Managing Manure

The purpose of this program is to help dairy farmers through the process of applying for cost sharing funds for their manure storage and handling systems. These systems need to be installed and maintained in order to prevent water contamination from manure and exercise yard runoff, and to encourage environmentally responsible manure handling and spreading practices.

Funding

Landowners within the Lake Simcoe watershed may qualify for grants of 50 per cent of project costs for eligible projects, to a maximum of $10,000. Additional funds may be available from other environmental grant funding sources. LSRCA watershed coordinators will ensure that you are made aware of all the grant funding programs available to you.

What projects are eligible?

  • Solid manure storages with runoff containment.
  • Roofed solid manure storages.
  • Concrete or steel liquid manure storage tanks (with or without lids).
  • Earthen manure storages and runoff storages.
  • Runoff containment from exercise yards.

What costs may be covered?

  • Engineering fees.
  • Storage covers and roofs.
  • Pumping equipment for temporary storage sumps and permanent transfer piping to transfer manure into long term storage.
  • Transfer pumping equipment.
  • Walls around yards to direct contaminated precipitation into a runoff storage: Regardless of height, only an equivalent 0.3 m (one foot) concrete wall and the footing will be funded.
  • Upgrading storages to increase the existing capacity to between 240 and 400 days.
  • Materials and equipment costs for construction of a new and approved storage facility.
  • Disconnection or plugging of existing tile drain outlets in the vicinity of the manure storage facility.

What isn't covered?

  • Pumping equipment to empty long-term storages.
  • Manure spreading equipment.
  • Slats or solid floors over in-barn storages including support posts, beams and roofs.
  • Barn gutters with less than 60-day capacity.
  • Machinery or equipment used by the applicant, family dependents or the applicant's business.
  • Permits.

Conditions

  • Work that proceeds prior to funding approval does not qualify for funding assistance.
  • If you have an outstanding violation with the LSRCA or any other regulatory agency, you may not be eligible.

How to Apply

Contact an LSRCA Watershed Coordinator

Application Form (PDF)

Project Profile (PDF)