Georgia Waste Management
Georgia is engaged in production of beef cattle, dairy products and replacement livestock, swine, poultry, and other miscellaneous livestock. The Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service lists the following inventories* of the primary species, with poultry representing one of the most robust state agricultural industries in the United States.
- Broilers: 1.29 billion
- Commercial Layers: 20.4 million
- Cattle and Calves (beef and dairy): 1.3 million
- Milk Production: 1.4 billion pounds
- Hogs: 345,000
* 2002 data
In congruence with Federal strategies, Georgia has adopted the Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) as the method to address non-point source pollution from animal feeding operations. AFO’s (animal feeding operations) and CAFO’s (contained animal feeding operations) are required to have a Nutrient Management Plan as part of their permit, with the exception of medium-sized dry litter poultry farms (sub-CAFO size), which complete their NMP through and industry mandate.
Resources and Programs:
The University of Georgia (UGA) provides research, education, and extension resources to assist state and federal agencies, businesses and industry, communities, and individual citizens in addressing water quality concerns specifically related to animal waste. These programs are designed to provide information to audiences including farmers, homeowners, and youth.
Extension Outreach
UGA is home to the Cooperative Extension Service (CES). UGA CES is dedicated to enhancing the lives of Georgians through programs that provide technical support to agriculture and consumers and help Georgians become more healthy, productive, financially independent, and environmentally conscious. This goal is met by ensuring that research and information from colleges and universities world-wide make their way to Georgia’s citizens, by way of local extension agents and other members of the UGA CES.
The UGA CES maintains a website that provides important information about animal waste management in Georgia. The Animal Waste Awareness in Research and Extension (AWARE) website contains policies and regulations for animal waste management and nutrient management information as well as pertinent publications, newsletters, and fact sheets.
Research- in Extension and Outreach
The University of Georgia continues to conduct research dealing with animal waste management and how it impacts water quality. Much of this research is coordinated through the AWARE Team and by collaborators. Some selected publications are:
- Nutrient Management for Georgia Agriculture Developing a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan. Prepared by the Nutrient Management Task Force, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of Georgia
- Poultry Waste: Georgia's 50 Million Dollar Forgotten Crop. Larry Vest and Bill Merka, Extension Poultry Scientists & William I. Segars, Extension Agronomist
- Land Application of Livestock and Poultry Manure. Cecil Hammond, Retired Extension Engineer; Bill Segars, Extension Water Quality Specialist; & Charles Gould, Special Agent
- Composting Poultry Mortalities. Bill Merka, Mike Lacy, Stan Savage & Larry Vest, Extension Poultry Scientists; & Cecil Hammond, Retired Extension Engineer
- Compost Utilization in Erosion Control. Mark Risse, Associate Professor, UGA Bio. & Ag. Engineering, and Britt Faucette, Organics Recycling Coordinator, Engineering Outreach.
- Geotube Dewatering for Lagoon Sludge. John Worley, UGA Bio. & Ag. Engineering and Thomas Bass, UGA Bio. & Ag. Engineering.
- For more related publications, check out AWARE’s list of resources and links.
College and University Education
- University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Fort Valley State University
College of Agriculture, Home Economics, and Allied Programs