July 15, 2011

This Wednesday you can attend programs, tour commercial exhibits, and view and test drive equipment — all related to professionalism in manure management.  The North American Manure Expo 2011 will be July 20 at the Northeast Community College Ag Complex in Norfolk.   Event chairpersons for this national conference are Chris Henry, UNL extension engineer, and Leslie Johnson, UNL research technologist.

The expo is free and includes an industry trade show, manure technology demonstrations, and educational programs. Exhibitors will be present from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.  For more information on exhibitors visit the program website. 

The educational program includes a range of topics, which are described below.

Program Descriptions and Speakers

Manure Pit Foaming and Safety Demonstration
Rick Stowell (UNL), Brian Busse (NSFM), Allen Michel (NSFM) and Jason Gross (UNL)
Under-barn manure pits pose unique safety issues, including hazardous gases, foaming problems, and potential for flash fires. Get the latest information on these issues and how to avoid or minimize associated safety risks. Also, see in person what is needed to facilitate a confined-space rescue operation. Participants will understand how to better protect themselves initially, and in the event of an emergency, how to be better prepared to assist the emergency responders in affecting a successful rescue. The session will help participants better understand the emergency responder’s point of view and their subsequent actions upon arrival at your emergency event will also be discussed and demonstrated.

What’s in my Nutrient Management Plan?
Caitlin Conover (US EPA) and Joe Lally (ISU)
Ever wondered what was in that NMP that came with your permit? What are the “needs to know” from a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan for Commercial Applicators that pull onto a customer’s farm? This session will connect the EPA requirements and intentions with what needs to be done to successfully execute and comply with a NMP.

Manure Application on Frozen and Snow Covered Soils
Kevan Klingberg (UW-M)
The UW-Discovery Farms Program conducts research on surface water losses from agricultural systems on real, working Wisconsin farms. Our data shows that a significant amount of nutrient and sediment loss comes during the frozen ground period. Careful manure management and informed decision making can reduce those losses.

Is Manure Stockpiling an Environmental Risk?
Kevan Klingberg (UW-M)
Headland manure stacking or manure stockpiling is often practiced on poultry, beef, and dairy farms that haul daily or periodically clean livestock lots / housing, especially when the associated solid manure has high dry matter content, and spreadable fields are not available. Participants will learn about results from a Wisconsin study investigating nutrient movement from headland-stacked poultry manure into waters of the state (surface or groundwater). The study is applicable to feedlot manure stockpiles.

Insurance Options for Applicator Businesses
David Anderson (Vincent, Urban Walker and Associates)
Helping your agent understand your business is the key to securing the right coverage and the best premium – if they don’t
understand what you do and how you do it, you may not get the coverage you really need. David will cover the things you can do to reduce risk and make yourself more appealing to insurance companies – including proper training of employees, documentation of expectations, and why it’s important to regularly check employee driving records. Non-traditional strategies, such as the impact of clean equipment, will also be discussed.

Proactive Steps Livestock Producers Can Take to Extend the Life of Local Roads
Kevin Erb (UW-GB)
Heavy agricultural loads (whether manure tankers or semis of grain) can be very destructive to asphalt and concrete pavements. There are proactive steps that producers can take to reduce the impact on local roads, and this presentation will focus on the results of a just-completed 4-state research project that looked at the impact of manure tankers (4,000-9,500 gal), overloaded semis (102,000#) and grain carts on roads. Simple changes, such as how close to the edge you drive, time of day and where you load from the grain cart can make a dramatic difference in pavement life. Learn how farmers and local governments are working together to find solutions to this issue and explore manure moving technologies that reduce the problem.

Tile Outlet Setbacks and Buffers, Are They Really Effective?
Paul Hay (UNL)
When manure is applied to cropland fields there is a required setback from waterways, creeks & streams, and ponds and lakes. In many areas tile outlet terraces are used to protect soil from erosion and get the excess rainfall to the bottom of the hill. This research evaluated the phosphorus losses from the field and the effect of manure applications and setbacks on phosphorus losses. The research information should prove helpful to farm operators and commercial spreaders in their approaches to setback requirements in different field situations and when exemptions can be requested from the setback requirement.

GPS Equipment for Manure Application
Dustin Ransom (T-K Agworks)
Farmers, particularly large livestock operations, are operating under strict environmental regulations that require detailed nutrient management plans with nutrient application records to verify compliance with nutrient management standards. GPS technology can be used to generate records during application that show detailed rates and adherence to all application restrictions that may be in place at the time of application. This conversation with a custom applicator and their experience with GPS applications for auto-steer and mapping of manure applications to meet the environmental and agronomic requirements of their clientele. Vendors with GPS enabled equipment will be at this session, so participants can experience this technology firsthand. The session includes a ride and drive opportunity with vendors for those who want to demo products (presentations first 30 minutes, ride and drive last 30 minutes of session).

