Michigan Tightens Manure Restrictions on Big Animal Farms

Michigan is tightening restrictions on large animal agricultural operations geared toward reducing the amount of animal manure that runs off farms and spurs harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie.

New or renewed general permits for roughly 260 Michigan concentrated animal feeding operations, which raise hundreds or thousands of animals each, will prohibit the businesses from spreading manure on fields from January through March, the state announced Friday.

That likely means operations will have to pay for increased storage capacity to hold waste for millions of farm animals.

Additionally, the state is lowering the phosphorus levels at which manure can be ...