Manure Management Plan Templates & Guidelines
Development and implementation of a Manure Management Plan is a well-established best management practice (BMP) for livestock facilities.
The main purpose of a Manure Management Plan is to assist livestock facility owners and managers to identify potential environmental concerns on their properties, and develop steps to address and mitigate those concerns. Livestock owners and managers can use their Manure Management Plan as a tool to demonstrate practices they have implemented, or plan to implement, to protect land and water resources. The Plan can serve as a useful tool for livestock managers during site evaluations or inspections. Development and implementation of a Manure Management Plan, that can effectively guide land and water stewardship practices, may require guidance from qualified professionals and natural resources specialists.
Santa Cruz County Environmental Health recommends that owners or managers of livestock facilities in the County, both residential and commercial, develop and maintain a Manure Management Plan for their facility.
In some cases, County Environmental Health will require that a Manure Management Plan be developed and implemented as a BMP (Santa Cruz County Code 7.79.110). Property owners will be notified by Environmental Health staff in these cases.
Livestock facility owners and managers that are developing a Manure Management Plan, either as a voluntary BMP or as required by the County, have options to ensure it is acceptable to Santa Cruz County Environmental Health:
- Use a Manure Management Plan template that is accepted by Santa Cruz County (links on the left-hand side of this page), or
- Use an alternative Manure Management Plan template that meets all of the requirements identified in the Manure Management Plan Guidelines (link on the left-hand side of this page).
For questions about developing a Manure Management Plan contact Erin McCarthy at erin.mccarthy@santacruzcounty.us.