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PRO-DAIRY's Nutrient/CAFO/Environmental Management

Program efforts are directed toward two related areas based on significant dairy industry needs: 1) dairy farm nutrient management and soil fertility issues; and 2) development, interpretation and training of practices that assist Animal Feeding Operations and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations with environmental protection and related regulatory issues. I work closely with Cornell faculty and staff from several departments, as well as personnel from state and federal agencies, depending on the issue, to help bring problem solving resources to bear on dairy farm nutrient management and environmental challenges.

For example, optimizing the recycling of manure nutrients helps to produce better crops while protecting the environment. Working closely with the Nutrient Management Spear Program, several key projects have been completed that help dairy farms to reduce purchase of off-farm sources of fertilizer nutrients by making better use of manure and other nutrients already on the farm. These include the NYS starter P project where numerous on-farm tests proved that significant reduction in P fertilizer use can be implemented without sacrificing yield on high fertility sites. Testing the response of first year corn following hay has also shown that no additional nitrogen from any source is needed beyond a small starter N application to support optimum corn yields. Ongoing and planned projects with the Spear Program include evaluation of shallow incorporation to conserve ammonia-nitrogen in manure, and evaluating dairy farm potassium fertilization practices on alfalfa-grass hay fields.

I have also been extensively involved in New York CAFO Permit issues as well as helping the dairy industry to understand air emissions concerns and obligations.

I serve on the NYS CAFO work group, the AEM Certification committee, and co-chair the Environmental Stewardship Committee of the NY Dairy Task Force.