090089_Agronomic report_20220607

Steven W. Troxler
Commissioner
June 7, 2022
Prestage Farms
Attn: Randy Barefoot
P. O. Box 438
Clinton, NC 28329
Dear Mr. Barefoot,
North Carolina Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services
Agronomic Division
Dr. Colleen Hudak -Wise
Director
I visited your swine operations on May 31, 2022, located in Bladen County, to assess the growing
condition of crops planted on spray fields to determine whether or not the stand of the receiving crop was
adequate to receive waste water.
For the farm under petniit number 9-54 (Jerry Graham Fann), field 2 does not have an adequate
stand of fescue to receive waste application. This field can be resprigged with bermudagrass as soon as
possible to utilize the PAN rate for bermudagrass this season. In accordance with recommendations from
the N. C. Cooperative Extension Forage Planting Guide, bermudagrass can be sprigged into July if
irrigated. If sprigging is not possible before early July, the recommendation is to plant an alternative crop
such as sorghum sudangrass and plan to resprig with bermudagrass next spring. The pH is within range
on this field, but potassium and sulfur should be applied based on your soil report prior to resprigging if
possible. For field 3 on this farm, sulfur should be applied based on your soil report and the
bennudagrass can be resprigged as soon as possible to utilize the PAN rate for bermudagrass this season.
For the farrn under pen -nit number 9-140 (P-15 Farm), field 2 does not have an adequate stand of
bermudagrass to receive waste application. This field can be resprigged with bermudagrass as soon as
possible to utilize the PAN rate for bermudagrass this season. If this is not possible, it is recommended to
utilize the current stand of crabgrass or plant sorghum sudangrass to receive the waste this season. The
PAN rate for crabgrass is 75% of the PAN rate for bermudagrass on the given soil type with the
application window beginning April 1 and ending September 30. For field 1A, this field did not have an
adequate stand of bermudagrass to receive waste application. This field can be resprigged with
bermudagrass as soon as possible to utilize the PAN rate for bermudagrass this season. If this is not
possible, there is not an appropriate crop in this field to utilize waste application, so it is recommended to
plant sorghum sudangrass to receive waste this season. There were no fertility issues on this farm at this
time according to soil samples taken in 2018. It is recommended that this farm be soil sampled this year
to obtain current soil recommendations. The pH was somewhat elevated on this farm.
1040 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1040
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For the farm under permit number 9-89 (P-17A &B), fields 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 were evaluated for
bermudagrass stand. It appeared the current bermudagrass stand was adequate if management of
crabgrass and other weeds is done in a timely manner to prevent crop competition with the beiniudagrass.
Current soil samples taken in March of 2022 did not indicate any significant fertility issues. However, the
pH is elevated on this faun, potentially causing manganese deficiency in the winter overseed. The
recommendation was made to make a foliar application of manganese at 0.5 to 1 lb/A to the winter
overseed to prevent stunting from manganese deficiency.
Bermudagrass stand on these fauns has been impacted by late removal of winter overseed,
untimely harvest, and summer annual weed competition. Earlier removal of the winter overseed, more
timely harvest, and weed management will help the bennudagrass compete and become a more viable
crop.
Please prepare a conditional amendment for the plan using these recommendations.
Sincerely,
Ze--4A-74`- Xcfre_.-
Georgia P. Love
Regional Agronomist
NCDA&C S
cc: Dr. David Hardy