SustainabilityLesson 4 of 7
Manure management
What you’ll learn
- The federal waiting periods between raw manure and harvest
- Which manures never go on a food garden
- What each manure brings, and how much to spread
- Deep litter in the coop and animals on garden beds
- Storing manure away from wells and streams
The short version
The safety line is 131°F for 3 days throughout the pile, or 15 days with 5 turnings in a turned row. Most home piles don't reach it evenly, so treat them as not fully pathogen- or weed-seed-free.
Raw manure goes on in fall, not spring. The organic rule requires 120 days before harvesting crops that touch soil and 90 days for others. FDA has no set number yet but calls following those intervals "prudent".
Never use dog, cat, pig or human manure on food gardens.
Test outside hay, straw, manure and compost with a pea or bean pot before using it. Some weed killers survive animals and composting and twist tomato and bean leaves for years.
Manure and bedding
What each manure brings
| Manure | N–P–K (%) | C:N | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | ~2.0–2.7–1.4 | ~8:1 | Rich and salty; wait 3–4 weeks after fresh application before planting |
| Rabbit | ~2.3–1.1–0.4 | ~10:1 | Nitrogen near chicken's. No Tier 1 source supports calling it safe to use raw |
| Sheep | ~1.0–0.5–1.0 | ~25:1 | — |
| Beef / dairy | ~0.9–0.6–1.1 / 0.8–0.5–1.2 | ~13–15:1 | A 1,000-lb cow makes about 15 tons a year |
| Horse | ~0.7–0.4–1.1 | ~17:1 | About 40–57 lb a day; straw bedding composts more easily than shavings |
| Goat | ~0.4–0.5–0.1 | ~31:1 | — |
Values vary with feed and bedding. Test if it matters.
How much to use
University of Wisconsin rates per 100 sq ft, each supplying about 0.2 lb of plant-available nitrogen. A 5-gallon bucket holds about 25 lb.
| Manure | Raw, no bedding | Raw, with bedding | Composted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poultry | 20 lb | 30 lb | 70 lb |
| Dairy | 75 lb | 95 lb | 200 lb |
| Sheep | 40 lb | 50 lb | — |
| Horse | — | 65 lb | — |
Don't overdo it. Manure brings more phosphorus and salt than plants need relative to nitrogen, so repeated heavy use builds them up. Base rates on a soil test.
When
Raw manure: in the fall, worked in, followed by a cover crop. UMaine says sow the cover crop by October 1.
Finished compost (that met the heat standard): spring is fine.
Deep litter in the chicken coop
Start: 4–6 in of straw or shavings in fall.
Through winter: stir droppings down and add fresh bedding on top. The decomposing layer adds a little warmth.
Spring: clean out fully.
Treat spent litter as raw manure. Hot-compost it, or apply it in fall with the 120/90-day waiting periods.
Sources disagree on depth and whether to keep a base layer.
Chickens and other animals on garden beds
Animals on beds leave raw manure. Researchers say such ground "should be treated as if raw manure has been applied".
Chickens: chicken tractors on vegetable beds doubled soil nitrate.
Sheep: in a sheep-grazing study, E. coli stayed elevated for about 2–3 months and returned to normal after about 3–4 months.
What it means: run animals on beds after harvest in fall, well ahead of next season's planting.
Storing manure
Rutgers suggests these distances:
Wells and streams: 100–200 ft.
Property lines: 50–100 ft.
Homes: 200–500 ft.
Minnesota requires at least 100 ft from private wells. Also:
Cover the pile. Uncovered manure loses about a third of its value in 3 months.
Don't spread on frozen or snowy ground.
Keep it dry to cut flies, and clear winter piles before fly season.
