Spreading manure in Foravila: "Everyone is very natural and eco-friendly until they smell shit."

PalmBiel Barceló has a farm with almost 300 pigs and 100 sows on the road from Vilafranca to Porreres. He sows the grain he feeds the animals himself and, to do so, spreads the manure they produce because, he says, "it reactivates the soil and is much better than fertilizer." Although he tries to spread and cover it as quickly as possible "to avoid problems" with the neighbors (he spends about an hour between one thing and another), he is aware of the smell they create. "No matter how good the escampis is, all shit smells," he admits while standing next to a pile of manure he is about to spread.

Complaints about the smell of manure have increased in recent years, as explained this Monday by the Director General of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, Fernando Fernández. For this reason, Barceló explains that manure "is the most natural" there is for the soil and reproaches that "everyone is very ecological until they smell shit."

For his part, the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, emphasized that farmers have the right to spread manure on their crops. "It is legally protected by a series of regulations, and as long as they are followed, it must be respected." He also warned the population that "if they want local and sustainable food, manure is an essential part of their diet." Similarly, he considered that "citizens are increasingly disconnected from the reality of the Foravila region."

Similarly, Fernández explained that both farmers and ranchers have a plan to control the quantity and where the manure has been spread. "Behind this right that farmers have to revalue manure, there are quite rigorous regulations that can be controlled," he said. But instead of selling it to other farmers—a trailer can cost around €150—Barceló prefers to keep it, although he admits that "it's expensive," since he has to use a shovel to load it into the trailer, a plow to spread it, and two people to drive the vehicles.

Several town councils report bad practices on some farms

Several Mallorcan municipalities have reported their complaints to the Department of Agriculture regarding the stench generated by chicken manure. In the cases verified by ARA Baleares, the farms that use it typically fail to comply with the regulatory deadline for burying or removing the manure. In the case of Manacor City Council, a few weeks ago, a case of dumping chicken manure was reported to the General Directorate of Agriculture, which the council considered illegal. According to reports from the Local Police and municipal services, "on September 9th, manure was detected being spread on a plot, and on September 15th, it was found that it had not yet been buried or removed," thus exceeding the 72-hour deadline established by the 2019 Balearic Agricultural Law. Strong odors have prompted numerous complaints from residents, both in the affected area and in the urban center of Manacor itself. The City Council recalls that it had already reported similar incidents to a poultry company in 2022 before the Ministry of Agriculture and the Seprona (National Police).

The collected documentation—including reports and photographs—was forwarded to the Directorate General for possible sanctions or corrective measures. "The protection of the environment and public coexistence are a priority. We will not allow practices that violate regulations and cause harm to the population," stated the Local Police Delegate, Sebastià Llodrà.