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REPORT: Hog Manure Helps Soil Stay in Place

Iowa Select Farms Shares Findings of Soil Health and Water Quality Sustainability Analysis Report
The 2022 Iowa State Fair captured our love and celebration of agriculture, food and family--all things important to Iowans.

The state fair is also an opportunity to gather and learn, which is why we felt it was the perfect time to share the findings of a study conducted on soil health and water quality sustainability.

Watersheds, rivers, water quality and drinking water have gotten quite a bit of attention in recent years--and rightly so--it’s an important issue for all Iowans.

The study gathered data from 14 family farms that receive manure from our hog farms--encompassing 14,702 acres--located in the Raccoon River Watershed during the 2021 growing season.

The report indicated that the soil erosion rate of fields in the study was 0.64 tons per acre (T/ac) – in contrast to the Iowa average of 5.9 T/ac (and national average of 4.6 T/ac). The fields in this project have been rated an overall + (positive) trajectory for the USDA’s Soil Conditioning Index.
 
The study shows the benefits of hog manure on soil health and the positive impact on curtailing erosion.

Now we have the data that provides measurable numbers and a direct correlation between responsible manure management and conservation practices and improving soil health--all of which helps combat soil erosion and protect water quality.
About the Study
The study was conducted as a part of Iowa Select Farms’ Smart Soil Partnership Program, which was created to cultivate partnerships aimed at further protecting water quality by increasing conservation practices with the 1,700 farmers who receive manure from Iowa Select hog farms.
 
Sustainable Environmental Consultants (SEC), a West Des Moines-based sustainability consulting firm, conducted the study. The study was powered by SEC’s EcoPractices platform, which is a best-in-class, third-party verification and validation platform that provides measurable solutions to help organizations meet their sustainability goals and manage sustainability risk.

The study was funded by the National Pork Board using checkoff dollars in a program implemented to encourage more growers to initiate sustainability analysis on their operations.
Study Details
As a part of the study, 163 fields on 14 farms in the Raccoon River Watershed, equaling 14,702 acres, were analyzed during last year’s growing season.

Farms asked to participate in the study only needed two criteria: to consistently have used Iowa Select Farms hog manure as fertilizer before 2021 due to cropping rotations and nutrient needs and to be located in the Raccoon River Watershed.

The findings revealed that the 163 fields in the study use a mix of conservation practices, including:
  • 46% of the acres received liquid manure fertilizer at an average rate of 4,486 gallons/acre (which is the recommended rate by DNR)
  • 48% of the acres used no-till or reduced-till practices
  • 2% used cover crops
  • Fields in the study also included 67 acres of grassed waterways and 111 acres of buffer strips
Study Findings
Soil erosion rate of fields in the study was 0.64 T/ac--in contrast to the Iowa average of 5.9 T/ac (and national average of 4.6 T/ac).

The Soil Conditioning Index (SCI) is a tool from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service that shows the trajectory of soil health. The fields in this project are an overall + (positive) for the trajectory for SCI.

When compared to conventional practices, fields in this study had 1,556 tons of soil saved instead of being lost to erosion, which equates to:
  • 97 dump trucks of soil
  • 38 tons of nitrogen saved instead of being lost through leaching and runoff
  • 7 tons of phosphorous saved instead of being lost through runoff
Next Steps
Seeking Smart Soil Partnerships to Increase Conservation Practices

The Iowa Select Farms Smart Soil Partnerships Program was created to cultivate partnerships aimed at further protecting water quality, improving soil health for farmers and storing more carbon in our soils.

We're actively working to increase conservation practices with the 1,700 farmers who receive hog manure from our farms. Stay tuned as we roll out updates on a Batch and Build Program with IDALS to implement saturated buffers and bioreactors in targeted watersheds, launch our new farmer-focused newsletter series and recognize conservation leaders through our new SelectCare Environmental Award program.

Have an opportunity to help farmers build soil health? Contact Erica Lain at elain@iowaselect.com.