Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #194636
Title: POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHOSPHORUS LOSS ASSESSMENT TOOL (PLAT) ON THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN NORTH CAROLINA: CASE STUDIES

Author
item Israel, Daniel
item ROBERTS, JOHN - NC STATE UNIV
item OSMOND, DEANNA - NC STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2006
Publication Date: 1/15/2007
Citation: Israel, D.W., Roberts, J., Osmond, D. 2007. Potential impacts of implementation of the phosphorus loss assessment tool (plat) on the poultry industry in north carolina: case studies. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 62:48-54.

Interpretive Summary: The Phosphorus Loss Assessment Tool (PLAT) is being used to determine how animal producers manage phosphorus containing animal waste and fertilizers applied to the land. The purpose of managing phosphorus loss from agricultural systems is to minimize the impact of phosphorus on surface and groundwater quality. This study shows that implementation of PLAT will have the most serious impacts in the foot hills of North Carolina where fields have steep slopes and high levels of phosphorus in the soil as a result of long term application of poultry litter. This study also shows that producers who use conservation tillage practices will be impacted less by implementation of PLAT.

Technical Abstract: Potential impacts of the North Carolina phosphorus (P) index tool (Phosphorus Loss Assessment Tool or PLAT) were evaluated using case studies of poultry operations in three major production areas of the state. The tool predicts relative risk of P loss from fields receiving animal waste or fertilizer in nutrient impaired watersheds. These studies indicate that implementation of the PLAT index as a part of the NRCS 590 Nutrient Management Standard will have serious impacts on poultry operations in one area (Wilkes County). High soil P indices, occurrence of waste-receiving fields on steep slopes, limited land for waste application and production of silage corn using conventional tillage contribute to “high” predicted risk of P loss from waste-receiving fields in Wilkes County. While some waste-receiving fields in Union County occur on slopes as steep as 15 to 20% and have high soil P indices (200 to 300), PLAT ratings were mostly in the “medium” range at which producers can apply litter on an N basis. This lower P-loss rating was associated primarily with conservation tillage and a large area of crop land available for litter application. The waste-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. The following concerns were expressed by personnel responsible for implementation of PLAT and by producers 1) lack of the same standard for all animal operations could make PLAT predictions less effective in decreasing P pollution of surface water and 2) PLAT implementation could exacerbate existing economic problems.