Air management practices
Last updated on January 8, 2021
Many farm practices can result in air emissions, such as manure storage and handling, debris burning, composting, carcass disposal, waste management, animal production, and energy use. It is important to follow recommended beneficial practices for the health and welfare of yourself, others and the environment.
Manure and nutrient management
Agriculture is the largest emitter of ammonia to the air both in B.C. and globally. Ammonia easily volatilizes from urine, manure, fertilizer, compost and crop residues.Using responsible manure management techniques better utilizes farm nutrients, which can also result in reducing your air impacts such as ammonia and odours. This includes utilizing manure storage and nutrient application Beneficial Management Practices such as:
- Use manure handling practices that minimize emissions
- Make more frequent manure applications at lower application rates using sleighfoot or shallow injection equipment for more efficient use of nitrogen
- Use covered manure storage to reduce methane and ammonia emissions
- Apply nutrients and manure efficiently to match crop needs
Farmwest provides a calculator to help reduce your ammonia loss during manure spreading.
A properly designed vegetative buffer can mitigate the effects dust and odour to some degree and provide many other added benefits.
Check out the Recycling Council of British Columbia's directory of alternatives to open burning.