The Iowa Policy Project
20 E. Market St. • Iowa City, Iowa 52245 • (319) 338-0773
www.iowapolicyproject.org
May 2016
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Saving Resources: Manure and Water
Assessing Agricultural Policy Implications for the Mississippi River Basin
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8'*(%)39!:%#5!(2;2(4!,-!/5,4/5,$'4!*+0!+%)$,#2+!%+!.*+'$2!&*+!&,+)*.%+*)2!1*)2$1*34!%-!.*+'$2!%4!
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&,..%).2+)!@!,$!(*&A!,-!&,..%).2+)!@!),!,;2$4%#5)!*+0!2+-,$&2.2+)!,-!.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+!
$28'%$2.2+)4=!15%&5!5*4!*!0%$2&)!B2*$%+#!,+!2--%&%2+)!'42!,-!+')$%2+)4!-,$!*#$%&'()'$*(!/$,0'&)%,+=!
1*)2$!8'*(%)3=!&,4)4!),!1*)2$!434)2.4!*+0!/'B(%&!52*()59!!
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+2#*)%;2(3!*--2&)4!(,&*(!*+0!$2#%,+*(!1*)2$!4,'$&249!F2!)52+!,')(%+2!/,(%&%24!6,1*!5*4!%+!/(*&2!),!
*00$244!)5%4!/$,B(2.!*+0!&,./*$2!)52.!),!$2&2+)!&5*+#24!%+!)52!4)*)2!,-!H5%,9!F2!&,+&('02!1%)5!
$2&,..2+0*)%,+4!),!/$,)2&)!)52!-')'$2!52*()5!,-!,'$!1*)2$1*349!!
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The High Risk of Winter Manure Application
D*+'$2!%4!*+!%./,$)*+)!$24,'$&2!)5*)!&*+!B2!4'4)*%+*B(3!')%(%<20!),!2+5*+&2!&$,/!/$,0'&)%,+9!
?%+&2!.*+'$2!&*+!B2!*!&52*/2$!4,'$&2!,-!+')$%2+)4!)5*+!&,..2$&%*(!-2$)%(%<2$=!-*$.2$4!5*;2!*+!
%+&2+)%;2!),!')%(%<2!%)4!;*('2=!*+0!*(4,!*+!%+&2+)%;2!+,)!),!(2)!.*+'$2!$'+!,--!&$,/(*+0!*+0!B2&,.2!*!
/$,B(2.!),!6,1*!(*A24!*+0!4)$2*.49!:,12;2$=!4,.2!4,%(!&,+0%)%,+4!/,42!4/2&%*(!/$,B(2.4!-,$!)52!
/$,0'&2$9!I+(%A2!+,$.*(!4,%(=!-$,<2+!4,%(!%4!0%--%&'()!),!/2+2)$*)2!0'2!),!1*)2$!4*)'$*)%,+!)5*)!
,&&'$4!B2)122+!-$22<%+#!*+0!)5*1%+#!&3&(24!0'$%+#!)3/%&*(!D%0124)2$+!1%+)2$49!
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,+!),/!,-!4,%(!)5*)!&,'(0!$'+!,--!%+),!+2*$B3!1*)2$1*34!0'$%+#!4+,1.2()4!*+0!4/$%+#!$*%+9!
J'$)52$.,$2=!)52!0%--2$2+)!$*)24!*)!15%&5!.*+'$2!*+0!4,%(!)5*1!/$242+)!*+,)52$!/$,B(2.K!%-!
.*+'$2!)5*14!-%$4)=!1*)2$!4),$20!%+!4+,1!/*&A4!&,'(0!.2()!*+0!&*$$3!)52!'+*B4,$B20!.*+'$2!
),1*$0!4)$2*.49!6+!)5%4!&*42!$*%+!%4!+,)!2;2+!+2&244*$3!-,$!+')$%2+)!$'+,--!),!,&&'$9!:,12;2$=!$*%+!
*(,+2!&*+!B2!*+!*00%)%,+*(!/$,B(2.9!"//(3%+#!.*+'$2!),!4*)'$*)20!#$,'+0!&*+!*(4,!$20'&2!)52!'42!
,-!)52!+')$%2+)4!),!&$,/4!*+0!*00!),!/,((')%,+=!152+!)52!+')$%2+)4!0,!)52%$!L,B!%+!$%;2$4!*+0!(*A24!
