricultural Conservation Stewards horse farms under the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP). 

         The meeting was held at one end of the indoor arena.  Refreshments were sponsored by Piedmont Insurance, represented at the meeting by Matt Curran. Thanks again for this sponsorship!  Jane Thery, Farm Stewardship Committee Chair, opened the meeting with a review of the data on Maryland horse farms and the Chesapeake Bay watershed areas.  She noted that modern composting of horse manure not only makes good use of a local and natural source of soil nutrients but keeps these nutrients out of the water system.  This reduces the algae bloom that damages aquatic life. 

        Mollie Bogardus, Equine and Agricultural Specialist of Green Mountain Technologies, presented a new technology called "Earth Flow" to convert stall waste into reusable bedding.  Her sample of the final product looked something like dark mulch.  The system is being installed as a pilot project at Days End Farm. 

        Dr. Mess explained his composting operation. He has three piles which are about thirty feet long and three to four feet high.  The first pile has fresh stall waste.  The middle pile has actively composting manure and bedding.  This pile was aerated as it was moved.  The internal temperature reaches 140-170 degrees Fahrenheit which kills seeds and pathogens.  The third pile is compost ready to be used.  The composting piles are on a large cement pad separated from the stalls by the indoor arena but with easy access for stall cleaners.   Dr. Mess spreads the final compost on his hay fields using a finely-calibrated spreader.  He uses the hay he produces for the horses on the farm.

        Eddie Franceschi, Equine Resource Conservationist, Montgomery Soil Conservation District, explained the cost-sharing programs through his office, including support for the composting pad.  He noted that technical assistance is also available for soil testing and effective compost application.

        A special thanks to Dr. Mess for hosting this meeting on his impressive farm. 

      

Friday, October 10, 2014

Restoration Spotlight: Maryland horse farmers steward the land

Check out this great article in Chesapeake Bay News about Maryland Horse Council member Waredaca.  A link to the article can be found HERE.

Chesapeake Bay News

Oct
07
2014

Restoration Spotlight: Maryland horse farmers steward the land

Nestled next to Patuxent River State Park in Laytonsville, Maryland, are the 220 rolling, vegetation-rich acres of Waredaca horse farm. Husband and wife Robert and Gretchen Butts are the second generation to manage the family farm since Robert’s parents purchased the property in 1953. To them, Waredaca is more than just a business: it is their home.
The farm has evolved from a summer camp to a boarding stable for more than 80 horses, 30 of which are directly owned by Waredaca; recreational and competitive riders board the rest. The farm continues to host a youth summer camp, hold eventing competitions and offer year-round riding lessons. “To be able to make a living doing things you love—and to do it at home—is the best. This place is my life, and that’s pretty special,” Robert said.
The Butts’ connection to their land has sparked a deep sense of environmental stewardship within their family. “We’ve been here our whole lives, and plan on being here a long time. I think for a large portion of the agricultural community, that’s the case. Many have been motivated conservationists for years,” Robert explained.
A prominent part of Maryland’s environmental efforts to conserve farmland has included the equine community.  “In recent years, certainly the state and Montgomery County have clarified in legislation that horses are a part of agriculture and therefore the services and outreach pertain to them,” said Robert. “Outreach to the equine community has been particularly important to [increasing] participation [in restoration initiatives].”
The Maryland Horse Council has been a strong partner with the state’s Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP), which certifies agricultural stewards throughout the state. Since its development in 2010, FSCAP, administered by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD), has conducted 131 reviews on 108 farms and certified 91 agricultural conservation stewards protecting 27,000 acres in 16 counties. The Maryland Horse Council has helped FSCAP certify 20 horse farms.
According to the state, any farm with more than eight “animal units”—normally defined as one mature cow weighing about 1,000 pounds and her suckling calf—is required to follow a nutrient management plan to ensure that excess manure is properly disposed of. Assessors from FSCAP are trained by theMaryland Department of Agriculture to review nutrient management plans with the same attention to detail provided by official inspectors. Assessors also inspect other “best management practices” (BMPs), which reduce pollution and improve habitat on farmland. When certified, each steward gets his or her own webpage on the FSCAP website and the landowner receives a large sign to place on their property, advertising their environmental stewardship.
“The program was created in order to provide some positive recognition for farmers that are doing a great job [caring for the land], in light of what seems like fairly constant criticism about agriculture’s role in polluting the Chesapeake Bay,” said FSCAP Project Leader Gerald Talbert. “We carefully gathered core partners for this program because we wanted both the agricultural and the environmental communities to be involved.”
"Many stewards feel that certification means more than just personal recognition; it’s also good for business,especially with farms that deal directly with the public” Talbert said. “ So far, we’ve provided 91 signs, but there are 133 signs displayed.
By working together, Robert and Gerald were able to identify and address a streamside fencing issue that thwarted Waredaca’s certification efforts. The problem has since been fixed and the farm has been certified.
The Butts follow a nutrient management plan, composting their manure and spreading it on their fields to encourage rich soil and healthy pastures. They have also put a number of BMPs in place: a manure storage facility, a spring-fed water tank and stream-side buffers with fencing to keep horses out of streams, thereby keeping the surrounding creeks and streams clean.

