March 30, 2007

Use of chicken litter as fertilizer becomes more attractive for US farmers

The relentless rise of fertilizer prices has prompted some US producers to look at poultry litter for their crops such as corn.

A tonne of commercial fertilizer with a 3-1-2 blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium could cost US$360 a tonne (€302 per mt), nearly double the price last year.

As prices rise, the use of poultry litter as fertilizer has grown increasingly attractive as demand for fertilizer is rising due to increased corn acres. Poultry litter is currently cheaper than commercial fertilizer.

Adding to the attractiveness of using litter as fertilizer is the federal programme which pays the cost of having litter from major poultry producing counties transported to farms in counties with no poultry houses. However, the programme is ending in April and it is unclear if it would be renewed.