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Financial feasibility of using shelterbelts for swine odor mitigation

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Abstract

A farm-level financial feasibility was performed to examine the use of shelterbelts as a swine odor mitigation technology. Shelterbelts are purposefully planted rows of trees and shrubs around the main sources of swine odor—swine buildings, manure storage systems, and crop fields that receive land applied manure. By using a series of model pork finishing farms and a number of differing shelterbelt design scenarios, the shelterbelt establishment and long-term (20 years) maintenance costs were calculated using a discounted cash flow analysis. Total costs for examined pork finishing farms, depending upon the shelterbelt design scenario, and whether or not government cost-share programming was used, ranged from $0.01 to $0.65 per pig produced. Study results emphasized the importance of cost-share programs, particularly Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). In most cases, both with and without cost-share programming, the total costs were well below reported pork producer expenditures for odor management.

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Notes

  1. Borman v. Board of Supervisors, No. 192/96-2276 (Iowa, September 12, 1998).

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Acknowledgements

Approved as publication FO339, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State University. Authors thank Drs. Stephen C. Grado, Ian A. Munn, Changyou Sun, and anonymous reviewer for their comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011-3221, USA

    John C. Tyndall

  2. Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University, Box 9681, Starkville, MS, 39762-9681, USA

    Robert K. Grala

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  1. John C. Tyndall
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  2. Robert K. Grala
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Correspondence to John C. Tyndall.

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Tyndall, J.C., Grala, R.K. Financial feasibility of using shelterbelts for swine odor mitigation. Agroforest Syst 76, 237–250 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-008-9140-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-008-9140-7

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