The Butts also practice rotational grazing. Strategically moving livestock to fresh pastures can allow previously grazed fields to regenerate, and is a preferred practice for fighting overgrazing. But many farmers do not have the space to rotate their grazing pastures, leading to field erosion and thesedimentation of rivers, streams and the Bay.
“We are very blessed to have a lot of room where the horses can roam,” Robert said. “Lack of space can be a limiting factor for many [horse-owners]. Overgrazing is a very common thing in the horse business, and will be hard to eliminate completely because of the way horses eat. Cows don’t eat the grass all the way down to the ground, but horses do,” he explained.
Through the efforts of programs like FSCAP and the willingness of farmers like the Butts to sign on to voluntary conservation programs, stewardship certification programs are gaining traction among the agricultural community.  “Part of the effort here is not just to recognize those folks that have already done a great job, but to also provide incentive for someone to step up and put those one or two BMPs in place that they may have been missing to meet the standard,” said Talbert.
To view more photos, visit the Chesapeake Bay Program's Flickr page.
author
About Jenna Valente - Jenna is the Communications Office Staffer for the Chesapeake Bay Program. She developed a passion for conservation through her outdoorsy nature and being raised in Hawaii, Washington State and Maine. A graduate of the University of Maine's Communication program, she loves any opportunity to educate the public about the importance of conserving the environment.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

How do successful farm families diversify their business?


MHC Sponsor Farm Credit recently published this newsletter with great articles about new ways to diversify your farm business.

Click HERE to read more!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Horse Manure Management Survey Preliminary Results

Maryland Horse Council
Horse Manure Management Surveys Project
Preliminary Results
August 2014
The Maryland Horse Council received a grant from the Maryland Horse Industry Board to conduct a series of surveys on horse manure management throughout the state.  This issue was identified as a priority concern at the 2009 Maryland Horse Forum.   Under this grant, the first survey was sent out electronically to horse farms.  The survey is voluntary and all results are anonymous.  To date, we have received over 200 responses from horse farms located throughout the state.  Here are the preliminary findings of the survey.
Ø      Most have 1-5 horses (43%), 6-9 horses (16%), 10-19 horses (20%). 20-49 horses (14%), 50-100 horses (6%), over 100 horses (1%)
Ø      Most keep horses in stalls for some period (80%)
Ø      Most keep horses in stalls for 7-10 hours in the summer (41%) and 11-14 hours in the winter (44%)
Ø      Most use sawdust for bedding (59%) followed by wood shavings (22%)
Ø      42% compost and then spread horse manure and bedding
Ø      30% compost and give away composted material
Ø      21% pile horse manure and have it hauled away
Ø      17% spread un-composted horse manure and bedding
Ø      13% put horse manure and bedding in dumpsters to be hauled off
Ø      3% compost and sell composted manure
Ø      59% use horse manure as a fertilizer on their own farm, 41% do not
Ø      The most common equipment/infrastructure for manure management are a compost pile, spreader and bucket loader
Ø      Most farms dedicate 1-5 person hours per week to manure management (in addition to regular stall cleaning)
Ø      If the manure is hauled off the farm, 65% reported a monthly pick up, 19% weekly, 16% bi-weekly
Ø      Hauling fees range from $90 to $1000 depending on amount and frequency
Ø      15 hauling companies for horse manure were identified
Ø      Most horse farms (50%) do not know where their haulers take the manure, 32% goes to a composing facility, 10% to mushroom farms, 6% to a landfill and 2% to a nursery
Ø      Most horse farms (67%) would not haul their own horse manure to a regional composting facility
Ø      Over half (59%) were satisfied with their system of manure management, 34% somewhat satisfied, 7% not satisfied
Ø      Most of those unsatisfied with their present manure management system cited cost as their primary concern (46%), followed by lack of information on alternatives (22%), lack of space on the farm (20%) and time limitations (12%)
Ø      Statements on the ideal manure management system include on-farm composting for on-farm use, on-farm composting for sale/gifts and hauling off at no or low cost
Ø      Most farms (79%) have never used available technical assistance or cost sharing programs from state or county agencies. Of the 21% who did use these programs, a third found them helpful, a third found them not helpful and a third found them somewhat helpful. Of this 21% who used the programs, most (70%) would like to have more funding available.
Ø      Final comments from respondents to the question, “Are there any other issues related to horse manure management that you recommend be added to the agenda of the Maryland Horse Council?”  (shortened versions)
“Need more access to information”
“Find a way for horse people to sell their manure”
“Assure that haulers are disposing of the manure properly”
“Need cost effective systems”
“Connect manure users with providers”
“Reduce paperwork”
“Help small farm operators”
“Pest control”
“Study persistent herbicides”
“More information on state, county and municipal laws and regulations”
“More training on composting and manure management”

