Feb 25, 2016 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County Conservation District will host two free workshops next month for local farmers and livestock owners about writing manure management plans.

The two workshops will both be held March 10. The first workshop will run from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and the other from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Both workshops will be held on the lower level of the 4-H Building at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Waynesburg.

The workshops are free although registration is required.

Attendees can choose which session they wish to register for; attendance at both is not required.

According to state Department of Environmental Protection regulations, anyone whose farm operations involve applying manure to land – whether by fork, machine or naturally by animals – is required to have a written manure management plan, regardless of the size of the operation.

This applies to owners of grazing livestock and farmers who use manure to fertilize gardens or fields, as well as students with 4-H projects.

“The DEP’s goal is not to go out policing people about manure management plans,” said Karlie Wright, the agricultural technician for the Conservation District. “What they really want to do is educate everyone about the impact of livestock on the land and help people manage those impacts properly.”

Offering free workshops is just one way the conservation district can provide resources and assistance to anyone with questions or who needs help writing or developing manure management plans.

District staff can also meet one-on-one with individuals and evaluate plans in a relatively simple process.

Financial and other support for this workshop has been provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts through a grant from the DEP administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act.

For more information, call 724-852-5278 or email kwright@co.greene.pa.us.