A bioeconomic decision model comparing composted and fresh litter for winter squash

Decision aids are needed to identify management strategies for complex agri cultural problems affecting numerous stakeholders, Our objective was to dev elop a bioeconomic decision aid examining poultry litter application to win ter squash, Cucurbita maxima, on the basis of multiple goals: enhancing env ironmental and soil quality, maximizing waste recycling, and maximizing net revenues. Because farm-level decisions about waste management may conflict with community goals, the decision aid balances the preferences of squash growers, poultry producers, and community-level decision makers. The aid ut ilizes a simulation model that compares four litter management alternatives : (1) fresh poultry litter applied to meet crop nitrogen (N) needs; (2) fre sh poultry litter applied to meet crop phosphorus (P) needs; (3) composted poultry litter to meet crop N needs; and (4) composted poultry litter to me et crop P needs. Output from biophysical submodels compares well to literat ure data. Sensitivity tests show strong correlation between nutrient accumu lation in soil pools and estimates of potentially available nutrients in fr esh and composted litter. The decision model outcome, when averaged across stakeholder groups, clearly favors composted litter applied to meet crop P needs. Decision aids can help various stakeholder groups see how their prio rities interact as well as demonstrate the importance of long-term analysis to assess alternative management strategies. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.