For its 11th year, the North American Manure Expo will live up to its name and, for the first time, take place outside of the U.S. The 2013 event will be held Aug. 20 and 21 at the University of Guelph Arkell Research Station in Arkell, Ontario.
This year’s theme of “Getting It Right – Precision Manure Management” can be found in every aspect of the two-day event, from tours and educational seminars to exhibitor areas and field demonstrations.
{socialbuttons}Starting at 8 a.m. on Aug. 20, a pump school is planned to educate operators on proper running and maintenance of manure pumps.
Next, participants can jump on a bus to tour a dairy-based anaerobic digester, two farms with lagoon agitation demonstrations (one with straw bedding and the other with sand bedding) and the manufacturing location of Husky Farm Equipment. Lunch and supper will be provided on the tour.
The second day features educational seminars, equipment demonstrations and exhibitor displays at the research station.
The latest information on manure management will be shared at eight different educational sessions, focusing on resource value, compaction, hauling, composting, application and environmental protection.
Read below (The Path Forward) to learn more about two of the educational sessions.
Demonstrations will feature solid and liquid manure application, composting, manure gas safety and spill clean-up and safety.
Exhibitors from across Canada and the U.S. will have their latest equipment on hand, either on display or taking part in the demonstrations.
Admission is free to all events, but pre-registration is required. Visit this website to register or for more information.
Due to the location of the event, Nuhn Industries is hosting an open house and factory tours in conjunction with the North American Manure Expo.
Its manufacturing facility includes a robotic welder, CNC plasma table and a technologically advanced machine shop. Participants can see liquid manure equipment as it passes through the stages of production in its transformation to the final product.
These tours are available Aug. 20-22 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4816 Ontario 8, Sebringville, Ontario. PD
The Path Forward
Speakers:
- Walter Veenhuis, Veenhuis Machines BV
- Felix Weber, Ag Business and Crop Inc.
- Wayne Currah, Trillium Agronomics
Why is this topic important?
Felix Weber
WEBER: The topic is important because manure is now becoming more valuable as a crop input, as fertilizers are becoming more expensive.
The industry is becoming more environmentally conscious, so there is an impetus to use these resources correctly.
Are you building nutrients or depleting? The only way to know is to do it right.
CURRAH: Manure is capable of supplying plants with the nutrients they need, and it can replace or offset the need for commercial fertilizer. When balancing a crop plan for each of these, the environmental end will take care of itself.
What do you hope attendees will take away from this presentation?
WEBER: Manure is a high-value input. Manure and soil samples are important, not just to have a sample, but also to have data that represents what the crop really gets.
By showing a short study on different soil depth sampling done over 10 years, it will be shown if some samples are not done properly in that time period; it can lead to poor decisions for the farmer’s crop.
An underapplication or overapplication of nutrients applied to a crop can both have a negative effect in crop production.
CURRAH: Producers need to use the right product at the right time in the right place and at the right rate. It is important to balance phosphorus for crop removal and to time nitrogen application for maximum plant uptake. Manure is a nutrient and should be utilized without harming the environment.
Considering Neighbours
Speakers:
- Eric Kaiser, Farmer and Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC)
- Hugh Fraser, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA)
- Sam Bradshaw, Environment Consultant, Ontario Pork and Farm & Food Care Ontario
Why is this topic important?
Sam Bradshaw
BRADSHAW: It has been said that we live in a fish bowl in Ontario. Many farmers are operating in close proximity to their neighbours, making open communication and cooperation important.
Communication develops good relationships, decreases complaints and helps to promote acceptance of livestock production.
Ontario farmers are leaders in getting along with neighbours, as shown by an Ontario Farm Animal Council study by Ipsos Reid.
They found that more than half of Canadians surveyed have a positive impression of agriculture in this country, a figure that has risen 16 percent since the survey was first conducted four years ago.
The strongest gains were found in Ontario. Positive perceptions in this province jumped 10 percent, from 56 percent in 2009 to 65 percent in 2010.
Farmers are showing leadership in manure management by incorporating manure, which controls odour and nitrogen loss, spreading manure when the crops need it and applying the proper amounts when the soil is ready. We need to keep finding better ways to apply manure in close proximity to neighbours.
What do you hope attendees will take away from this presentation?
BRADSHAW: Eric Kaiser, a farmer from Hay Bay, will discuss the ways he gets along with neighbours; Hugh Fraser, an ag engineer with OMAF, will talk about his experiences; and I will offer some ideas around manure application.
I hope people will take away concrete examples of how they can better use manure to fertilize crops, better ways to apply manure to be sure manure stays in the soil to fertilize crops and how to minimize odours.
