The Industry and the Environment

INTRODUCTION
Lesson Introduction
The Industry and the Environment lesson explains the techniques producers utilize to help
minimize any potential environmental impacts of their operations. This lesson supplies
students with information about environmental management
practices and techniques.
Standards

Time Needed
Interest Approach:........................ 5 minutes
Content Delivery:........................20 minutes
Activity # 1:....................................5 minutes
Activity # 2 (optional): ................10 minutes
Review Quiz:................................10 minutes

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

NM-NS.9-12.6
Personal and social
perspectives: As a result of
activities in grades 9-12,
all students should
develop an understanding
of: personal and
community health;
population growth;
natural resources;
environmental quality;
natural and humaninduced hazards; science
and technology in local,
national, and global
challenges.

After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

1.

Identify potential environmental issues associated with swine production

2.

Explain the importance of a nutrient management plan and the techniques used to
implement the plan

3.

Identify management practices and techniques employed by production operations to

minimize potential environmental risks

MATERIALS:
1.

PowerPoint titled The Industry and the Environment

2.

LCD or overhead projector (if needed, the PowerPoint slides can be used as transparency
masters)

3.

Individual copies of the quiz and activity sheets for each student

VOCABULARY:
Aerobic biological activity that requires the presence of oxygen
Anaerobic a biological process that occurs in the absence of oxygen
Ammonia the most familiar compound composed of the elements of
nitrogen and hydrogen, NH3. It is formed as a result of the decomposition of most
nitrogenous organic material. Its presence is indicated by its pungent odor.
Manure Covers a cover of either natural material, such as straw, or synthetic material,
such as plastic or other fabricated materials, placed on top of liquid manure storage areas to
reduce the volume of gas released to the atmosphere
Composting the controlled biological decomposition of organic solid waste under aerobic
conditions
Lagoon a biological treatment system designed and operated to break down or convert
organic matter to a more stable end product. Lagoons may be aerobic, anaerobic, or
facultative.
Manure organic material usually consisting of the feces and urine of domestic livestock,
with or without litter, such as straw, hay, or bedding that is used to fertilize land
Nutrient Management Plan a written site plan describing the end use and application
of organic nutrients - whether from manufactured sources, such as chemical fertilizers, or
natural sources, such as animal manure
Particulate Matter solid or liquid particles suspended in air
Pit a collection area located under environmentally-controlled buildings that collect
manure. A pit may be either shallow or deep. Shallow pits are used for the short-term
collection prior to transfer to longer-term storage in formed storage tanks or treatment in
lagoons. Deep pits are used to collect and store manure until land application.
Sulfur odorous compounds released from the anaerobic microbial decomposition of
sulfate compounds

INTEREST APPROACH:
Using the accompanying PowerPoint, show the Interest Approach slide to the class. The
image may also be printed and passed out. In pairs, have the students identify items on the
image that reduce or control the environmental pollution from operations. Next, have the
students explain why they think these management practices are environmentally friendly. Do
not explain any management practices brought up at this time as this discussion will occur at the
end of the lesson.

TEACHING CONTENT:
Objective 1: Identify potential environmental issues associated with swine production.

As with any business, swine production impacts the environment. Producers recognize
their responsibility for environmental and natural resource management, as this can
affect animal well-being, public health, and perceptions regarding swine production and
producer income.
Pork producers understand the tremendous responsibility placed on them. Thats why
every day, they demonstrate that they truly care about their animals, the environment,
and the communities they serve and, that they are committed to safeguarding our
natural resources in all of their production practices. In fact, its one of the six ethical
principles that form the basis of U. S. Pork Production as a part of the We Care initiative.
The potential environmental impacts of swine production involve air and water quality
issues.
Air Quality Issues
Odors
o Swine operations produce odors because of animal manure and
other materials involved with the production of animals. The
combination of feces, urine, spilled feed, and the bacterial
fermentation process can result in the production of odors.
o Specifically, when the fermentation process occurs, bacteria
breakdown of the organic components produce sulfur and
ammonia compounds that are released as odors.
Sulfur compounds
The generation of sulfur compounds is a result of
the anaerobic microbial decomposition of sulfate
compounds produced through animal excretions.
The main odorous sulfur compound emitted during
swine production is hydrogen sulfide.
Ammonia
Ammonia is emitted because of the microbial
breakdown of nitrogen. Many animals are fed highprotein diets that contain high concentrations of
nitrogen. When nitrogen is metabolized, it aids in
the production of animal proteins, such as milk,
eggs, and meat. Excess nitrogen compounds in the
form of urea and/or uric acid is excreted as an
animal waste component.

