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Intensive animal agriculture is an important part of the US and North Carolina's (NC's) economy. Large emissions of ammonia (NH3) gas emanate from the handling of animal wastes at these operations contributing to the formation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) around the state causing a variety of human health and environmental effects. The objective of this research is to provide the relationship between ammonia, aerosol optical depth and meteorology and its effect on PM2.5 concentrations using satellite observations (column ammonia and aerosol optical depth (AOD)) and ground-based meteorological observations. An observational-based multiple linear regression model was derived to predict ground-level PM2.5 during the summer months (JJA) from 2008–2017 in New Hanover County, Catawba County and Sampson County. A combination of the Cumberland and Johnston County models for the summer was chosen and validated for Duplin County, NC, then used to predict Sampson County, NC, PM2.5 concentrations. The model predicted a total of six 24 h exceedances over the nine-year period. This indicates that there are rural areas of the state that may have air quality issues that are not captured for a lack of measurements. Moreover, PM2.5 chemical composition analysis suggests that ammonium is a major component of the PM2.5 aerosol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The From Bright Leaf to Berkshires program is a two-year extension outreach initiative funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and facilitated by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (N.C. A&T) State University. The objective of the program is to train small, limited-resource farmers from across North Carolina in low-cost, alternative swine production systems, retaining ownership of their processed pork, adding value to their pork products, and the targeting of local niche markets. Small farmers in the region have been financially impacted by tobacco-related, healthcare, and social changes that have shifted both price and demand for North Carolina's top cash crop, tobacco. As opposed to tobacco, the demand for one of North Carolina's leading livestock commodities, pork, has remained strong. Therefore, training these farmers in low-cost swine production systems will allow them to diversify their operations, while producing high-end pork products that can be marketed at premium prices. Using the "farmer field school" extension approach, the training of the first cohort of participants took place between March and May of 2023 at the N.C. A&T Farm Pavilion and Swine Facility. The ages of the participants ranged from mid-twenties to mid-sixties. They were trained in employing both pasture-based and hoop structure swine production systems. The participants were also introduced to the digestive system, nutritional needs, reproductive and breeding systems, required disease surveillance, welfare considerations, and appropriate waste management of outdoor swine. The N.C. A&T Swine Specialist, Dr. Derrick J. Coble, served as the director of the program, providing the participants with some of the basic training in swine physiology and management systems. Additional experts were invited to train the cohort in other areas of swine and pork production. The North Carolina Pork Council Representative and former President of the National Pork Board, Jan Archer, facilitated a workshop in which the participants were trained in animal welfare and swine transport. The participants received Pork Quality Assurance and Transport Quality Assurance certifications from the National Pork Board for their participation in this workshop. The Technical Program Coordinator for N.C. Choices, Lee Menius, facilitated a workshop pertaining to the local food systems and niche markets for pasture-based pork in North Carolina. Dr. Stephanie Kulesza, a Nutrient Management and Animal Waste Specialist for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, facilitated a workshop in sustainability and the application of animal waste as fertilizer. The program concluded with smallscale, niche swine producers sharing their experiences in pork production. Upon graduation from the program, the participants receive their own hoop structure. Their swine operations will be monitored for three years to track their on-farm practices, participation in alternative swine production, and the economic impact of their operations to their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term effect of non-point source pollution on groundwater from agricultural practices is a major concern globally. Non-point source pollutants such as nitrate that occurs through fertilizers and animal waste eventually make their way into the aquifer by infiltrating soil. The goal of this study is to develop an approach for characterization of nitrate concentrations at potential source locations under conditions of geologic uncertainty. A Bayesian framework using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach is developed to estimate posterior probability distributions of non-point sources by incorporating nitrate concentration data as well as geologic uncertainties. The proposed approach is tested using hypothetical contamination scenarios and then validated using an application case