HISTORY

WHY DO DAIRY FARMS BUILD
SATELLITE MANURE STORAGE
​STRUCTURES?
The first award was presented in 1976 to John L. Tucker & Sons, Skaneateles, NY.
Here are the most recent recipients:
Picture
Joel Riehlman and Dale VanErden hold up the award sign. Standing with them are Aaron Buchta, Senior District Planner; Board members John Lemondes and Ken Bush.
2019:  VanErden Farms
​2018:  Dennis Family Farm
2017:  Pompey Hollow Angus, LLC
2016:  Emmi and Sons, Inc.
2015:  Lawrence Doody & Sons, LLC
2014:  Barbland Dairy, LLC
2013:  Tre-G Farms, LLC
2012:  Burgett Farm
2011:  Reeves Farms
2010:  Greenfield Farms, LLC

MUNICIPAL PARTNER AWARD

Lysander Highway Department Superintendent Gerald Hole.
2019: Town of Lysander
2018:  Town of Van Buren
2017:  Town of Lysander
2016:  Town of Camillus Highway Dept.
2015:  Onondaga County DOT
Manure storage is an important environmental protection practice and more dairy farms across NYS are installing or adding to their storage capacity.  Manure storage allows for improved application timing so that nutrients can be better recycled for crop use.  Farms that are regulated or that receive state or federal cost sharing must design and build manure storage in accordance with strict USDA-NRCS standards.  New regulatory requirements are bringing additional limitations that affect when manure may be applied making adequate manure storage capacity a necessity, and this will also drive an increase in construction of manure storages.  Many farms have built manure storage structures near the barns where the animals are housed for ease in loading. Manure needs to be applied at an agronomic rate to crop land, according to crop need, and this means manure must be transported to most fields operated by the dairy, some near, some far.  Further, traditional bedding sources like straw or sawdust have become very expensive or difficult to find, so many farms provide mattresses or have turned to bedding with sand or recycled manure solids for cows in freestall housing.  This results in manure with a liquid consistency, and often containing 90-95% water.  This watery material is bulky and presents challenges to move around at the optimum spreading time to land that grows crops for the cows.  For these reasons, it often does not make sense to enlarge or add a second manure storage structure at the home location, but to create storage near other blocks of land where manure will be land applied anyway.  These structures are referred to as satellite storage. 
A satellite storage allows farms to pump or transport manure during less busy times and in ways that reduce traffic intensity and odor prevalence.  This is a benefit for the environment, neighbors, and the farm.   This system also allows farms to focus on manure application when the land is ready, as the time-consuming aspect of hauling was taken care of before the growing season starts.  This means more timely manure application and also better results for the farm and the environment, because risks of nutrient loss are lower when timing is better.         


Karl Czymmek and Peter Wright
PRO-DAIRY Program
Cornell University
Chartered in 1944, the Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District is one of 58 special purpose Districts in New York State, one in each county, including the five boroughs of New York City.  Each District is governed by a Board of Directors who set program policy to be implemented by the District staff.
In Onondaga County, the District staff consists of an Executive Director, Program Team Leaders, Water Quality Specialists, support staff and various volunteers and interns.
Your District is funded largely through state grants and county appropriations.

  • 1930s    Dust Bowl. Civilian Conservation Corps projects begin nationwide.  Realization by federal  government that states and localities had to sponsor work projects.
  • 1940s    Soil Conservation Districts Law passed in New York establishing State Committee and authorizing county government to establish soil & water conservation districts.  First District in  New York established 7/31/40.
  • 1950s    Buffalo Creek in Erie and Wyoming counties one of pilot projects.  Eight more Districts established.
  • 1960s    Name change to Soil & Water Conservation Districts. First technical employee hired.  Another ten Districts established.
  • 1970s    Districts gain county designations as lead local water quality agency and lead implementation projects - West Branch of the Delaware River as a model.  The beginning of the Agricultural Environmental Management program, or AEM is in place.
  • 1980s    State Committee is transferred from Cornell University to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets in Albany.  In 1985 the State Committee hires its first regional staff and State reimbursement to Districts is established. Also in 1985 the Farm bill establishes the Food Security Act and other Farm bill programs.  The New York State Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control Program is established through additions to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and District laws.
Reducing erosion and nutrient runoff from agricultural and non-agricultural nonpoint sources by the use of Best Management Practices.
  • Providing information and education to the public on sound natural resource conservation principles and practices.
  • Promoting the improvement, protection, restoration, and maintenance of surface and ground water quality.
Click here "Board" to see the membership of the District's Board of Directors through the years.