Overview

The resources on this page help you understand how to properly manage your manure, biosolids and other agricultural and non-agricultural source materials.

The information on this page is based on the rules in the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 and O. Reg. 267/03.

Properly managing nutrients will help you maximize their value to your farm operation.

Agricultural source materials include:

  • manure
  • other on-farm generated materials (such as washwaters and runoff)

Non-agricultural source materials include:

  • sewage biosolids
  • washwater from food processors
  • pulp and paper mill biosolids

General resources

AgriSuite

AgriSuite is a suite of free online tools. The tools can help you determine the best way to store, treat and use materials on your farm.

Depending on the information you enter into AgriSuite, it can create nutrient management strategies and plans to show you how to meet your obligations under the Nutrient Management Act, 2002.

Best management practice books

Browse through and download the PDF for a variety of how-to guides on sustainable agriculture and rural living.

Nutrient management strategy and plans

If you are applying for a building permit for a farm with livestock numbers that are 5 nutrient units or greater, you must submit an approved nutrient management strategy.

If your farm has livestock numbers with 300 nutrient units or greater, you must also have a nutrient management plan.

More information about these plans is found in:

Siting

The Nutrient Management Act, 2002 has rules about where new and expanding facilities are located.

Learn about the requirements around the facility’s relation to sensitive features (such as wells and surface water) and neighbouring land uses (such as houses and schools).

Engineering and design

Your manure and nutrient storage facilities must have enough capacity for your farm operation and protect nearby water sources from contamination.

Learn about the requirements and role of engineers in the design and review of liquid storage facilities, liquid transfer systems and larger solid manure storage facilities.

Storage and handling

Manure storages are designed as either a liquid or solid storage system.

The type of system you choose will determine the management options for how the material is transferred from barn to storage, and from storage to field.

Liquid manure systems

Liquid manure facilities must contain all manure and washwaters on the farm. This includes manure solids and extra liquids added when pumping or transferring the manure, sand bedding and gases from anaerobic decomposition.

Learn about the variety of liquid manure storage options.

Solid manure systems

Solid manure systems are common on many farms in Ontario. They include bedding packs in barns, dedicated solid manure storage facilities and temporary field storage sites.

Learn about the variety of solid manure storage options.

Barnyards and feedlots

Ontario has many operations where livestock are fed outside or have access to outside yard areas (outdoor confinement area or barnyard) for all or part of the year.

Refer to managing manure and runoff from these areas for animal performance and environmental reasons.

Runoff and washwater

Some farms have additional materials such as runoff from solid manure storages, barnyards and feedlots, washwater from milking centres to manage along with silage effluent.

Find out more about the requirements to properly manage these additional materials.

Greenhouse nutrient feedwater

Learn how to use “greenhouse nutrient feedwater," the nutrient solution removed from a closed circulation system at a greenhouse operation, registered under the Greenhouse Nutrient Feedwater Regulation, O. Reg. 300/14.

Nutrient solutions are used to grow greenhouse plants. When the solution is no longer suitable for growing greenhouse crops, it can be used to fertilize other agricultural crops.

Anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic digestion is when organic materials (such as manure, crop materials and food-processing byproducts) are broken down by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen in an enclosed vessel.

This process creates biogas. Learn how to use it to run a generator, burn as fuel or as a natural gas replacement.

Land application

Learn how properly applying manure at the right time in the field will maximize the nutrient value to the crop and reduce the potential for environmental degradation.

Recordkeeping requirements

Keeping proper records is necessary for tracking a farm’s progress and is a requirement under the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 and O. Reg. 267/03.

Understand what records are required under the Act.

Resolve concerns and complaints

There are resources and processes to help you resolve concerns and complaints related to nutrient management.

Find out how to resolve complaints about how nutrients are being stored or applied on a farm, or what to do in the case of a manure spill.