study in North Carolina. Uncertainty existing in geologic formation (i.e., heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field) is treated as prior and used in evaluating the likelihood function that measures the match between observed and simulated concentrations. The likelihood function computation involves a numerical model that simulates nitrate transport in groundwater from non-point agricultural sources and predicts nitrate concentrations at observation wells. Effectiveness of the MCMC approach is evaluated through a convergence analysis. Comparison among different sampling algorithms is carried out with respect to MCMC convergence diagnostics and making inference. The Bayesian inference analysis methodology developed in this research will help decision makers and water managers to identify potential areas for source containment and decide if further sampling is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New swine waste management systems in North Carolina need to meet high performance standards of an environmentally superior technology (EST) regarding nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, pathogens, ammonia and odor emissions, and remain affordable and simple to operate. The objective of this study was to develop a second-generation treatment system that can achieve high EST standards at reduced costs. The system used solids separation, nitrification/denitrification and phosphorus removal/disinfection, and was demonstrated at full-scale on a 5145-head swine farm during three production cycles (15-months). Removal efficiencies were: 98% suspended solids, 97% ammonia, 95% phosphorus, 99% copper and zinc, 99.9% odors, and 99.99% pathogens. The system met EST standards at 1/3 the cost of the previous version. Animal health and productivity were enhanced; hog sales increased 32,900kg/cycle (5.6%). These results demonstrated that: (1) significant cost reductions were achieved by on-farm implementation and continued engineering improvements, and (2) the new waste management system substantially benefited livestock productivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Air and water quality at a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in Eastern North Carolina that uses a covered lagoon and anaerobic digester was evaluated for 2 weeks in August 2020. Real-time PM 2.5 mass concentrations were determined using a reference ADR-1500 nephelometer and high-frequency measurements of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were evaluated using autonomously logging sensors. Air and water quality parameters were assessed before, during and after wastewater from the lagoon was irrigated onto adjacent spray fields. Reference measurements were conducted alongside a HOBO weather station to collect real-time wind speed and direction, temperature, and humidity measurements. PM 2.5 concentrations varied between 0 and 159 μg/m3 with an average concentration of 11 μg/m3, below EPA standard for secondary aerosols of 15 μg/m3. Higher PM 2.5 concentrations were observed when wind originated from swine barns but not from covered lagoons. Water quality data showed that DIN concentrations downgradient from the CAFO were elevated relative to upstream concentrations. A groundwater seep that drains a spray field contained the highest average DIN concentration (31.0 ± 12.8 mg L−1), which was 25 times greater than upstream DIN concentrations (1.2 ± 0.8 mg L−1). Average DIN concentration at the downstream station was lower than the seep concentration (8.6 ± 16.2 mg L−1), but approximately 8 times greater than upstream. Air quality data show that the lagoon cover was effective at mitigating air quality degradation, whereas DIN concentrations in water were similar to previous studies on CAFOs using open lagoons. In addition, air and water quality parameters were significantly (p < 0.001) higher after irrigation, indicating possible influence due to ammonia and nitrate elevation. Additional research is needed to compare high-frequency data collected from swine CAFOs using capped and uncapped lagoon systems to better understand spatiotemporal air and water quality trends of this practice. [Display omitted] • PM 2.5 air and DIN water quality assessment were performed in a capped swine lagoon. • PM 2.5 concentrations varied with an average of 11 μg/m3, below the 15 μg/m3 standard. • Downgradient DIN concentrations were elevated, suggesting animal waste was dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for developing environmentally superior and sustainable solutions for managing the animal waste at commercial swine farms in eastern North Carolina has been recognized in recent years. Program OPEN (Odor, Pathogens, and Emissions of Nitrogen), funded by the North Carolina State University Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center (APWMC), was initiated and charged with the evaluation of potential environmentally superior technologies (ESTs) that have been developed and implemented at selected swine farms or facilities. The OPEN program has demonstrated the effectiveness of a new paradigm for policy-relevant environmental research related to North Carolina's animal waste management programs. This new paradigm is based on a commitment to improve scientific understanding associated with a wide array of environmental issues (i.e., issues