Soil and water impacts around re‐introduction of manure into farming systems

Abstract This case study seeks to assess the long‐term impact of manure usage on soil health and water under on‐farm conditions. Explicitly, we concurrently monitored nutrient concentrations in shallow groundwater (nitrogen and phosphorus) and related in‐field soil health indicators (permanganate oxidizable carbon, mineralizable C, and autoclaved citrate extractable‐protein) on two fields located in northcentral Ohio with a historic legacy of annual cropping with and without manure utilization. Results indicated the usage of manure as a main source of nutrient can lead to lower nutrient concentrations for nitrogen in local shallow groundwater but showed virtually no direct influence on measurable soil health. These initial on‐farm condition results are encouraging from the water quality perspective as they suggest that management alternatives such as wider utilization of manure associated with reintegration of crops and livestock could help reduce environmental impacts.