*+0!+,)!,+!-*$.!#$,'+09!C5'4=!)%.%+#!%4!/*$*.,'+)!),!)52!4'&&244-'(!*//(%&*)%,+!,-!.*+'$29!
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E242*$&5!%(('4)$*)24!153!)52!$%4A!,-!$'+,--!%4!/*$)%&'(*$(3!5%#5!152+!.*+'$2!%4!*//(%20!%+!(*)2!
1%+)2$9!H+2!)1,>32*$!4)'03!&,./*$20!)52!(,44!,-!+%)$,#2+!-$,.!4'$-*&2!$'+,--!*&$,44!-,'$!0%--2$2+)!
.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+!)%.249!6)4!-%+0%+#4!45,1!)5*)!*//(3%+#!.*+'$2!%+!(*)2!1%+)2$!$24'()4!%+!*+!
*;2$*#2!(,44!,-!MN!/,'+04!,-!+%)$,#2+!/2$!*&$2!,-!&,$+!4)'BB(2!@!.,$2!)5*+!)1%&2!)52!+%)$,#2+!(,44!
0'$%+#!2*$(3!1%+)2$!*//(%&*)%,+4!*+0!.,$2!)5*+!NO!)%.24!)52!*.,'+)!(,4)!%+!4/$%+#!*//(%&*)%,+49!
The Negative Impacts of Manure Runoff
D*+'$2!$'+,--!5*4!B,)5!2+;%$,+.2+)*(!*+0!2&,+,.%&!$2/2$&'44%,+49!J$,.!*+!2+;%$,+.2+)*(!
4)*+0/,%+)=!.*+'$2!$'+,--!5*4!B22+!(%+A20!),!-%45!A%((4=!B2*&5!&(,4'$24=!%+&%02+)4!,-!&,+)*.%+*)20!
0$%+A%+#!1*)2$=!*+0!53/,G%*=!*!&,+0%)%,+!)5*)!4)*$;24!1*)2$!,-!,G3#2+!*+0!&*+!(2*;2!*!B,03!,-!1*)2$!
(%-2(244!*4!*!$24'()=!&*'4%+#!2&,(,#%&*(!*+0!/,)2+)%*((3!2&,+,.%&!5*$.9!J,$!-*$.2$4=!.*+'$2!$'+,--!
,-)2+!$24'()4!%+!*!5%#52$!-2$)%(%<2$!B%((9!D*+'$2!(,4)!-$,.!$'+,--!.'4)!B2!$2/(*&20!B3!&,..2$&%*(!
-2$)%(%<2$9!C5*)!%./,424!*+!2&,+,.%&!B'$02+!,+!-*$.2$4=!B')!)52!5*$.-'(!2--2&)4!,-!+')$%2+)!
/,((')%,+!*$2!,-)2+!-2()!.,4)!B3!&,..'+%)%24!0,1+4)$2*.9!F5%(2!$'+,--!-$,.!.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+4!
%4!+,)!)52!4,(2!4,'$&2!,-!+%)$*)2!/,((')%,+=!%)!&,+)$%B')24=!24/2&%*((3!152+!*//(%20!0'$%+#!)52!1%+)2$9!
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*(4,!&*((20=!(,&*)20!%+!)52!+,$)52$+!R'(-!,-!D2G%&,!152$2!)52!D%44%44%//%!E%;2$!2./)%249!:3/,G%*!%+!
)52!R'(-!%4!&*'420!B3!2G&244!+%)$,#2+!*+0!/5,4/5,$,'4!02(%;2$20!B3!)52!D%44%44%//%>")&5*-*(*3*!
$%;2$!434)2.9!C52!5%#5!(2;2(4!,-!+')$%2+)4!/$,.,)2!)52!(*$#2!*(#*(!B(,,.4!*+0!152+!)52!B(,,.4!0%2!
*+0!02&*3!*!5%#5!*.,'+)!,-!,G3#2+!%4!&,+4'.20=!A%((%+#!-%45!*+0!,)52$!,$#*+%4.4!*+0!(2*;%+#!)52!
*$2*!(%-2(244!*4!*!$24'()9!S3!$20'&%+#!$'+,--!&*'420!B3!%+*//$,/$%*)2!.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+=!)52!
+')$%2+)!(,*0!),!)52!53/,G%&!<,+2!&,'(0!B2!4%#+%-%&*+)(3!$20'&209!
