Livestock Manure Pollution Prevention Project (P3)

The Livestock Manure Pollution Prevention Project (P3), was a sub Working Group of Environment Canada’s Water Quality Working Group. The group brought together members of producer groups, agencies and academia. The group produced a series of brochures, a spill decal, position papers and displays, designed to provide farmers with options to help make good manure management decisions on their farms. The UTRCA provided secretariat support for the group and currently maintains a supply of the P3 promotional materials.

More than 35,000 livestock farms produce manure in Ontario. This resource may be used profitably in the production of many crops to:

• improve crop yields
• add organic material to improve the soil’s water and nutrient holding capacity,
• enhance soil porosity for better aeration and drainage,
• reduce runoff and soil erosion potential through improved soil structure,
• encourage growth of beneficial soil organisms.

When manure is not handled properly it can result in a spill, pollution surface water and groundwater. Problems may occur during any of the steps of manure management, including: collection, transfer, storage and application. If a manure spill reaches a stream it can create serious problems for aquatic life as well as for people and livestock.

The UTRCA developed a position paper to address environmental concerns related to livestock operations: Position Paper: The Environment and Intensive Livestock Operations.

P3 Information and Publications

• Manure Spills Data – Across Ontario an average of 5,025 spills are reported each year, and one-fifth of these spills pollute a watercourse. While oils and fuels account for the majority of spilled materials, manure spills have been the leading cause of fish kills in the province since 1988. This is followed by chemical, oil/fuel/gas, and sediment spills. Fourteen percent of all reported manure spills resulted in fish kills.
• Position Paper: High Level Spray Irrigation of Manure in Ontario – Prepared by P3 Working Group for the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition’s Water Quality Working Group
• Manure – Farming and Healthy Fish Habitat – Issue 3 – This brochure is an update of Issue 1, with updated spills data along with new graphics and text.
• Manure – Farming and Healthy Fish Habitat – Issue 2 – Properly managing manure resources will help meet crop nutrient needs over the long-term and protect the environment.
• Manure – Farming and Healthy Fish Habitat – Issue 1 – A complete nutrient management plan will ensure crop nutrient needs are met over the long-term and will protect the aquatic environment.
• Manure Spills in Ontario – Actual Case Files – These case studies were produced as part of the ongoing effort of the P3 Working Group to encourage farmers to think about the implications of inappropriate manure management practices.
• Manure Spill Contingency Planning
• Buffer Action – Improving Water Quality – Farm runoff is best controlled at the source by good cropland planning and farmstead management.
• Manure Spill Contingency Plan Decal
• Livestock Manure P3 Display Panel – Field tips for preventing tile water contamination and farm management options to consider.