Manure stockpiles must be built following some regulations, but where those regulations end, manners should remain. I suspect that just about everyone reading this article has been told on more than one occasion, “Mind your manners!” Or, perhaps as a parent, it’s this very simple instruction that you now give to your kids as they head out the door to spend time with someone outside the household.

What does this have to do with manure management, you’re wondering? With livestock manure, regulatory requirements differ whether you own the animals that are creating the manure or you receive manure from a livestock farmer to use on your crop fields. Simply put, when manure is transferred from a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) to anyone not associated with that livestock farm, regulations tied to the CAFO’s permit or nutrient management plan do not transfer with the manure. But does that mean the manure should be handled any differently? Where regulations end, manners should remain. Whether telling someone or being told ourselves, the message is simple: Behave politely.

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