The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) has announced that the annual winter manure spreading ban will take effect at midnight on December 15. The ban, which runs until April 1, prohibits the spreading of manure and other agricultural waste—including compost and spoiled feed—on fields across Vermont.
This restriction is part of the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), a set of rules designed to protect water quality, farmland, and natural resources in the state. According to VAAFM, “The RAPs also prohibit the application of manure or agricultural wastes on frozen, saturated, or snow-covered fields outside of the winter manure spreading ban. Manure does not soak effectively into frozen, snow-covered, or saturated ground. Manure spread during the winter months therefore has a heightened risk of running off to waterways when the snow and ground finally thaws.”
Vermont has enforced restrictions on winter manure spreading for more than three decades as a measure to prevent runoff into waterways during periods when fields are most vulnerable. The agency notes that farmers must either have storage facilities capable of holding all manure produced from December 15 through April 1—a period totaling 107 days—or stack it in compliance with RAP standards to avoid negative impacts on water quality.
Manure application remains an important practice for Vermont farms because it supports soil health and crop productivity while reducing reliance on imported nutrients. Under RAP requirements, farms must implement nutrient management plans that include recordkeeping about each application event—such as date, time, amount applied, field location, and prevailing weather and field conditions.
Farmers seeking guidance about compliance with the ban or requesting emergency exemptions can contact Nate Sands at (802) 224-6850 or Laura DiPietro at 802-595-1990.