related to the movement of N from animal waste into air, water, and soil media; the transmission of odor and odorants; disease- transmitting vectors; and airborne pathogens). The primary focus of this paper is on emissions of ammonia (NH3) from some potential ESTs that were being evaluated at full-scale swine facilities. During 2-week-long periods in two different seasons (warm and cold), NH3 fluxes from water-holding structures and NH3 emissions from animal houses or barns were measured at six potential EST sites: (1) Barham farm-in-ground ambient temperature anaerobic digester/energy recovery/greenhouse vegetable production system; (2) BOC #93 farm-upflow biofiltration system-EKOKAN ; (3) Carrolls farm-aerobic blanket system- ISSUES-ABS; (4) Corbett #1 farm-solids separation/ gasification for energy and ash recovery centralized system- BEST; (5) Corbett #2 farm-solid separation/ reciprocating water technology-ReCip; and (6) Vestal farm-Recycling of Nutrient, Energy and Water System- ISSUES-RENEW. The ESTs were compared with similar measurements made at two conventional lagoon and spray technology (LST) farms (Moore farm and Stokes farm). A flow-through dynamic chamber system and two sets of open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectrometers measured NH3 fluxes continuously from water-holding structures and emissions from housing units at the EST and conventional LST sites. A statisticalobservational model for lagoon NH3 flux was developed using a multiple linear regression analysis of 15-min averaged NH3 flux data against the relevant environmental parameters measured at the two conventional farms during two different seasons of the year. This was used to compare the water-holding structures at ESTs with those from lagoons at conventional sites under similar environmental conditions. Percentage reductions in NH3 emissions from different components of each potential EST, as well as the whole farm on which the EST was located were evaluated from the estimated emissions from water-holding structures, barns, etc., all normalized by the appropriate nitrogen excretion rate at the potential EST farm, as well as from the appropriate conventional farm. This study showed that ammonia emissions were reduced by all but one potential EST for both experimental periods. However, on the basis of our evaluation results and analysis and available information in the scientific literature, the evaluated alternative technologies may require additional technical modifications to be qualified as unconditional ESTs relative to NH3 emissions reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential impacts of the North Carolina phosphorus (P) index tool (phosphorus loss assessment tool or PLAT) on management of land-application of poultry manure were evaluated using case studies of poultry operations in three major production areas (Union, Wayne and Wilkes Counties) of the state. The tool predicts relative risk of P loss from fields receiving animal waste or fertilizer. While some litter-receiving fields in Union County occur on slopes as steep as 15 to 20 percent and have very high soil test P (STP) levels (200 to 300 soil P indices), PLAT ratings were mostly in the ‘medium’ range at which producers can apply litter on an N basis. This low P-loss rating was associated primarily with use of conservation tillage and a large area of crop land available for litter application. The litter-receiving fields in Wayne County received ‘low’ to ‘medium’ PLAT ratings as a result of low particulate P loss associated with low soil erosion, but deep sandy soils with high P leaching potential that are common in this area were not evaluated. High soil test P, occurrence of waste-receiving fields on steep slopes, high rates of litter application on limited land areas and production of silage corn using conventional tillage contribute to ‘high’ predicted risk of P loss from litter-receiving fields in Wilkes County. These results indicate that implementation of the PLAT index as a part of the NRCS 590 Nutrient Management Standard will have serious impacts on how poultry producers in Wilkes County manage litter and other forms of manure generated by their operations. The impact is likely to be less severe in Union and Wayne Counties. The following concerns were expressed by personnel responsible for implementation of PLAT and by producers; 1) exemption of poultry operations below a certain size could make PLAT predictions less effective in decreasing P pollution of surface water; 2) PLAT implementation could exacerbate existing economic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article illustrates to quantify the relationship between water soluble phosphorus (WSP) and Mehlich-3 phosphorous (M3P) in varied textural benchmark soils in North Carolina. This study also points to quantify the change in WSP concentrations which follows phosphorus additions to soils over a broad range of initial M3P. Soils with M3P were collected from loamy sand, muck loam, silt loam, and sandy clay loam. An incubation study of four soil samples representing a range in M3P from each series which were fertilized at different rates is conducted. Finally, the data indicates that shifting animal waste applications to fields of lower M3P concentrations would have a quick impact on reducing the risk for losses of phosphorus.