The Application of GPS Technology to Manure Application
Ted Bay (UW-M)
GPS allows us to keep track of where manure nutrients are applied. Combining site specific manure application location and rate with manure sample information can allow us to develop manure nutrient application maps which actually show where manure nutrients have been applied to the field. These maps can then be used to develop prescription maps for application of the remaining nutrients from commercial fertilizer. Attendees will understand how precision agriculture technologies can be applied to manure management to improve environmental and economic performance. Vendors with GPS enabled equipment will be at this session, so participants can experience this technology firsthand. The session includes a ride and drive opportunity with vendors for those who want to demo products (presentations first 30 minutes, ride and drive last 30 minutes of session).

Air Quality Assessment Tools
Crystal Powers (UNL)
This session will describe the National Air Quality Site Assessment Tool (NAQSAT) and show how this on-line resource can be used to assess the performance of existing and prospective management practices on a given livestock or poultry operation.

BNMP$: A Tool for Estimating Transport Costs For Feedlot Manure
Andrea Watson (UNL)
This session will provide an overview of the Beef FNMP$ (Feed Nutrient Management Planner), a computer program developed at UNL. This tool can be used to explore factors, such as cattle diet, storage methods, or crop rotation, and how these management decisions can impact the value and handling costs of manure for feedlots. At the end of the session attendees will be able to generate a report for their feedlot by using the mobile computer lab.

Purdue Manure Management Planner
Charlie Wortmann (UNL)
The Manure Management Planner (MMP) will be introduced as a tool for longer term strategic planning and for developing annual operational plans for manure use. MMP was developed for nationwide use but it is downloaded with criteria specific for your selected state. It considers manure type, quantity and nutrient content as well as crop nutrient needs and other factors allowing you to schedule the time, rate, method, and fields for the application of manure from different manure storage facilities. There will be opportunity for hands-on use of MMP.

Make the P-Index Work For You
Charlie Wortmann (UNL) and Joe Lally (ISU)
The Iowa and Nebraska Phosphorus Indexes will be introduced and the advantages of P index use relative to other means containing risk of runoff P loss to water bodies will be discussed. Issues affecting the quality of P index use will be addressed. There will be opportunity for hands-on use of the P indexes.

Manure Scene Investigation
Charles Shapiro (UNL) and Gary Zoubek (UNL)
The Manure Management Field Diagnostic Challenge, test your skills in the five acre onsite plot. When one checks a crop production field mid-season to see how the crop is developing, surprises sometimes occur. The challenge is to determine what happened and why. We will present several in field situations for you to figure out what happened. This session is outside and requires walking through standing crop.

Manure Runoff Infiltration Demonstration
Dan Gillespie (NE NRCS) and Paul Jasa (UNL)
Surface application of manure is often discouraged because of runoff concerns. By protecting the soil surface with residue and improving the soil structure with continuous no-till, less water is lost to runoff and more water is available for crop production. A rainfall simulator will be used to demonstrate how this improved infiltration can reduce erosion and manure losses in the runoff.

Subsurface Application of Dry Solid Manure
Dan Pote (USDA-ARS)
Solid manure is an excellent source of crop nutrients; but spreading manure on the soil surface causes odor problems and allows valuable nutrients to evaporate or be carried by storm runoff into nearby streams and lakes. To help prevent these problems, a USDA-ARS research team has developed an innovative method for applying dry manure under the soil surface. The presentation will include information on the Subsurfer, a tractor-drawn prototype machine that can transport five tons of dry poultry manure and apply it in shallow (3-inch deep) parallel subsurface bands. Using this new technology from USDA-ARS, subsurface application of dry manure may soon become a practical management option that helps agricultural producers use manure nutrients more efficiently, especially in pastures and other no-till systems.

Health Line – First Aid Refresher
Rich Lutz (NECC)
Are you prepared for an accident on your farm or custom manure hauling business? This hands-on first aid refresher is for custom manure haulers and livestock producers who want to gain or refresh their first aid skills.

Estimating the Value of Manure
Andy Scholting (Nutrient Advisors), Kendall Bonenberger (Environmental Sciences Inc) and Abe Sandquist
(Natural Fertilizer Services)
How does a livestock producers market manure to his neighbor, for a profit? Manure transfers and manure marketing and brokering are one of the most valuable tools to livestock producers to “spread those nutrients around” the agricultural landscape. This panel session of three crop consultants who have focused on manure marketing will share their experience about how to successfully transfer manure “off the farm.”