The North American Manure Expo is approaching quickly. Held Aug. 9-10 in Arlington, WI, the Expo will feature networking, tours, demonstrations, trade shows, education sessions and so much more.
New this year will be a safety and operations knowledge event in which experts share best practices on staying safe when working with manure. We will also hold an evening social on the first day so you can have even more time to meet with your fellow nutrient management professionals, exchange tales from in the field and shoot the “you-know-what.”
One Expo tradition that remains popular is the education sessions. On the second day, attendees can attend up to four sessions, for which they can gain valuable credits. Sessions include topics such as: manure emissions during processing; interaction of cover crops and manure; manure innovations of the Northeast and more.
Here are just some of the industry experts who will present at the Expo:
Aerica Bjurstrom
Session: Impact of copper sulfate footbath use on manure, soil and forage copper concentrations – Eastern Wisconsin
Aerica has a lifetime of experience with dairy livestock. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison with a major in Animal Science and a master’s degree from UW-La Crosse in Education. In her current role as a regional dairy educator, Aerica develops agriculture programming focusing on dairy producers’ needs in Kewaunee, Door and Brown Counties, as well as state-wide. The majority of her work specializes in dairy herd health. Her recent research focused on the Prevalence of Digital Dermatitis in Eastern Wisconsin (2016).
Rebecca (Becky) Larson
Sessions: Manure emissions during agitation and processing: Reducing risks from hydrogen sulfide; Manure separation systems
Dr. Larson is an associate professor and extension specialist in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed her B.S, M.S., and Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University. The main component of her work focuses on increasing sustainability of food waste and livestock manure systems to reduce environmental impact while maintaining profitability.
Chris Baxter
Session: Nitrogen mineralization in treated manures
Dr. Chris Baxter is a professor of soil and crop science and UW-Madison Division of Extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management based at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. Research interests include manure management, soil fertility in conventional and specialty crops, soils impacted by historic mining activities and soil quality as affected by crop management. He teaches courses in soil science, soil fertility, soil physical properties, soil morphology and classification, and ecological restoration.
Dan Andersen
Session: Dealing with uncertainty in manure for application decisions
Dr. Dan Andersen is an associate professor and extension specialist in the agricultural and biosystems engineering department at Iowa State University. Dr. Andersen’s research and extension work at Iowa State University aim to improve soil, water and air quality by promoting the development and implementation of agricultural management systems. He does so through extension programming, state-wide training, and a mix of fundamental and applied research. His work examines how manure land application and utilization impact soil and water quality, opportunities for manure processing through nutrient recovery and anaerobic digestion, and how manures fit in the circular economy and provide opportunities for improved sustainability.
Joe Sanford
Sessions: Real-time nutrient sensing for precision manure application; Biochar and manure management
Joe Sanford is an assistant professor in the school of agriculture and faculty researcher for the Wisconsin Dairy Innovation Hub at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. His research interest is in agriculture wastewater management including management of farmstead and edge of field runoff, manure management practices and technology, nutrient management, precision manure application and biochar uses in agriculture.
Nezli Akdenis
Dr. Nesli Akdeniz is an assistant professor and extension specialist in the biological systems engineering department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to that, she was a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her fields of interest include livestock and poultry environments, manure management and nutrient utilization, air quality, energy-efficient ventilation design, and GHG & VOC emissions
Shelly Mayer
Session: A web-based interactive calculator to estimate manure value
Shelly Mayer is a dairy producer, and the executive director for the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW). As the director, she advocates for a proactive approach to bring dairy producers and neighbors together to reduce potential conflict and work for creative, win-win solutions.