Preliminary conclusions:
Ø      Many small horse farms are interested in on-farm composting
Ø      The manure hauling business is very locally-driven and segmented
Ø      There are concerns about cost and regulations for manure management
Ø      There is un-met demand for technical and financial assistance for manure management



Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee
Fall Meeting

Composting!

Monday, October 13
Columbus Day
2:00 – 4:00 pm

Brooke Grove Farm
A Certified Agricultural Conservation Steward

                                                             18420 Brooke Grove Road                         
Olney, Maryland

Agenda

Welcome: Jane Thery, Chair, Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee

Tour of the Brooke Grove Farm Composting Operation:
 Dr. Charlie Mess, Owner, Brooke Grove Farm

Composting Options for Small, Medium and Large Farms: 
Mollie Bogardus, Equine and Agriculture Specialist, Green Mountain Technologies

Technical and Financial Assistance for Composting:  
Eddie Franceschi, Equine Resource Conservationist, Montgomery Soil Conservation District

Refreshments Provided

Monday, September 8, 2014

Composting ! October 13: Next Farm Stewardship Meeting

Hold the Date

 

Monday, October 13

Columbus Day

2:00 – 4:00 pm

 

Brooke Grove Farm

18420 Brooke Grove Road

Olney, Maryland

 

Composing:  Modern Management of

Our Organic Horse Manure

 

Tour of the Brooke Grove Farm Composting Operation by Charlie Mess

 

Details on Other Speakers Coming Soon

 


Refreshments Provided

Composting on Small Horse Farms


Two good articles from Michigan State University on composting and storing manure on small horse farms.






Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Composting Ideas. Topic of Next Farm Stewardship Meeting October 13

For One to Three Horses

Build a Horse Manure Composting System

·        Source: Horses for Clean Water

Summer is the perfect time for construction projects and a key management component for horse properties is having something useful to do with horse manure. Composting is my favorite technique and while there are many bin designs and ideas for how to compost, here is one low-tech option, best suited for small properties with one to three horses.

Look for a high, level area on your property – don’t put your composter in a low-lying area or it will turn into a soggy mess. Remember you must locate your composter far away from creeks, ditches, wetlands or other water bodies – you can check with local authorities for specific regulations on this. Choose a location that’s convenient to your stall and paddock areas to make the chore of cleaning up easier and less time consuming.

1. Select a site
You will need at least two bins, maybe a third for convenience. A two-bin system works by piling manure and stall wastes in one bin. When that bin is full allow it to compost and start filling the second bin. Once the first bin is done composting you can start using the finished compost material. For convenience or if you have several horses you may want to consider going to three bins. This allows one bin for the daily stall wastes, another bin that is full and in the composting stage, and a third bin for the finished compost to be removed and used at your leisure.
2. Figure out how many bins you need
A list of materials and tools needed is included. It costs about $300 per bin for materials depending on the type of wood you use and the cost in your area. Feel free to improvise and experiment by choosing materials available in your area, which will work for you and your situation.
3. Purchase materials
 For three adjacent 8-foot x 8-foot x 4-foot bins, the following supplies and equipment are needed:
Supplies:
8 – 8' x 6"x 6" treated posts 
110 – 8' landscape timbers (or similar wood)
160 – 3" deck screws 
Tarp (or plastic sheet) to cover top of each bin 
Heavy items or straps to attach tarp to bins
Equipment:
Drill with screwdriver head and drill bit
25' tape measure
Drill with screwdriver head and drill bit
Chain saw or hand saw
Carpenter’s level
Post hole digger
Tamping rod or similar tool

