Research Reports
A Study on the Introduction of Regional Maximum Load System of Livestock Numbers
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AuthorSong, Jooho
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Publication Date2004.12.01
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Original
ABSTRACT
Livestock manure has long been used as a good fertilizer for growing crops. Recently, however, the environmental risks of livestock manure disposal have increased in some regions as livestock farms have grown larger and more specialized. The aim of this study is to derive the feasible ways to introduce livestock production quota system to Korea in some regions where the total amount of manure produced exceeds the fertilizer needs for crops.
The major contents of this study are as follows:
First, this study analyzes the current situation of environmental risks associated with livestock manure and evaluates the policy tools restricting the scale of livestock farming. The total livestock number raised has already exceeded the environmental capacity but there is little possibility that this situation will be improved any time soon. The current policy tools, such as regulations for restricting the improper disposal of livestock manure and direct payments for environmentally friendly livestock farming, are not sufficient to prevent the heads of livestock raised from growing higher than environmental capacity. Thus, the target oriented measure is needed for environmental purpose.
Second, the study analyzes the similar systems, domestic and abroad, to draw some lessons from the existing systems in preparation for the introduction of quota system (Maximum loads of livestock numbers) to the Korean livestock industry. Domestically, Total Pollution Load System to preserve water quality has been implemented from this year for the Han river. Abroad, the Netherlands and Belgium have introduced livestock manure quota systems. Especially, this study has analysed the manure production right system in the Netherlands in detail.
Third, this study designs the outline for the new quota system reflecting the demand from the society and livestock farmers. It seems that it would be reasonable to introduce the system in two stages. At the beginning, not only the amount of livestock manures produced but also the amount of chemical fertilizers used should be considered in determining the maximum load of nutrients needed for crop growing in the region. If current level of nutrient supply exceeds the maximum level of nutrient demand, then the nutrient surplus shall be reduced to the desired level. When the introduction of maximum nutrient load system fails and the nutrient surplus does not reach the desirable level, as a next stage, the livestock quota system should be implemented. Buy-out scheme can be considered as an economically efficient measure to reduce the numbers of livestock.
Lastly, this study has simulated the application of the system designed above to the region(Hongseong) that has a nutrient surplus problem. This region has too many pigs compared with its agricultural land, so that the phosphorus(P2O5) supply in the region records 234% of the phosphorus required. Therefore, the local government shall establish a plan to reduce the number of pigs in the region. The establishment of new livestock farm and the expansion of existing farms should be prohibited. Certain amount of pig manure shall be shifted to adjacent regions and 6～17% of current pig population should be reduced through the government buy-out program. Once the livestock production quota system takes a root, the introduction of livestock production right system need to be considered.
Researchers: Joo-Ho Song et al.
E-mail Address: jhsong@krei.re.kr
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