ABSTRACT
The annual production of manures from livestock on farms in the United States is about 1.2 billion wet tons (about 175 million dry tons). The production of farm manures far exceeds that of sewage sludge (estimated to be about 5.4 million dry tons annually) and is enough to provide nutrients to produce crops on 60 million acres of farm land if it were fully utilized. However, only a small fraction of the potential value of farm manures actually is realized, for much of the manure is wastefully and inefficiently handled. Handling of the large quantities of manure presents major problems to dairy, livestock, and poultry farmers in the nation. These farmers often do not have adequate areas of land on which manures can be applied. In some cases, land is overloaded with manures, but more often, wasteful methods of handling lead to large losses of nutrients and organic matter from manures.