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Alayne

Alayne Renée Blickle, a life-long equestrian and reining competitor, is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, an award winning, nationally acclaimed environmental education program. Well known for her enthusiastic, down-to-earth approaches, Alayne is an educator and photojournalist who has worked with horse and livestock owners for over 15 years teaching manure composting, pasture management, mud and dust control, water conservation, chemical use reduction and wildlife enhancement. She teaches and travels North America and writes for horse publications. Alayne and her husband raise and train their reining horses at their ranch in sunny Nampa, Idaho.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Summer Meeting on Energy Use and Canoeing !

Maryland Horse Council
Farm Stewardship Summer Meeting
August 14, 2014
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters
Annapolis, Maryland

Meeting Summary
Jane Thery, Chair, Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee

            The day was quite beautiful, with a hint of fall in the air.  About twenty people attended the meeting entitled, “Energy Use on Your Horse Farm.”  Our light-filled conference room faces the Chesapeake Bay.  Jane Thery opened the session, noting that the Maryland Horse Forum had just been held and that results of the Forum would be available within the next couple of months, the next Farm Stewardship meeting will be held on October 13 and will focus on composting, and naming the eighteen horse farms now recognized under the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) – well on the way to meeting the twenty horse farms goal for 2014. 

            Dan Johannes, Maryland Agriculture Coordinator of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, welcomed the group to the  Philip Merrill building which is designed for the highest level of energy efficiency.  He noted the importance of addressing energy use on horse farms and stated the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s support for the environmental awareness of the horse community. 

            Dean Fisher, Program Manager at the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), presented his track record in matching funding sources to successful energy efficiency project on Maryland farms.  He emphasized the dissemination of “best practices” in energy savings through case studies and videos available on the MEA website.  Dean recommended energy audits to identify areas on a farm that could benefit from upgrades.  Unfortunately, these audits can cost in the thousands of dollars.  There may be funds available for reducing demands on the energy grid.  He noted that the large energy suppliers such as PEPCO, Dominion and BG & E have energy efficiency program that could be used by horse farms.  The Maryland Horse Council is looking forward to including horse farms in future MEA farm energy efficiency programs. 

            John Blackburn, Senior Principal of Blackburn Architects, presented his work on building natural light and ventilation into stable design.  He showed the group a diagram of how roof design, including roof venting, could promote updrafts in stables to provide healthy, fresh air for the horses and reduce the need for fans.  Sky lights are also added to provide light throughout the stable and to reduce the risk of electrical fires.  He also promotes the use of solar panels to generate on-farm electricity.  John has designed a series of “green stables” for a variety of climates, including low-cost options.  He noted that existing stables can undergo modifications to significantly improve their natural light and ventilation. 

            Wayne Brechtel, Senior Field Energy Consultant from SolarCity, explained how his company installs solar panels that generate energy for farms and provide energy to the existing electrical grid.  He explained that the combination of federal and state incentive programs and high-quality available technology make this an excellent time to install solar panels in Maryland.  His company will meet with potential clients and review where solar panels could be located and the saving in monthly electrical costs.  The company is fully responsible for maintaining the solar panels over their lifetime.  Agreements with the company are made with a 20 year time horizon and include energy savings over time.  One important issue for horse farms is the designation of your electrical meter as residential or commercial.  The rates are higher for commercial meters.  SolarCity is enthusiastic about offering their services to more horse farms. 

            Last but not least, about half of our group took a canoe tour of the inlet next to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters and received a briefing from Claire Cambardella on the life in the Bay and how to measure water clarity and oxygen content.  We also saw many ospreys, blue heron and native plants.  Doug Myers, the senior Chesapeake Bay Foundation scientist, joined our canoe group and noted that the main threat to the Bay is too much nitrogen and phosphorous that leads to algae blooms and die-offs which cut off oxygen and light to the natural Bay flora and fauna.  


            Many thanks to the sponsors of our refreshments, Piedmont Insurance and SolarCity, as well as the meeting host, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. 


