2016-10-10 There are over 1.45 million cattle and swine across Yunlin County, comprising 25.1 percent of the nation’s total, putting the municipality in first place in terms of total number of livestock. Following site visits and investigation work conducted over a period of three months, the guidance team from the Environmental Protection Bureau has selected five priority farms and plans to submit Yunlin County’s first batch of “Project on Using Livestock Biogas Manure as Farmland Fertilizer” before the end of May. The choices were made after giving careful consideration to factors such as sizable animal husbandry businesses located in the vicinity of key water quality surveillance stations, willingness to cooperate on the part of the respective businesses, compliance with regulations, geographic location of the farms, and surrounding agricultural environments. The manure from approximately 21,100 swine and 200 cattle, accounting for 1.5 percent of Yunlin’s livestock, will irrigate over 69 hectares of farmland. This boasts the widest area for irrigation in the nation. The irrigation effort will primarily target crops such as rice, corn, peanut, and pasture fields. With calculations based on Yunlin County’s major crop – rice, the project will help save 3,450 packs of fertilizers, which effectively translates into savings of approximately NT$ 1.2 million for fertilizer expenditures. This will be extremely beneficial for farmers.
Lin Chang-zao, Director General of the Environmental Protection Bureau of Yunlin County Government noted that in an effort to improve the quality of water in the rivers and lakes of Yunlin County, this year the agency strengthens the promotion of the policy involving the use of agricultural biogas manure as fertilizers for farmlands. After organizing 15 rounds of information sessions, it selected five livestock farms for guidance and application for implementing the demonstration project. The fertilization of farmland with biogas manure allows the agricultural waste products to transform into resources which can be reused. This also allows farmers to reduce their dependence on chemical fertilizers, while helping to improve the quality of river water, achieving a win-win scenario for those involved. Biogas manure, the byproduct from the anaerobic digestion process of domestic wastewater, contains elements such as organic compounds, humus, trace elements, various amino acids, enzymes, and effective microorganisms. Furthermore, it also has a near-neutral PH value, which is effective for improving soil quality.
As a major agricultural municipality, Yunlin County is taking immediate action to promote the “Project on Using Livestock Biogas Manure as Farmland Fertilizer.” This year it plans to organize over 10 rounds of demonstration events. It will also target different types of crops and invite agricultural guidance teams to instruct farmers on how to effectively administer biogas manure fertilizers. Through this process, the agency hopes to improve the convenience of use for farmers, attracting more livestock farms to join the ranks of project proponents.