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How Iowa Policies Fall Short
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J%$4)=!$2#'(*)%,+4!0,!+,)!*//(3!),!4.*((2$!-*&%(%)%249!?2&,+0=!)52!(*1!-*%(4!),!%+&('02!4,.2!&,+0%)%,+4!
152+!.*+'$2!.%#5)!B2!(,4)=!4'&5!*4!4*)'$*)20!#$,'+0=!),!)52!02)$%.2+)!,-!/$,0'&2$4!*+0!)52!
2+;%$,+.2+)9!C52!(*174!+'.2$,'4!2G2./)%,+4!*00!),!)52!02#$22!,-!;*#'2+244!*+0!&,./(2G%)3=!
.*A%+#!%)!$%-2!-,$!/,)2+)%*(!*B'42!,$!5,+24)!.%4)*A249!6,1*!*(4,!0,24!+,)!&,./*$2!12((!),!,)52$!
4)*)24!%+!4)*--!),!2+-,$&2!$'(24!*+0!$2#'(*)%,+49!6,1*!4)*+04!,')!B2&*'42!%)!5*4!4,!-21!4)*--!$2(*)%;2!
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2G*&2$B*)2!)5%4!&5*((2+#29!
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Policy Recommendations
F2*A!4)*)2!(*14!*+0!-21!%+4/2&),$4!&,./$,.%42!6,1*74!1*)2$!8'*(%)3!*+0!2+0*+#2$%+#!,'$!
&%)%<2+47!52*()59!"4!%)!&'$$2+)(3!4)*+04=!6,1*74!(*1!%4!*!PB,)5!*+0Q!4)*)')2K!)52!#$,'+0!.'4)!B2!
%./2$.2*B(2!!"#!B2!1%)5%+!)52!0*)24!4/2&%-%20!B2-,$2!.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+!%4!(%.%)209!C5242!
$24)$%&)%,+4!*$2!B,)5!%+*028'*)2!*+0!&,+-'4%+#!),!-*$.2$4!*+0!+2%#5B,$4!&,+&2$+20!*B,')!1*)2$!
8'*(%)39!H'$!$242*$&5!5*4!(20!'4!),!$2&,..2+0!)52!-,((,1%+#U!!
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/$,0'&)%,+!-*&%(%)%24!152+!)52!#$,'+0!%4!-$,<2+!,$!4+,1>&,;2$20=!152+!)52!),/!)1,!%+&524!
*$2!4*)'$*)20!-$,.!/$2&%/%)*)%,+!,$!152+!12*)52$!%4!2G/2&)20!)5*)!1%((!B2!02)$%.2+)*(!),!)52!
2+;%$,+.2+)!*+0!),!)52!')%(%<*)%,+!,-!)52!.*+'$29!
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.*%+)*%+%+#!*028'*)2!4)*--%+#9!
6..20%*)2!*0,/)%,+!,-!$24)$%&)%,+4!,+!*((!,/2$*)%,+4!*)!VOO!*+%.*(!'+%)4!W"IX!,$!.,$2!-,$!
.*+'$2!*//(%&*)%,+!0'$%+#!'+-*;,$*B(2!4,%(!&,+0%)%,+49!
Y$,#$244!),1*$0!/(*&%+#!*//(%&*)%,+!$24)$%&)%,+4!,+!*((!-*&%(%)%24!*B,;2!NOO!"I!%+!4%<29!
C,!.*G%.%<2!)52!B2+2-%)4!,-!.*+'$2!-,$!-*$.2$4=!)52!2+;%$,+.2+)=!*+0!&,..'+%)%24!0,1+4)$2*.=!
6,1*!.'4)!*00$244!)52!%+)2$*&)%,+!B2)122+!.*+'$2!*+0!4,%(!)5*)!&*+!*B4,$B!%)9!Z,%+#!4,!1%((!
$28'%$2!%./(2.2+)%+#!*!B*+!152+!)52!/,)2+)%*(!-,$!$'+,--!%4!#$2*)24)9!6,1*!45,'(0!B2!/$,*&)%;29!
6,1*!0,24!+,)!5*;2!),!1*%)!-,$!,+2!,-!,'$!&%)%24!),!(,42!%)4!0$%+A%+#!1*)2$!B2-,$2!12!*&)9!