                         Dean Fisher, Jane Thery, Dan Johannes, John Blackburn, Wayne Brechtel
                                       (Photo from the Maryland Energy Administration)

Monday, August 18, 2014

Green Mountain Technologies Horse Manure Composting System

Green Mountain Technologies, Inc (GMT) $388,310 – Although composting is not new, the in-vessel system is a closed system reducing variability of environmental factors impacting composting success. The vendor offers this as a turnkey operation and provides ongoing management support which reduces farm operator time, labor requirements and potential error. GMT proposed two individual projects for in-vessel composting:  The first is a small composter at a horse rescue facility in Howard County where nutrients and by-products will be reduced by 50 percent. GMT is in discussion to market this compost to vendors who sell planting medium for nursery production. The second project is larger and will be implemented on a dairy farm in Frederick County that also will process the offal from its turkey production and processing facility. The agricultural operation is owned and managed by Eugene Iager, who is exploring the use of the compost for dairy bedding and opportunities for marketing it. GMT operates out of Seattle, Wash., and they will use web-enabled controllers and probes to monitor temperatures and manage the composter remotely when not on site.
“Green Mountain Technologies is honored to have two projects selected by MDA. We realize that the agricultural industry must be given waste management options that are not only environmentally sustainable but also financially sustainable,” said GMT Agricultural Sales Specialist Mollie Bogardus. “We believe in furthering the market channels for the value added products created through quality composting of the waste from dairies, equine facilities and poultry sites. These grants will provide Maryland farms examples of successful composting operations.”
In January 2014, MDA issued a Request for Proposals for demonstration projects with proven and innovative technologies that manage agricultural manure and on-farm generated waste in a manner that improves its utility as a fertilizer, changes its form or function for alternative uses, or produces energy or other marketable products. The overall outcome of the technology will result in reduction of nitrogen and/or phosphorus movement to surface waters associated with animal manure produced on farms in Maryland.
Maryland’s nutrient management regulations govern the amount, timing, and placement of crop nutrients—including manure and other organic nutrient sources—on agricultural land to prevent excess nutrients from impacting waterways. To help poultry and livestock producers comply with the regulations, Maryland is supporting and investing in alternative uses for manure such as fertilizer manufacturing, composting and manure-to-energy projects, and the development of new products that add value to improve farm viability.
MDA received eight bids, which were reviewed by a six-member technical review subcommittee. The subcommittee represented diverse skill sets and backgrounds and its members were chosen from the 20-member Advisory Committee for the Animal Waste Technology Fund. Three of the recommended projects were approved by the Board of Public Works on Wednesday, August 13. An award for one additional project is expected to be made this fall, following Board of Public Works approval.
Learn more about Maryland’s sustainable policies, practices and programs at green.maryland.gov and follow us @GreenMaryland.


MDA Awards $1 Million for Innovative Manure Management Technologies

       
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         CONTACT:  Julie Oberg, 410-841-5888
                                        Vanessa Orlando, 410-841-5889

MDA Awards $1 Million for Innovative Manure Management Technologies
Demonstration Projects in Howard, Frederick and Worcester Counties Recognized

POCOMOKE, MD (August 15, 2014) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) today awarded more than $1 million in grants for three animal waste management technology projects. MDA Secretary Buddy Hance, Maryland Energy Administration Director Abigail Ross Hopper, along with other state and local officials, joined together for a check presentation ceremony to Planet Found Energy Development and Green Mountain Technologies for implementation of their demonstration projects. The event was held at Millennium Farms in Worcester County.

“By working to reach our sustainability goals, we’ll grow our renewable energy portfolio and reduce the amount of run-off going into our precious Bay. This program is a win-win for our State,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Investing in Maryland’s in-state renewable energy boosts our economy, ensures that we have abundant energy resources well into the future and creates more jobs and opportunity for more Marylanders.”

The O’Malley/Brown Administration’s investment in innovation led to the revitalization of the Animal Waste Technology Fund. The Fund provides incentives to companies that demonstrate new technologies on farms and provide alternative strategies for managing animal manure. These technologies generate energy from animal manure, reduce on-farm waste streams, and repurpose manure by creating marketable fertilizer and other products and by-products. MDA plans to award a total of $2 million of the $2.5 million available in FY2014. Funds not awarded during FY2014 will be added to a new round of requests for proposals to demonstrate innovative manure management technologies, totaling $3 million in FY2015.

“These projects will help farmers address challenges in managing manure under new nutrient management requirements,” said Secretary Hance. “Projects funded have the potential to increase energy independence, enhance animal waste management, improve water quality, and reduce greenhouse gases – all of which will result in advanced Chesapeake Bay restoration and help farms become sustainable.”

