The workshops and online course are designed to help farmers increase the economic value of manure and to understand and implement the nutrient management planning requirements of Nebraska’s Department of Environmental Quality regulations. Topics covered include: updates on manure management regulations, value of manure as a fertilizer and soil amendment, biosecurity on livestock operations, and more. Anyone currently using manure or considering adding manure to their cropping system fertility program is encouraged to participate.

Farmers and ranchers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of soil quality/health to the productivity and sustainability of their agricultural system. Research and field observations have demonstrated that carefully managed manure applications can contribute to improved soil quality with limited environmental and social risks. However, a comprehensive assemblage of outputs and conclusions from research studies, field trials, soil labs databases, and other sources has never been developed.

A value-added market for woody biomass (wood chips) generated during management of Eastern Red Cedar and native trees in riparian forests and rangeland is critical to offset the cost to landowners of managing forested areas for fire prevention, invasive plant species control, improving wildlife habitat and ecological preservation. Utilization of wood chips alone and co-mingled with livestock manure or nitrogen fertilizer is being investigated (since 2015) as a land treatment practice on local landowner crop fields with research focused on evaluating impacts on soil moisture holding capacity, temperature, biology, & other properties that impact crop productivity.

The closure of aged livestock lagoons and earthen manure storage basins needs to be conducted in a manner that controls potential environmental risk and makes economical use of accumulated nutrients in the biosolids. This event will offer a unique opportunity to hear about and see the step-by-step process for planning and conducting a lagoon closure.