This article focuses on a study conducted to evaluate phosphorus (P) leaching in acid sandy soils receiving swine waste. Under typical agricultural practices soil P concentrations remain less than that required for environmentally significant P leaching. However, long-term animal waste applications can increase soil P concentrations to the point where P leaching is a potential environmental threat. The study was conducted on a 21-yr-old farrow-to-wean swine facility in Sampson County, North Carolina, that was managed typical of farms in the Coastal Plain region. Swine waste generated on the farm is treated in an anaerobic lagoon, after which excess lagoon liquid is applied to approximately 19 ha of Coastal Bermuda grass pasture over-seeded with triticale. Soil moisture was monitored on a sub-hourly basis with Campbell Scientific CS616 automated time-domain reflectometry probes inserted horizontally into one pit wall of each soil type at depths of 10, 45, 68, 90, 114,and 135 cm. Time-domain reflectometry probes were field calibrated during the first 3 mo of operation. Precipitation and irrigation were continuously measured with a tipping-bucket rain gauge mounted 50 cm from the ground surface.

This article focuses on the predicted impact and evaluation of North Carolina's phosphorus indexing tool. North Carolina is a major animal producing state in the U.S. In many areas of the state, large amounts of animal wastes are generated, which has led to the accumulation of more livestock manure nitrogen and phosphorus (P) than can be used by growing crops. Based on median soil test results for 2003, the majority of counties in North Carolina exceeded the optimum Mehlich-3 soil test phosphorus value for crop production. The buildup of soil P in agricultural soils suggests an increased risk of P loss off-field and has been cited as a major factor contributing to decreased water quality in the state. A number of state initiatives have been passed to regulate nutrient applications on agricultural fields.

Nitrate-contaminated ground water beneath and adjacent to an intensive swine ( Sus scrofa domesticus) production facility in the Middle Coastal Plain of North Carolina was analyzed for δ15N of nitrate (δ15N-NO3). Results show that the isotopic signal of animal waste nitrogen is readily identifiable and traceable in nitrate in this ground water. The widespread land application of animal wastes from intensive livestock operations constitutes a potential source of nitrogen contamination to natural water throughout large regions of the United States and other countries. The site of the present study has been suspected as a nitrate contamination source to nearby domestic supply wells and has been monitored for several years by government and private water quality investigators through sampling of observation wells, ditches, and streams. δ15N of nitrate allowed direct identification of animal waste-produced nitrate in 11 of 14 wells sampled in this study, as well as recognition of nitrate contributions from non-animal waste agricultural sources in remaining wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been constructed in eastern North Carolina. The fecal waste pit and spray field waste management systems used by these operations are susceptible to flooding in this low-lying region. To investigate the potential that flood events can lead to environmental dispersion of animal wastes containing numerous biologic and chemical hazards, we compared the geographic coordinates of 2,287 CAFOs permitted by the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) with estimates of flooding derived from digital satellite images of eastern North Carolina taken approximately 1 week after Hurricane Floyd dropped as much as 15–20 inches of rain in September 1999. Three cattle, one poultry, and 237 swine operations had geographic coordinates within the satellite-based flooded area. DWQ confirmed 46 operations with breached or flooded fecal waste pits in the same area. Only 20 of these 46 CAFOs were within the satellite-based estimate of the inundated area. CAFOs within the satellite-based flood area were located in 132 census block groups with a population of 171,498 persons in the 2000 census. African Americans were more likely than whites to live in areas with flooded CAFOs according to satellite estimates, but not according to DWQ reports. These areas have high poverty rates and dependence on wells for drinking water. Our analysis suggests that flood events have a significant potential to degrade environmental health because of dispersion of wastes from industrial animal operations in areas with vulnerable populations. Key words. agriculture, disasters, environmental justice, GIS, livestock, water pollution. Environ Health Perspect 110:387–391 (2002). [Online 7 March 2002] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the efforts for environmental protection by the pork industry in North Carolina. Agreement on the balances of interest in economic health and environmental concern; Plan for improving water quality in the region; Congregation of industry representatives and environmental groups for animal waste management.