Particulate Matter and Dust

o Particulate matter and dust is comprised of liquid or solid
particles.
o Animal movement and ventilation stir up dust that is a result of
feeding, dander, and dry manure.
o Particles are carried by the air, which in turn, affects air quality.
o Odors can be carried by particulate matter and dust.
Water Quality Issues
Runoff
o Runoff is precipitation or other water that moves from land to a
body or source of water. This can occur in streams, rivers, and/or
lakes or other surface water bodies.
o Runoff contributes to soil erosion, which typically carries nutrients
and soil particles into bodies of water.
o Runoff is a form of water pollution. The water quality in the
impacted surface water body can potentially impair its use for the
support of fish or other aquatic life, recreation, or use as a source
of drinking water for animals or humans.
o Producers take care to ensure that runoff does not occur as a result
of the application of manure/effluent to the ground or from the
overflow of a lagoon or other storage basin.

Suggested Teaching Activity: Divide the class into appropriate size groups and have each
group answer the questions located on the PowerPoint presentation. When completed,
discuss the answers with the class.

Objective 2: Explain the importance of a nutrient management plan and the techniques
used to implement the plan.

Manure management is the management of animal manure in order to minimize the risk
of environmental pollution and maximize utilization of the nutrient value of manure.
The minimization of environmental risks is facilitated by use of a nutrient management
plan.
Nutrient Management Plans
Production facilities have a nutrient management plan addressing the
collection and redistribution of animal nutrients resulting from manure.
The main concept is to recycle manure at the optimal time.
Two of the key components are collection and redistribution.
The collection and redistribution methods depend on the form of manure
produced. Manure occurs in two forms - dry and liquid.
Dry manure usually occurs in outdoor production
operations.
Dry manure cannot be injected into the soil, so it
requires additional management practices.

Liquid manure is usually associated with environmentally

controlled facilities.
Pits are located under environmentally controlled
buildings to collect manure throughout production.
Pits can be a stand-alone method or associated with
a lagoon.
A lagoon is a large pond-like structure where
manure is stored and begins to be broken down by
bacteria. Lagoons are located outside of the
production building(s). A network of pipes and
often pumps move the manure from under-building
short- or long-term collection areas or pits to the
lagoon. Manure enters at the bottom of the lagoon
to reduce agitation and minimize odors.

Suggested Teaching Activity: Divide the class into appropriate size groups and have each
group answer the questions located on the PowerPoint presentation. When completed,
discuss the answers with the class.
Objective 3: Identify management practices and techniques employed by production
operations to minimize potential environmental risks.

Since many aspects of farming are intertwined with the complexity of the environment,
many producers approach the environment as part of a balanced system. This means
they consider their actions and the consequences of their decisions, and alter their
management practices by using techniques that benefit the environment and still
consider their own economic needs.
As a result, producers use a variety of techniques to help minimize the risk of
environmental pollution from their operation.
Air Quality Issues
Odor Reduction Techniques
o Feed Formulation
Producers carefully formulate the herds diet to meet to
their specific nutritional needs.
As mentioned in other lessons, producers adjust the feed
rations based on the animals developmental stage.
Producers can adjust certain amino acids in feed rations to
alter the crude protein content. This method optimizes
nitrogen conversion into proteins, which reduce the
amount of ammonia forming compounds produced by the
animal.
o Application Management
After a waiting period until enough manure has been
collected, the material can be distributed onto fields as a
valuable source of fertilizer.

