Objective:
The objective of this project is to work with Jordanian biological systems engineers and poultry producers to reduce the pollution potential of organic agricultural wastes to surface and ground water through composting. The likelihood that on-farm poultry litter composting will become a standard practice adopted on a larger scale than the initial project will depend in part on demonstration of the efficiency and economic viability, and high product quality from the `first¿ venture.

Approach:
The ARS team will: ¿jointly plan and develop with the Jordanian team a poultry manure/litter composting operation (¿Operation¿ may be to develop the specific simple approach or procedures of getting chicken manure collected and distributed to individual farmers, and their training so they can create their own compost for their farms. Large-scale production, marketing and distribution of compost is likely too expensive and sophisticated for Jerash at this time.) ¿provide guidance, consultation, training to the Jordanian team in composting methods and overcoming hurdles, ¿provide them with written and illustrated design, operational, and product utilization guidance materials, as well as monitoring, accounting, and other operation software. ¿ to provide test methods and training to assess the quality and suitability of the product for meeting various agricultural and horticultural applications within environmental limits, ¿provide a workshop to train compost facility operators in Best Available Practices.