Yeongju City Offers Free Year-Round Livestock Manure Maturity Tests

Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province is offering free year-round "livestock manure (compost) maturity tests" for local livestock farmers.

The compost maturity test is a key procedure for preventing environmental pollution and creating a healthy soil environment. According to relevant laws, livestock farms above a certain size are required to undergo these tests regularly.

Yeongju City will conduct free year-round maturity tests on livestock manure (compost). Photo by Yeongju City

The Yeongju Agricultural Technology Center (Director Han Sang-suk) announced on May 13 that it is operating free, year-round compost maturity tests to prevent disadvantages for livestock farmers and to establish a sustainable livestock environment.

According to the current "Enforcement Rules of the Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta," farms required to report must undergo the maturity test once a year, while those requiring permits must do so once every six months.

The test results must be kept for at least three years. If compost that does not meet standards is spread without authorization, a fine of up to 2 million won may be imposed. However, small-scale livestock farms and farms that outsource all compost processing are exempt from the testing requirement.

Farmers wishing to take the test must collect a total of 12 kilograms of compost from 5 to 10 locations in the compost pile, mix it thoroughly, and submit 500 grams of the sample in a sealed container to the Compost Maturity Test Room on the first floor of the Yeongju Agricultural Technology Center. The container must be labeled with the collection date, address, name, and contact information, and the sample must be submitted within 24 hours of collection.

The test items include moisture content, maturity, salinity, copper, and zinc. The results will be notified within about two weeks from the date of submission.

Woo Incheol, head of the Livestock Division, emphasized, "The compost maturity test is a key management tool for preventing odors and preserving the environment. Since we provide free testing year-round, we hope livestock farmers will actively participate to maintain a pleasant livestock environment without legal disadvantages."

Yeongju City also plans to provide related education and technical support in parallel to improve the agricultural environment and promote the recycling of livestock manure resources.