Today, MDA announced the first two grant awardees: 
Planet Found Energy Development (PFED) – $676,144.47 – uses an anaerobic digester linked to a nutrient recovery system to produce electricity (26 kWh plant producing an estimated 100,000 kW/yr) for parasitic load and will use net metering to send any excess electricity back to the grid. Excess heat may be used to offset propane costs for poultry house heating. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are to be partitioned into three separate fertilizer products for on-farm use or sale. The dry weight of the poultry litter is reduced by 50 percent and the fiber by-product has the potential to be re-used as poultry bedding. Millennium Farms, owned/operated by Jason and Kim Lambertson, is in Worcester County and has six poultry houses. Although pairing the two components is new, both have been proven as stand- alone systems. PFED broke ground on the anaerobic digester component of the project this spring and will use grant funds from the State to support the nutrient capture system.

“Our team at Planet Found Energy Development is excited to work with the Maryland Department of Agriculture in finding alternative ways to utilize poultry manure,” said PFED Partner Jason Lambertson. “Our partnership the first step in helping the agricultural community use a current resource as renewable energy while reducing key nutrients that have a great impact on the future of the poultry industry in Maryland. We welcome this opportunity to be a part of a solution.”

Green Mountain Technologies, Inc (GMT) – $388,310 – Although composting is not new, the in-vessel system is a closed system reducing variability of environmental factors impacting composting success. The vendor offers this as a turnkey operation and provides ongoing management support which reduces farm operator time, labor requirements and potential error. GMT proposed two individual projects for in-vessel composting:  The first is a small composter at a horse rescue facility in Howard County where nutrients and by-products will be reduced by 50 percent. GMT is in discussion to market this compost to vendors who sell planting medium for nursery production. The second project is larger and will be implemented on a dairy farm in Frederick County that also will process the offal from its turkey production and processing facility. The agricultural operation is owned and managed by Eugene Iager, who is exploring the use of the compost for dairy bedding and opportunities for marketing it. GMT operates out of Seattle, Wash., and they will use web-enabled controllers and probes to monitor temperatures and manage the composter remotely when not on site.

“Green Mountain Technologies is honored to have two projects selected by MDA. We realize that the agricultural industry must be given waste management options that are not only environmentally sustainable but also financially sustainable,” said GMT Agricultural Sales Specialist Mollie Bogardus. “We believe in furthering the market channels for the value added products created through quality composting of the waste from dairies, equine facilities and poultry sites. These grants will provide Maryland farms examples of successful composting operations.”

In January 2014, MDA issued a Request for Proposals for demonstration projects with proven and innovative technologies that manage agricultural manure and on-farm generated waste in a manner that improves its utility as a fertilizer, changes its form or function for alternative uses, or produces energy or other marketable products. The overall outcome of the technology will result in reduction of nitrogen and/or phosphorus movement to surface waters associated with animal manure produced on farms in Maryland.
Maryland’s nutrient management regulations govern the amount, timing, and placement of crop nutrients—including manure and other organic nutrient sources—on agricultural land to prevent excess nutrients from impacting waterways. To help poultry and livestock producers comply with the regulations, Maryland is supporting and investing in alternative uses for manure such as fertilizer manufacturing, composting and manure-to-energy projects, and the development of new products that add value to improve farm viability.

MDA received eight bids, which were reviewed by a six-member technical review subcommittee. The subcommittee represented diverse skill sets and backgrounds and its members were chosen from the 20-member Advisory Committee for the Animal Waste Technology Fund. Three of the recommended projects were approved by the Board of Public Works on Wednesday, August 13. An award for one additional project is expected to be made this fall, following Board of Public Works approval.

Learn more about Maryland’s sustainable policies, practices and programs at green.maryland.gov and follow us @GreenMaryland.

# # #

EDITOR'S NOTE: PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Energy and Your Horse Farm Meeting Agenda


Maryland Horse Council
Farm Stewardship Meeting
Thursday, August 14, 2014, Noon to 3:00 pm
Chesapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters

Energy Use on Your Horse Farm
Agenda

Welcome and Introductions
Jane Thery, Chair
 Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee

Energy Use and the Environment
Dan Johannes, Maryland Agriculture Coordinator
Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Energy Efficiency Options and Programs
Dean Fisher, Program Manager
Maryland Energy Administration

Natural Energy Through Stable Design
John Blackburn, Senior Principal
Blackburn Architects

Solar Energy Options
Wayne Brechtel, Senior Field Energy Consultant
SolarCity

Canoeing !!

Special thanks to our host and canoeing partners, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and to Piedmont Insurance and SolarCity for the fine refreshments.