Farmers in deep doo-doo as manure runoff threat looms
By Liz Welter • Central Wisconsin Sunday •

The runoff from manure stored in detention ponds or from saturated
land can have disastrous effects on water supplies, said Ralph Bredl,
a Stratford dairy farmer.

The growing season, current weather and economy are causing
difficulties for central Wisconsin dairy farmers needing to empty
manure storage facilities. It also makes a dent in the cash flow for
local manure haulers and spreaders.

Because of low milk prices, dairy farmers are losing about $100 per
cow per month. Combined with the average $150 annually per cow to
properly dispose of manure, there isn’t the extra money to do it,
Bredl said.

“The decision to not empty now is going to lead to issues down the
road,” he said.

Although many farmers want to empty their tanks and spread the manure,
they can’t, said Matt Lippert, Wood County agricultural agent.

The late freeze means soybeans and corn aren’t being harvested. These
crops also need sun to dry after the freeze. Manure can’t be spread
until the crops are off the fields, Lippert said.

“In a normal year, we’d have quite a few soybeans off already. Also, a
lot of corn would be harvested by now. But we’re at least two weeks
behind.

“There’s this tight window now. You want to do it before the snow is
on the ground; otherwise, there is the larger issue of runoff into the
rivers,” Lippert said.

As someone who has been hauling and spreading manure for farmers since
1981, Jim Mann of Arpin said business is slow.

“This is the most crucial time I have ever seen. I know farmers want
to get their tanks emptied,” Mann said.

Local farmers are working with their agricultural agents and financial
advisers, Bredl said.

“Manure is an asset,” Bredl said. “We want to spread it. It’s a
nutrient we need to spread on our fields for the next season’s crops,
which we use to feed our animals or sell for cash.”