eBay. Craig’s List. Kijiji. On
line selling and marketing is booming and these are just a few of the
hot places to visit to get what you need or dispose of what you don’t.
eBay. Craig’s List. Kijiji. On line selling and marketing is booming and these are just a few of the hot places to visit to get what you need or dispose of what you don’t.
Officials with Pennsylvania’s Small Business Development Centers (PSBDC) and Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission (PSCC) are hoping to add www.manuretrader.org to that list. Working in conjunction, the two organizations recently launched the web site as a tool for farmers to find alternative uses for excess manure.
Pennsylvania farmers were in need of such a resource after the passing of Act 38, which limits the amount of manure that can be kept on land and regulates how it can be disposed of. The state is implementing the act in stages. Ultimately, it will require farmers to hire approved manure haulers to transport excess manure from their farms.
Enter www.manuretrader.org, the site dedicated to turning one person’s trash into another’s treasure. The free resource allows users to register and post both wanted and available items, similar to a classified ad section in a newspaper but on line. The available manure can be listed by type, quantity, how often it’s available, geographic location and date listed. People in need of manure can specify the amount they need, the frequency and what use the manure
must be suitable for, such as composting, building material, energy production, etc.
The site also includes a directory of brokers and haulers. Registered users can also sign up to receive alerts.
“The Manure Trader website will give our farmers quick access to needed manure and will help facilitate the movement of manure throughout the state,” says Karl Brown, executive secretary of the PSCC.
“We are pleased to be able to assist Pennsylvania’s farmers and believe that Manure Trader will provide new opportunities, particularly through the expanding alternative energy market, that will ultimately help farmers be protective of the environment while turning their waste manure into a potential revenue stream,” echoes Pennsylvania SBDC state director, Gregory L. Higgins, Jr.
Be sure to check out the site at www.manuretrader.org
