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Here's a new Web-based resource to lead Illinois livestock producers through the manure regs and planning process.

April 17, 2007

2 Min Read

Developing a manure management plan just got easier for livestock producers in Illinois. The Illinois Manure Management Plan is now available online at www.immp.uiuc.edu.  

The web version of the IMMP will allow producers of large and small facilities to spend more time managing their animals, and less time worrying about manure, say Extension specialists at the University of Illinois.

"This is a great application that takes you by the hand and leads you through the process, step by step," said Ted Funk, an agricultural engineer at the U of I, and one of the Extension specialists who developed the plan. "It uses an interview-type format that prompts you for data, which you enter only once. That information is automatically pulled from the database whenever it's needed in a form or report."

"Most of the larger facilities are required by law to have a written plan, whether they are trying to comply with the Livestock Management Facility Act, or they have to have an NPDES permit," said Randy Fonner, Extension specialist and co-author of the IMMP. "And producers who apply for EQIP funds have to have a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to access those funds."

Fonner continued, "This program will help you develop one manure management plan that makes sure you're in compliance with any or all of those regulations."

Some features of the online version include:

  • Calculation tools to match manure application rates with crop needs and soil tests

  • Mapping tools to draw the farmstead with its features, including buildings and storages

  • Help with annual plan updates

  • Recordkeeping and report forms

  • A user-defined calendar that will send automatic email reminders for inspections and records

Individual plans are password-protected and reside on a U of I server for reliable storage and instant retrieval on any computer with web access.

The online resource was developed by the University of Illinois Extension with financial support from the Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Milk Producers Association, Illinois Livestock Development Group, Illinois Farm Bureau, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

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