Oversight of Animal Feeding Operations for Manure Management in the Great Lakes Basin

Date
Precis

2023 Consultant Report and Summary Letter

In 2021, the IJC’s Water Quality Board launched the Manure Nutrient Management Collaborative (Collaborative) with representatives from agriculture, conservation, business, environmental science and government leaders, working toward protection of water quality in the Great Lakes Basin. The group’s goal was to collectively identify opportunities to reduce nutrient runoff from agriculture land through improved manure and field management practices while supporting productive livestock and crop farming operations.

With the support of a consultant, the Collaborative collected, reviewed and assessed data and information on manure inputs, policies and practices in two Lake Erie watersheds. The resulting consultant report contributed to the Collaborative members’ understanding of the state of manure management and its impacts on water quality, and it will inform the group’s future work.  The Collaborative also developed a summary letter that outlines the group’s perspectives on areas of agreement and disagreement, priorities for future work and a planned path forward.

 

2020 Report

In 2020, the WQB held several webinars to receive feedback on their 2019 report.  The collective feedback from these webinars has been summarized in an October 2020 report to the Commission.  The summary report outlines the next steps that the WQB proposes to continue advancing its work and recommendations from their 2019 report on manure management.

 

2019 Report

In 2019 the WQB produced a report on the topic of manure management for animal feeding operations, which reviewed practices and policies in the state and provincial jurisdictions in the Great Lakes. The recommendations included in the report have been identified as priority actions for strengthening governmental manure management/regulatory frameworks. The report is also accompanied by an infographic.

Engagement Webinars on the 2019 Report

  • April 15, 2020:  By-Invitation Webinar - Agriculture and Environmental Non-government Organizations

       Answers to questions received during this webinar are available here.

  • May 1st, 2020:  Public Webinar

       Responses to questions received during this public webinar are available here. The video of the public webinar is below.

  • June 26, 2020:  By-Invitation Webinar - Government and Regulatory Agencies

       Answers to questions received this webinar are available here.

 

Great Lakes Water Quality Board Manure Management Report Public Webinar - May 1, 2020 from International Joint Commission on Vimeo.

Organization
WQB