The new leader of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association says members are concerned about state regulations regarding the application of manure on frozen ground and the stockpiling of manure. Cattlemen’s president Kent Pruisman, of Rock Valley, says the group is working with the Iowa D.N.R. on the issue.
Pruisman says: "We would like to see some common sense rules put in place. We obviously don’t want liquid manure applied on frozen ground. To me, that’s a common sense thing, but when we have deep, bedded barn manure, it’s different from the liquid" for putting on frozen ground. He says in the discussions they’ve already had with the state, he believes the D.N.R. people would agree with that line of reasoning.
Pruisman says he believes there is a compromise that can be worked out that would be beneficial for everyone. He says, "Our issue is that the way the code is written today in Iowa, (the manures are) all classified one in the same and that’s our goal, to see if we can’t separate that out and identify that as two different kinds and then the feed lot manure can be treated with its own set of rules." The Iowa Cattlemen held their convention in Ames last week, where Pruisman was chosen as the new president.