After the many recent roof collapses of agricultural buildings caused by excessive snow loads, we have been monitoring conditions in a research effort to relieve or reduce the amount of snow that builds up on a roof. Although people are rightfully concerned about their other buildings once they've had one collapse, buildings handle snow loads differently. The collapse of one building doesn't necessarily mean all the buildings on the farm are in danger.MORE...
During hard economic times, pork producers may consider having barns sit empty for an extended time period, particularly with high feed costs and/or low hog prices. However, closing these facilities involves much more than simply emptying the barn and shutting the lights off, especially if it is anticipated that barns may be brought back into production in the future. There are several steps that should be taken to ensure safety while empty and the ability to economically return to production in future. MORE... (pdf file)
Pork production’s carbon footprint is a small fraction of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Animal agriculture as a whole contributes a small part of U.S. GHG emissions. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2007 only 2.8 percent of U.S. GHG emissions came from animal agriculture and pork production contributes even less--a mere one-third of one percent (0.33%) of total U.S. GHG emissions. MORE... (pdf file)
This document explains
how the trend toward a carbon-conscious economy
may impact the pork industry, and how addressing
a swine operation’s carbon footprint can lead to
greater efficiencies, reduced costs of operation
and an improved bottom line. This effort is consistent
with the pork industry’s on-going commitment
to environmental stewardship and social
responsibility.MORE... (pdf file)
Order warning tags, biosecurity signs, transfer forms and The Other Fertilizer booklet by calling the Minnesota Pork Board office at 1-800-537-7675 or e-mail colleen@mnpork.com. Include your name, mailing address, phone number and quantity of item requested when placing an e-mail or voice message. These items are free to pork producers and manure applicators.
Pit Pumping
Warning Tags
Keep people out of the barns during manure pumping. When pumping is in progress, the tags should be visible on all barn entrances as a warning to keep out of the facility. The warning tags are made of heavy, card stock with metal grommet and elastic string to easily slips onto door handles. To display, write on the tag the pumping start date and time, end date and time, and contact information.
Manure Application & Transfer Forms
(One pad has 25 forms)
These carbon-copy forms help maintain proper documentation of manure application and transfer. Includes general information for manure transfer, as well as weather conditions and manure analysis. Completion of this form should provide Minnesota Feedlot Rules 7020 compliance.
Biosecurity Signs
English - Spanish
Signage discourages trespassing and reminds farm visitors that swine operations have biosecurity practices in place to help prevent disease transmission. The biosecurity signs are in English with Spanish translation and are made of polyethylene.
Building an Emergency Action Plan walks through the creation of a customized plan and after completion, the plan can be printed and saved electronically. A well-documented Emergency Action Plan is a valuable tool to reduce the impact of an on-farm emergency. A thorough analysis and description of an individual operation and sites, careful planning for each possible emergency scenario, and ongoing maintenance and training before an emergency are all critical steps to effectively handle an emergency situation. To comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, an employer must have a printed copy of an emergency action plan readily accessible to all employees.
The “Other Fertilizer”
The Other Fertilizer: Economic Value of Swine Finishing Manure, helps pork producers calculate the value of manure as a fertilizer replacement. The publication has a spreadsheet tool for determining manure’s nutrient value, information on maximizing manure utilization, data showing the economic response from manure, and observations on the influence of dry matter on manure’s nutrient value.