Sources: Utah State University Extension, University of Wisconsin Extension and 12 more
- Utah State University Extension. Sustainable Manure and Compost Application: Garden and Micro Farm Guidelines
- University of Wisconsin Extension. Using Manure in the Home Garden
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Extension. Animal Manure as Fertilizer (LPM-00340)
- USDA NRCS. National Engineering Handbook Part 651, Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook, Subpart D – Agricultural Waste Characteristics (amended September 2025)
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Best Management Practices for Horse Manure Composting on Small Farms (Bulletin E307)
- Colorado State University Extension. Vegetable Gardens: Soil Management and Fertilization (CSU Extension, CMG GardenNotes #711)
- University of Maine Extension. Bulletin #2510, Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens
- Iowa State University Extension. Using Manure in the Home Garden
- Penn State Extension. Wise Use of Manure in Home Vegetable Gardens
- USDA National Organic Program. NOP 5021 Guidance: Compost and Vermicompost in Organic Crop Production
- University of Minnesota Extension. Caring for chickens in cold weather
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Raw Manure under the FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety
- Iowa State University Extension. Integrating pastured meat chickens into organic vegetable production increased nitrogen and microbial biomass with variability in presence of E. coli and Salmonella spp
- Published research. Presence of foodborne pathogens and survival of generic Escherichia coli in an organic integrated crop-livestock system
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Storing Manure on Small Horse and Livestock Farms (FS1192)
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Manure Stockpiling Technical Guidelines (Water Quality/Feedlots #8.06)
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Minnesota Rules 7020.2225 Land Application of Manure
The safety rules
Sources: USDA National Organic Program, Published research and 12 more
- USDA National Organic Program. 7 CFR § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard (USDA National Organic Program)
- USDA National Organic Program. 21 CFR §§ 112.54, 112.55, 112.56 — FSMA Produce Safety Rule, Subpart F (Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin)
- USDA National Organic Program. NOP 5021 Guidance: Compost and Vermicompost in Organic Crop Production
- Published research. Weed seed viability in composted beef cattle feedlot manure
- Colorado State University Extension. Making Compost (CSU Extension, CMG GardenNotes #246)
- USDA National Organic Program. 7 CFR § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard (USDA National Organic Program)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Raw Manure under the FSMA Final Rule on Produce Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Releases Risk Assessment of Foodborne Illness Associated with Pathogens from Produce Grown in Fields Amended with Untreated Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin (Constituent Update, March 12, 2026)
- University of Wisconsin Extension. Safely Using Manure in the Garden (University of Wisconsin Garden Facts XHT1143)
- University of Wisconsin Extension. Using Manure in the Home Garden
- University of Maine Extension. Bulletin #2510, Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens
- Iowa State University Extension. Using Manure in the Home Garden
- Penn State Extension. Wise Use of Manure in Home Vegetable Gardens
- ATTRA (NCAT). Tipsheet: Manure in Organic Production Systems
- NC State Extension. Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure, Compost, and Grass Clippings (NC State Extension AG-727)
- Oregon State University Extension. Herbicide-contaminated compost and soil mix: What you should know — and what you can do about it (OSU Extension EM 9307)
- NC State Extension. Herbicide Carryover in Hay, Manure, Compost, and Grass Clippings (AG-727)
- National Pesticide Information Center. Can I use compost contaminated with clopyralid or other herbicides?
- Cornell University. Health and Safety Precautions (Municipal yard waste composting: Operator's Fact Sheet #9 of 10)
- University of Minnesota Extension. Preventing hay fires
Resources
By zone
Frozen ground, wet winters and salty desert soils all change how manure is handled.
- 3–4
- Small piles freeze before heating. Start in May–June, or build a big pile in late summer to cure over winter. Worm bins go indoors (keep above about 55°F). Don't spread manure on frozen ground.
- 5–6
- Larger piles (5 × 5 ft) keep working into winter. Apply raw manure in fall with a cover crop. Deep litter in winter coops.
- 7–8
- Composting runs most of the year. Cover piles in heavy rain. Watch for jumping worms in bought mulch.
- 9–10
- Heat speeds things up, but dryness slows them in the arid West: shade piles and water weekly. Worm bins need full shade. Go light on manure where soils are salty or alkaline.
- Northeast
- short season, so start piles in late spring and keep worm bins indoors.
- Southeast
- heavy rain, so cover piles and build them steep. Jumping worms are widespread.
- Midwest
- fall manure and cover crops, no spreading on frozen ground, jumping worms.
- Southwest
- shade and water piles, shape tops to catch water, skip wood ash, and watch salts.
- Pacific Northwest
- roof or cover bins through wet winters.
- Mountain West
- build bigger piles and water regularly.
Where this comes from
Every fact in this lesson was checked against 39 published sources, all from extension services, the USDA and research journals. Each section lists its own at the bottom.
See all 39 sources
- USDA National Organic Program
- 7 CFR § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard (USDA National Organic Program)
- 21 CFR §§ 112.54, 112.55, 112.56 — FSMA Produce Safety Rule, Subpart F (Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin)
- 7 CFR § 205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard (USDA National Organic Program)
- NOP 5021 Guidance: Compost and Vermicompost in Organic Crop Production
- Oregon State University Extension
- Colorado State University Extension
- Cornell University
- Iowa State University Extension
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- NC State Extension
- Published research
- Rutgers Cooperative Extension
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Extension
- University of Minnesota Extension
- University of Wisconsin Extension
- ATTRA (NCAT)
- National Pesticide Information Center
- Penn State Extension
- University of Arizona Extension
- University of Illinois Extension
- University of Maine Extension
- Utah State University Extension
- Washington State University Extension
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Summary
The whole lesson on one page. Print it or come back to it.
Key information
- Raw manure must go on at least 120 days before harvesting crops that touch the soil, 90 days for others (USDA organic rule). FDA calls following that 'prudent'.
- Aged manure is not composted manure. Only compost that held 131°F counts as treated.
- Never use dog, cat, pig or human manure on food gardens, and never side-dress growing crops with raw manure.
- Chickens run on beds count as raw manure: run them in fall, well before planting.
- Spread in fall with a cover crop; never on frozen or snowy ground.
- Store piles covered and well away from wells, streams and property lines.
Step by step
- 1.Test outside hay, straw or manure with a pea pot before using it.
- 2.Spread raw manure in fall, work it in, and sow a cover crop.
- 3.Use soil-test results to set rates; manure builds up phosphorus and salts.
- 4.Hot-compost anything you want to use in spring.
- 5.Keep stored manure covered and at least 100 ft from wells.
Made it to the end? I’ll keep track for you on this device.