Producers inject manure a minimum of three inches below

the soil surface. This helps reduce odors and supplies the
plant root zone with nutrients required for growth.
Application timing can help reduce odors, as well. Certain
conditions, such as humidity and high temperature can
increase odors, so producers consider these factors during
the redistribution phase.
Manure analysis is used to calculate the amount of manure
to be applied per acre based on crop requirements
o Landscaping and Trees
Planting and maintaining windbreaks helps reduce odors.
Trees and shrubs act as a filter reducing the movement of
odorous compounds in the air.
o Covers
There are two different types of covers used to reduce
odors. Covers may be permeable or impermeable and may
be made of natural or synthetic materials.
A cover, such as chopped straw blown to cover the surface
of a lagoon, acts as a type of permeable cover.
Covers help reduce odor emissions, in part by reducing
both the radiation onto the manure storage surface and the
wind velocity over the liquid surface of the storage area
o Liquid-Solid Separation
Some producers remove the solids from the manure
effluent heading to storage. Most use a lagoon and then
compost the solid fractions.
The liquid is land-applied as a liquid. This reduces odors
significantly. It is a chemical interaction between the urea
in the urine and the organic matter in the solids of the
feces that generates much of the odor-causing compounds.
o Composting
Composting provides an aerobic environment which
reduces the concentration of odorous compounds.
Composting requires combining manure with newspaper,
straw, wood chips, or other suitable organic matter to aid
in the decomposition process.
Particulate Matter and Dust
o Remember, particulate matter and dust can carry odors; therefore,
the reduction of particulate matter and dust may also help reduce
odors.
o Barriers
Windbreak walls or air dams can help reduce the
movement of dust particles.

Vegetative or synthetic barrier walls do not technically

reduce the concentration of dust exiting buildings, but
rather limit the movement of those particles away from the
production site.
Biofilters
Biofilters remove odorous compounds and dust from the
air. This not only improves air quality, but it also helps
reduce odors.

Water Quality
When redistributing nutrients, the implementation of several key
practices helps protect water quality. Considerations to think about
include:
o Geography
Slope of the ground
Location of the field in relationship to a waterway(s) and
drainageways (ditches, intake pipes etc.) that could carry
runoff to waterways
Distance to surface water bodies and the presence of
vegetative buffer zones (grass or tree filter strips) that can
retard runoff
Soil type and depth to groundwater
o Amount of Application
Test the soil to determine its current nutrient composition
and content.
Based on the crop to be planted, determine the amount of
nutrients that will need to be added to the soil to meet the
agronomic needs of the crop.
Analyze the manure to determine its nutrient composition
and concentration.
Apply only the amount manure needed to meet the
agronomic need of the crop to be grown.
o Timing of Application
Is the ground frozen or snow-covered? If so, extra
precautions need to be taken, and in some cases,
restrictions are placed on manure application on frozen or
snow-covered ground.
What is the weather forecast? Is a rainfall or snow melt
event likely?

Neighbor/Community Consideration

If producers are applying manure in close proximity to neighbors and/or

public areas, they should be considerate of the potential impact.
Producers should try to:
o

Avoid the application of manure on weekends and holidays

Determine if a special event or neighborhood gathering is going to

take place and try to avoid application during those days/times

Suggested Teaching Method:

1. Revisit the Interest Approach to discuss any environmental practices the students did
not identify.
2. Have the students create a 45 second Public Service Announcement pertaining to the
environmental practices producers use on their operations. Have this recorded as a
podcast and post on the school/agriculture department/extension offices website.
3. Play the Pork Bowl Review (see below) to help determine the students comprehension
of the lesson material.

PORK BOWL REVIEW

Directions
1. Divide the class into four-member teams.
2. The type of game is a toss-up. Any member of the team can answer

Student Activity

a question(s).
3. Give each individual member an index card.
4. Rules:

To answer a question, raise your card.

If the facilitator is interrupted, the question is done.

Teams score one point for each correct response.

If the question is answered incorrectly, the other teams continue until a

remaining team answers the question, or until all teams have attempted to
answer it.

