Each AMMP project requesting Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) funding must include at least one of the following project components for FY 2016-17 that reduce baseline methane emissions:
1. Pasture-based management including (i) conversion of a non-pasture livestock operation to pasture-based management; (ii) increasing the amount of time livestock spend at pasture at an existing pasture operation; and/or (iii) construction of a compost bedded pack barn.
Note: All pasture-based management projects must currently manage/store some manure in anaerobic conditions and introduce new practices that reduce the quantity of manure managed in such conditions.
2. Solid separation of manure solids prior to entry into a lagoon at a livestock operation in conjunction with one of the following practices (a) through (h):
a) Open solar drying of manure (manure is dried in a paved or unpaved open confinement area without any significant vegetative cover where accumulating manure may be removed periodically);
b) Closed solar drying (drying of manure in enclosed environment);
c) Forced evaporation with natural-gas fueled dryers;
d) Daily spread (manure is routinely removed from a confinement facility and is applied to cropland or pasture within 24 hours of excretion);
e) Composting in vessel (composting, typically in an enclosed channel, with forced aeration and continuous mixing);
f) Composting in static pile (composting in piles with forced aeration but no mixing);
g) Composting in intensive windrows (with regular – at least daily – turning for mixing and aeration);
h) Composting in passive windrows (with infrequent turning for mixing and aeration).
Note: Either the installation of a new solid separation system at a livestock operation that does not currently employ solid separation, or the installation of a new solid separation system with significantly higher separation efficiency than the existing solid separation technology may be eligible.
3. Conversion from a flush to scrape manure collection system in conjunction with one of the practices (a) through (h) in the list above.
It is important to note that while solid separation or conversion from a flush to a scrape manure collection system is often a critical component an AMMP project, the adoption of one of these practices as a standalone measure does not necessarily result in avoided CH4 emissions since separated or scraped manure could be stored or treated in an anaerobic system. Therefore this quantification methodology identifies practices based on how the manure is ultimately treated or stored, and not only on how it is collected.
An applicant may submit multiple grant applications; however, each grant application must represent an individual project at a unique project site (i.e., dairy or livestock operation).
A group of dairy or livestock operations can submit one grant application to develop centralized projects (for example, a centralized composting facility), known as a “cluster” or “hub and spoke” project. The location of the centralized facility can be one determined appropriate by participating dairy operations.