Manure Manager

Features Business/Policy Livestock Production Manure Application Manure Management Production Profiles United States
From the Editor: A sneak peak of the North American Manure Expo


May 27, 2019  by  Jennifer Paige


Spring has arrived and here at Manure Manager magazine that means planning for this summer’s North American Manure Expo (NAME) has been kicked into high gear.

NAME is an annual event that travels around the continent offering educational sessions on sustainable nutrient management and on-field demonstrations of the latest equipment in manure management and application. This summer NAME is being held at Fair Oaks Farm (FOF) in Fair Oaks, Ind., on July 31 and Aug. 1.

First of all, the venue for this year’s event is one-of-a-kind. FOF is geared towards educating the general public about modern farming. It features interactive displays, state-of-the-art exhibits and is one of the highest-rated agritourism destinations in the U.S. Discover everything FOF has to offer at fofarms.com.

In July, FOF will partner with NAME to offer livestock producers and custom applicators a place to connect and explore the latest industry tips and technologies. Along with an industry-specific trade show and the in-field demonstrations of agitation and application equipment, NAME will be offering 24 different education sessions in four concurrent programs with the themes: Nutrient management basics and manure; soil health and manure; safety and person health with manure; and new technologies in manure management.

Advertisement

“The knowledge, experiences, and resources gained through this two-day event will help producers make informed stewardship decisions about manure and soil to meet the various aspects of management,” says Andrew Martin, co-chair of the NAME committee and Purdue extension educator in the department of agriculture and natural resources.

If that isn’t enough, every year NAME offers up a variety of tours that take attendees inside local livestock operations. Tour details for NAME 2019 are just being finalized and do not disappoint.

This year’s swine tour will focus on biosecurity, transportation and will detail how a local operation manages its sand-based bedding. The tour will also visit a successful application business that uses a dragline system to service area customers.

The poultry and beef tour will take attendees inside a local layer farm that is operating in both a high-rise and double-decker management systems. Discussion at this farm will offer insights into how manure is sustainably managed in these two different systems. The second part of the tour will visit a multi-generational family agribusiness that produces corn, soybeans and operates a 4,500-head beef lot. The farm also incorporates a 7.2-million-gallon anaerobic digester into its operation.

“Methane from the digester powers six generators,” says Bryan Overstreet, NAME committee co-chair and Purdue extension educator in the department of agriculture and natural resources. “That puts electricity on the grid, while other equipment separates the liquids and solids to produce fertilizer for the row crops. They operate a proprietary, 100 percent sustainable closed-loop model.”

For more event details and to register, visit: manuremanger.com/manure-expo. I hope to see you all this summer in Indiana at the 2019 NAME.


UPDATE: Due to the recent spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), the North American Manure Expo is committed to taking necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, the previously planned on-farm swine tour has been cancelled and will be replaced by a workshop held at Fair Oaks Farms. 

Advertisement

Stories continue below