5. After all the questions have been asked, tally the scores.
6. Review any unclear material and address any questions.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Directions
Use the questions below to facilitate class discussions about the environment.
These questions will act as a review before the lesson quiz is distributed. If you
choose, you can integrate the questions throughout the lesson to create an
ongoing class discussion as well.

Class Activity

Questions
1.

A local newspaper criticizes the environmental production practices of swine operations.

How would you defend/support a swine operations practices?

2.

Would you build your home near a swine operation? Explain your answer.

3.

What role do you think the government should play in regulating environmental concerns
related to pork production?

4.

What roles do ethics play when a producer is making an environmental decision?

5.

How might the implementation of an environmental production practice financially affect

an operation? Would there be a return on the producers investment? How long would it
take a producer to see a return on his/her investment?

6.

How would you manage waste/effluent differently based on the size of the operation?

7.

How would you manage waste/effluent differently based on the location (i.e., located near a
city or town versus the county) of the operation?

8.

How do you think waste/effluent pumped into the top of a lagoon instead of the bottom
would affect the environment? Explain your answer.

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The Industry and the

Environment Quiz
Name: _______________________________
Directions: Answer the following questions by choosing the best answer.
Matching:
1. _____ Nutrient Management Plan

A. A large pond-like structure for collecting

and initial bacterial breakdown of

waste/effluent

2. _____ Particulate Matter

3. _____ Sulfur

B. Biological activity that requires the

4. _____ Aerobic

presence of oxygen

5. _____ Composting

C. A biological process that occurs in the

absence of oxygen

6. _____ Lagoon

D. The controlled biological decomposition

7. _____ Biocover

of organic solid waste under aerobic

conditions

8. _____ Anaerobic
9. _____ Pit

E. A collection area located under

environmentally controlled buildings

that collect and initiate the breakdown
of waste utilizing bacteria

10. _____ Ammonia

F. A biofilter placed on top of liquid

storage areas to help reduce odors

G. Odorous compounds released from the

anaerobic microbial decomposition of

sulfate compounds
H. An odorous compound emitted from the

bacterial breakdown of manure

I.

Solid or liquid particles suspended in air

J. A written site plan describing the

collection and redistribution of nutrients

from animal manure, wastes, and
effluent

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Multiple Choice (select the best answer):

1. Why do producers sometimes alter the amino acid content in feed rations?
A. It decreases the crude protein content
B. It increases the odors
C. It saves the producer money
D. It decreases water runoff potential
4. Odors can be caused by :
A. Improper lagoon management
B. Composting of organic materials
C. The bacterial breakdown of animal wastes
D. All of the choices are correct
5. When applying liquid manure/effluent, which application method is most often the best

choice to reduce odor emissions?

A. Spray it up into the air
B. Inject into the soil
C. Place it on top of the soil
D. All of the choices are correct
6. A producer should apply manure/effluent to a field:
A. That does not have a crop currently growing in it
B. Based on the fields nutrient requirements
C. Only whenever manure needs to be removed from the lagoon
D. When the ground is frozen
7. Which is NOT an odor reduction technique?
A. Composting
B. Landscaping
C. Filtration systems
D. All of the choices can be implemented as odor reduction techniques

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8. In order to aid the production of animal proteins, many pork producers feed their pigs

high protein diets that contain large concentrations of:

A. Niacin
B. Calcium
C. Nitrogen
D. Iron
9. Reducing particulate matter also reduces:
A. Odors
B. Runoff
C. Fuel costs
D. None of the answers are correct
10. Which of the following involves combining manure with newspaper, straw, wood chips,

or other suitable organic matter to aid in the decomposition process?

A. Filtration system
B. Lagoons
C. Pits
D. Composting

True/False:
1.

True
False
When a producer makes a management
decision, the producer should consider the potential consequence(s)
of their actions.

2.

True
False
Trees and shrubs can act as a biofilter by
reducing the movement, and diluting the concentration of odorous
compounds.

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Quiz Answer Key

Matching:
1. J
2. I
3. G
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. F
8. C
9. E
10. H

Multiple Choice:
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. D

True/False
1.

2.

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