Now is the time to understand the rules of winter manure application.
This section is by Jeff Graybill, a Penn State Extension agronomy educator in Lancaster County. He is filling in for Leon Ressler this week.
Spreading manure in the winter is discouraged because it is a high-risk time period for nutrient losses and contamination of surface water.
If wintertime manure spreading is unavoidable on your farm, following the regulations for winter spreading in Pennsylvania will help to reduce the risk of nutrient losses.
For purposes of manure application, winter is defined as any of the following three conditions:
1. Between Dec. 15 and Feb. 28.