Manure Management Economics

Agriculture and Resource Economics have been investigating several issues related to animal waste. One is how regulation of animal waste is impacting the hog industry. Other research looks at some of economic implications of agricultural engineering solutions to manage animal waste. Several economists in the program have been researching the impact of hog farm locations on real estate property values.

Faculty members involved in these projects are Kelly Zering and Tom Vukina.

The Smithfield Agreement

An overview
Phase One Reports
Phase Two Reports
Phase Three Reports

An overview and links to major components (phases) of the research conducted.

In the summer and fall of 2000, the Attorney General of North Carolina entered into agreements first with Smithfield Foods and its subsidiaries and then with Premium Standard Farms under which the two companies consented to fund development of environmentally superior waste management technologies for use on North Carolina swine farms owned by the companies.

A Summary Report for Phase One

Phase One reports (dated July 26, 2004) generated under the Smithfield Agreement; includes overview and links to a summary report, and links to 5 appendices that include several reports related to each of 9 technologies evaluated in Phase One.

Summary Reports for Phase Two

Phase Two reports (dated July 25, 2005) generated under the Smithfield Agreement; includes overview and links to a summary report, and links to three appendices with numerous reports including 11 economic reports related to methodology and cost and returns of technologies evaluated in Phase 1 and in Phase Two.

Phase Three and Final reports

Phase Three and Final reports (dated March 8, 2006) generated under the Smithfield Agreement; includes overview and links to a summary report, and links to five appendices with numerous reports including 11 economic reports related to cost and returns of technologies evaluated in Phase One and in Phase Two.

Follow-up studies on Terra Blue technology

A follow-up study on 2nd generation Terra Blue Technology

A follow-up study on 2nd generation Terra Blue Technology (formerly called Super Soils USA) dated November 1, 2007: includes links to a summary report and two appendices including an economic report.

Take me to the links and summary.

Follow-up Study on 3rd generation Terra Blue Technology

Follow-up Study on 3rd generation Terra Blue technology dated August 19, 2013.

Take me to the study.

Extensive Research and Analysis for The Smithfield Agreement

Reports and summaries of economic feasibility and benefits of adopting environmentally superior swine waste management.

Phase One

Reports and Assessments

Determination of Economic Feasibility
Benefits of Adopting Environmentally Superior Swine Waste Management Technologies in North Carolina: An Environmental and Economic Assessment (RTI)

Phase Two

Summaries, Market Modeling and Appendices

Summary reports of economic feasibility
Market Modeling of the Effects of Adoption of New Swine Waste Management Technologies in North Carolina
Costs and Returns Analysis of Manure Management Systems Evaluated Under the North Carolina Attorney General Agreements (Methods)
Appendices A-I of the Costs and Returns Methods document
Appendix B.1b Costs and Returns for New Anaerobic Lagoon and Sprayfield Systems
Appendix B.1c Costs and Returns for Barham Farm (Retrofitted In-ground Anaerobic Digester)
Appendix B.1d Cost and Returns for Ekokan (Retrofitted Aerobic System)
Appendix B.1e Costs and Returns for ReCip (Retrofitted mixed system)
Appendix B.1f Costs and Returns for BEST (FAN + TFS and Filtramat + TFS) Retrofitted solids separation and aerobic system
Appendix B.1g Costs and Returns for Belt Systems (Lake Wheeler Road and van Kempen-Koger) Retrofitted underfloor belt systems
Appendix B.1h Costs and Returns for High Solids Anaerobic Digester (HSAD) (Off farm system)
Appendix B.1i Cost and Returns Report for Super Soils On-Farm (Retrofitted multi-function System)

Phase Three

Summary Report, Appendices and Follow Up Reports

Summary Report including summary of economic feasibility
Appendix B.2 Costs and Returns for ANT Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.3 Costs and Returns for Constructed Wetlands (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.4 Costs and Returns for Environmental Technologies (Sustainable NC-Frontline Farmers) (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.5 Costs and Returns for ISSUES Aerobic Blanket System (ABS) (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.6 Costs and Returns for ISSUES Permeable Cover System (PCS) (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.7 Costs and Returns for ISSUES RENEW (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.8 Costs and Returns for BEST Idaho (Centralized Fluidized Bed Combustion Facility) (Off farm System)
Appendix B.9 Costs and Returns for Gasifier (RE-Cycle) (Off farm System)
Appendix B.10 Costs and Returns for Insect Biomass from Solids (black solider fly) (Retrofitted System)
Appendix B.11 Costs and Returns for Super Soils Composting Facility (Off Farm System)
Follow-up Report Costs and Returns of Terra Blue 2nd Generation (formerly called Super Soils)
Follow-up Report Costs and Returns of Terra Blue 3rd Generation (formerly called Super Soils)

Faculty

Tom Vukina

Professor
Agricultural and Resource Economics

Kelly Zering

Professor and Extension Specialist
Agricultural and Resource Economics

In the news

Oct 21, 2019

VR Dairy Farm Tours at the Sunbelt Ag Expo

The Discover NC Dairy 360° VR Headsets Project was an interactive feature at the 2019 Sunbelt Ag Expo where North Carolina was the “Spotlight State.”

Oct 8, 2019

Bee Colony Collapse and Market Adaptation

ARE’s Wally Thurman and co-authors Randal Rucker and Michael Burgett assess the effects, or lack thereof, of colony collapse on agricultural markets and pollination fees.

Oct 10, 2019

Branan Discusses Employment Law Issues at Carolina Meat Conference

See Andrew’s presentation on farm labor at animal operations.

Sep 23, 2019

A U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement: Potential Benefits to U.S. Beef

Blake Brown explains both the positive effects a trade agreement would have on the beef industry as well as the barriers to achieving such a trade deal.