Poultry Manure & Compost Resource Stewardship Practices on the Fraser River Delta

Art Bomke and Wayne Temple

Objectives:

To determine appropriate rates of spring applied poultry manure and/or compost application as a replacement fertilizer for optimum vegetable crop production and minimal environmental impact in Delta.

To assess the feasibility of fall application of poultry manure and/or compost in combination with overwinter cover crops to address such natural fertilizer use and food safety issues.

To conduct a regional survey of poultry manure storage and use in order to assess on-farm manure storage practises and to compare to site-specific results from the replicated demonstration trials with what is happening on other farms in the region.

Status Report: Have completed two field seasons with funding for two more. Current work is emphasizing on-farm composting technology.

Impact: Organic farmers have adjusted poultry manure application rates and are using more City of Vancouver yard trimmings compost for soil amendment. Increased consumer confidence in safety of crop products and responsible management of organic amendments will result.

Establishment: UBC Agroecology Group, Vancouver in Cooperation with the Delta Farmers' Institute and the City of Vancouver.

Funding Sources: Agriculture and Environment Partnerships Initiative, Investment Agriculture Foundation and The City of Vancouver.

Researchers and Contact Information: Art Bomke and Wayne Temple
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, 2357 Main Mall, UBC, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4