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Manure than you can handle

The 2015 North American Manure Expo will be here before you know it. It’s time to get ready for two days full of touring, spreading, testing, demoing and learning in Chambersburg, Penn. Register now!

The 2015 North American Manure Expo, taking place July 14 and 15, 2015, near Chambersburg, Penn., will soon be here. The annual event provides an opportunity for custom applicators and livestock producers to advance their knowledge of manure-nutrient utilization while showcasing the latest technology in manure handling, treatment and application.

“I said if I ever brought the expo back to PA that I would want to move it to a more animal-centric region,” said Robb Meinen, who is co-chairing the Manure Expo planning committee with Jennifer Bratthauar of the Franklin County Conservation District. “We are doing just that. Chambersburg is accessible to many dairy, poultry and livestock producers from the entire Bay region and beyond. We fully expect to break 2,000 attendees.”

Activities get underway July 14 with tour day. Attendees can register to take part in one of three full-day tour options covering dairy, poultry and small farm-equine.

The dairy tour includes stops at Mercer Vu Dairy, Slate Ridge Dairy and Burk-Lea Dairy and will cover manure separation technologies, storage covers, static dragline, mortality management, small-scale anaerobic digestion and manure gas monitoring.

 The poultry tour features stops at Lesher Poultry, Hillandale Poultry plus the Energy Works Poultry Manure Gasification Plant. Topics include layer manure composting, manure management strategies, nutrient trading, manure byproduct development plus compost turner demonstrations. [Please note: Due to biosecurity concerns related to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, currently affecting poultry producers in various areas of the U.S., the full-day poultry-themed tour scheduled for July 14 has been cancelled. The Manure Expo planning committee apologizes for the agenda change and any confusion it may cause.]

The small farm-equine tour will includes stops at Wilson College and Kiskaddon Beef Farm with discussions covering manure collection, storage and utilization, parasite management, pasture evaluation, controlling runoff and rotational grazing.

A fourth tour option is also available where people can attend activities at the Burk-Lea Dairy only.

All the tours will be meeting up in the afternoon at the Burk-Lea dairy farm for a vendor demonstration of dragline application and manure agitation equipment, including stationary and boat technologies. There will also be a solid separation tour, gas manure monitoring demonstration and discussion of phosphorous removal technologies. Following the demonstration, the participants will return to the expo grounds where they can visit trade show vendors and attend several educational sessions throughout the evening.

The key to Manure Expo is demonstrations and 2015 offers a wide variety, including both solid and liquid manure application. July 15 provides an opportunity for attendees to view side-by-side demonstrations of equipment, allowing them to view and compare technologies. Nowhere else can the audience kick the tires in such a large, industry-specific forum.

“We really hope to see decision-makers from across the [Chesapeake] Bay states,” said Meinen. “Our show will facilitate a connection between policy and practicality.”

The 2015 expo theme is Manure Than You Can Handle, a play on words that reflects the wide range of continuing education opportunities the event offers. Here certified manure haulers and farmers can learn about important topics surrounding this critical area of animal production. The scope of the event allows exposure of experts from across the U.S. and even worldwide.

Another important element of Manure Expo is the one-of-a-kind trade show. The event planning committee will transform a field of wheat stubble into a mini manure city, providing attendees an opportunity to talk to manufacturers, dealers and other experts in the manure industry.

To learn more and register for events, visit manureexpo.org.