Assesses the impact of flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in 1999 in eastern North Carolina. Inundation of waste lagoons; Death of livestock; Damage to waste management systems on hog farms; Proposal to replace swine waste lagoons in the state with environmentally protective systems; Cost implications.

Presents a research on farmers' use of poultry and animal waste management practices in North Carolina. Types of producers in the study; Percentage of producers adopting waste management practices; Important aspects of enhancing management effectiveness; Percentage of producers indicating satisfaction with the waste management system; Implications of the project for public policies, education programs and future research.

One of the highest concentrations of swine and poultry concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in North America is located on the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, in which the Cape Fear River basin is located. The CAFOs produce vast amounts of manure causing loading of nutrients and other pollutants to receiving waters. With the Cape Fear River basin vulnerable to nutrient pollution, as are many other watersheds with CAFOs, δ13C and δ15N stable isotopic signatures were identified from water samples collected within the Northeast Cape Fear, Black, and lower Cape Fear River watersheds to trace nutrient sources and their distribution downstream. The spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and isotopic signatures were also identified to understand water quality impacts of animal waste spraying season and proximity to CAFOs. Our results showed that significantly enriched δ15N signatures characterized sites in close proximity to CAFOs as well as point-source wastewater discharge areas, while the opposite was true for an unimpacted control stream and two estuarine sites. Additionally, the impacted sites yielded significantly (p < 0.05) higher nitrate concentrations than control and estuarine sites. Statistical analyses demonstrated that nitrate concentrations were positively correlated with heavier δ15N signatures, suggesting that animal waste, as well as human wastewater, are relatively more important sources of N to this large watershed than fertilizers from traditional row crop agriculture. Our results also suggested that during appropriate hydrological conditions CAFO-derived N can be detected many kilometers downstream from freshwater sources areas to the estuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding saleable milk or milk replacer to the pre-weaned calf results in high daily feed cost. All dairy farms generate waste milk (WM) that cannot be sold. Waste milk includes, but is not limited to, transition milk and milk from cows treated with antibiotics. Feeding WM to calves reduced feed cost, but raises bio-security concerns. Pasteurization effectively lessens health risk associated with feeding WM. The objective of this study was to determine amount and composition of WM generated by three dairy farms and to track effectiveness of onfarm high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurizers. Bacteriological activity and components of the pasteurized WM were measured until it was fed to calves on two of the farms. Pasteurizer function was measured by alkaline phosphatase deactivation (AP) and aerobic plate count (APC). Farm 1, 2 and 3 milked 1100, 2500 and 800 cows, and all used commercial HTST pasteurizers. Farms were visited every 2 wk for 28 wk during the spring and summer of 2005. Waste milk generated per calf on farm 1, 2 and 3 was 2.8, 10.3, and 4.4 kg/d. Post pasteurization (PostPast) samples were AP positive 18%, 15%, and 0% on farm 1, 2, and 3. Mean APC pre-pasteurization (PrePast) and PostPast for all farms was 1.73X107 cfu/ml and 4.5X105 cfu/ml. When AP was positive, APC averaged 348,000 cfu/ml and 5.3X106 cfu/ml for farm 1 and 2. When AP was negative, APC averaged 64,000 cfu/ml and 367,000 cfu/ml for farms 1 and 2. The APC of PostPast WM increased over time as calves were fed. The LSM, adjusted for farm and season, ranged from 2.4X106 cfu/ml at initiation of feeding to more than 1X107 cfu/ml at the end of feeding one hr later. Commercial HTST pasteurizers require proper operation in order to assure successful pasteurization. The supply of WM was inadequate to feed all calves on two farms. Improper handling of PostPast WM increased APC almost to PrePast levels, indicating poor sanitation of feeding equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the on the Clean Water Act (CWA) violations of hog farms that have been filed by citizen environmental groups. The American Canoe Association Inc., the Professional Paddlesports Association, and the Conservation Council of North Carolina Inc., filed a lawsuit against two hog farms. The three citizen groups claimed that the farms are spilling swine wastewater into North Carolina rivers without obtaining a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit which is clearly in violation of CWA. The court ruled in favor of the citizen groups due to the evidences of recurring spills.