MISSISSIPPI LITTER DISTRIBUTION PROJECT

Application Guidelines

 

 

This project is intended to fund incentive payments for three years for the hauling of poultry litter from areas in the state of high concentrations of poultry production to areas of the state with low poultry production.  The intent is to encourage a market for poultry litter to use as a source of organic matter and nutrients on cropland and pasture.  It should be emphasized to applicants that this project is to cover the costs of hauling the litter only, not the cost of purchasing or loading the litter.  Payments are based on the tons of litter hauled and the mileage between the litter source and the receiving farm.  Payment will be made only for hauling litter for the purpose of land application at agronomic rates on land which has not received litter in the previous three years.  Land application according to a phosphorus index and a nutrient budget is considered an agronomic rate for the purpose of this project. 

 

The mileage on the County Mileage Limits map is the maximum mileage rate for each county.  Each county will qualify for a mileage range from the maximum rate given to the minimum range of 10-25 miles in 25 mile ranges.  The cost share rates for the ranges will be: 0-25 miles not eligible for mileage; $6.00/ton for 26-50 miles; $9.00/ton for 51-75 miles; $12.00/ton for 76-100 miles; $15.00/ton for 101-125 miles; and $18.00/ton for 126-150 miles.  The recipient of the litter may be paid the cost list rate per ton at the application mileage range rate not to exceed the maximum mileage rate shown for the county of the receiving farm location.  Litter may be hauled from a farther distance, but payment will be limited to the maximum mileage range indicated by the maximum mileage rate on the map.  Applications will not be taken in counties with high rate of poultry production.

 

Applications will be handled on a continuous sign-up basis and will be ranked using a statewide web-based ranking tool.  Initially write “Special Litter Distribution Project” on the top of the applicant’s CCC-1200 form to differentiate these applications from other county applications.  Inform the applicant that the 1200 will not be considered a complete application until the CERTIFICATION OF LITTER SOURCE form is completed and a soil test report on each receiving field is submitted to NRCS by February 21, 2008.

 

A preliminary cost estimate, based on mileage and estimated tonnage involved, must be determined for an initial obligation of funds.  This estimate of contract cost will be completed when the applicant certifies the mileage between the source and the location of unloading the litter on his farm.  This will allow you to pick the cost share rate for the mileage range from the cost list.  The tonnage can be estimated from field maps and crops selected.  Applicants’ information and the initial cost estimate will be entered into a Protracts application.  Ranking will be handled in the state office when all the information on the web-based ranking tool is completed.

 

After the nutrient management plan is completed and the actual required tonnage is determined, the final contract is uploaded to Protracts. 

 


The following guidelines should be followed in determining applicant qualifications:

 

1.      Litter must be properly stored until spreading to be eligible for cost share assistance.

2.      Litter must be spread according to a nutrient management plan.

3.      Payment will be made to the receiving party at a rate per ton from the cost list for the mileage range based on the applicant’s certification.

4.      Tonnage may be determined from only one set (gross and tare) of weight tickets if the type and volume of the hauling equipment remains the same for all loads.  Otherwise a set of weight tickets will be required for each different type of hauling equipment used.

5.      The mileage range will be based on the actual one-way mileage from the source of the litter to the point of unloading at the receiving farm not to exceed the mileage given for the receiving county as shown on the attached County Mileage Limits map.

6.      Litter must originate within the state of Mississippi to be eligible for cost share.

7.      Minimum haul distance to be eligible for cost share is 26 miles.

8.      Payment will be limited to 500 tons of litter per year per receiving landowner/farmer/farm, whichever is more restrictive, to allow as many farmers as possible to participate.

9.      For planning purposes for the first year of the contract, NRCS “book values” may be used for planning litter application rates.  However, litter samples should be taken and nutrient analyses done when the first year’s litter is received and the results used to determine more accurate application rates for subsequent years.

10.  The hauler, the spreader and the receiver of the litter are liable for their portion of the proper handling and spreading of the litter.

11.  Multiple applications with multiple sources of litter for the same field will not be accepted.  There must be a definite source of litter with a definite mileage range to that source of litter so that the contract cost can be established as accurately as possible.  If a vendor is hauling litter from several sources, use one mileage representative of all sources.

12.  An applicant can receive payment for spreading his own litter on land he controls if all criteria are met (e.g., hauling more than 25 miles, no litter spread in past three years, etc.).  Poultry Producers are not eligible for contracts to spread their own or other litter.

13.  The receiving landowner is responsible for certifying that his fields have not had litter applied in the past three years.