May / June, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Manure and nutrient management issues are at the forefront of many farmers' minds, whether they are livestock producers who need to handle animal waste or crop farmers who apply fertilizers. Both groups can learn about the equipment strategies and techniques for environmentally and economically sound nutrient management during demonstrations at Ag Expo, July 22 - 24 at Michigan State University (MSU).
"Manure management is one of the most important challenges facing animal agriculture," says Bill Bickert, director of manure and nutrient management programs for the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "It's a social as well as a technical issue, and it has the attention of several segments of society besides farmers." The Ag Expo demonstrations will include operation of manure application equipment, including spreaders and injection systems. Participants will be able to see the effects of tillage, rates and type of machine used.
At the MSU swine facility, presenters will discuss manure composting on both large and small scales, animal carcass composting and the new ozonation odor reduction system. The emphasis will be on the challenges related to applying manure to tiled fields. At a field site, presenters will show how nutrient-laden water can move through soil and into drainage tiles and techniques that can be used to prevent it. "We want people to understand that there's a potential problem with applying manure to tile-drained land," Bickert says. "It's a real problem that they must be aware of."
Information related to manure management, from sources including MSU Extension bulletins, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service farm programs and the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Awareness Program, will be located in one tent on the Ag Expo exhibit grounds. The tent will also include displays and representatives of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Michigan Association of Soil Conservation Districts. MSU educators -- from agricultural engineers to economists, animal scientists and others -- will staff these and other exhibits on the main site. They will be on hand to discuss their work and share information on various aspects of manure management, farm business management, and livestock and crop production.
Ag Expo will feature commercial farm equipment from states throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site and the 40-acre field demonstration area. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 22 and 23 (Tuesday and Wednesday) and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 24. All Ag Expo events and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. For more information about Ag Expo, call 1-800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu.
Agricultural Engineering
Michigan State University
A.W. Farrall Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1323
(517) 355-4720
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