By Scout Nelson
Manure plays an important role in modern agriculture by providing a natural source of nutrients that supports crop production while improving soil health. Researchers at the University of Minnesota Extension continue to help farmers make better use of manure through education, research, and improved management tools that increase farm efficiency and environmental protection.
University of Minnesota Extension manure nutrient management specialist, and a soil scientist, a water quality specialist, a UMN professor, an educator and a mentor Melissa Wilson works with farmers, livestock producers, and agricultural professionals to promote best practices for storing, transporting, and applying manure. She also shares research findings with audiences across local, national, and international agriculture.
“I cannot say that growing up, I thought I would be a manure specialist,” Wilson says. “But I’m known as the Manure Prof at the University of Minnesota, and I have the number 1 research program in number 2.”
“A lot of people just want to get rid of manure. They still consider it a waste,” says Wilson. “But it's a natural fertilizer source. It should be used before we apply fertilizers, because we want to recycle as much as possible,” she says.
Unlike commercial fertilizers, manure varies depending on the type of livestock, feed, and manure storage methods. These differences make nutrient planning more challenging for producers.
To improve accuracy, Wilson and Extension Engineer Erin Cortus helped develop ManureDB, a national database that combines manure analysis results from laboratories across the United States. The project was supported by funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and developed with assistance from the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute.
Today, ManureDB includes information from more than 490,000 samples, collected from 49 states, 14 laboratories, over 65 animal types, and 18 organic amendments. Farmers and agricultural professionals can search the database by year, state, region, animal type, and manure storage method to improve nutrient management decisions.
Wilson’s interest in water quality began during high school when she collected stream water samples for an environmental studies project. That experience inspired her career in agricultural science and environmental protection.
“Anytime fertilizer prices are high, manure becomes more and more attractive, so to speak,” Wilson says. “Manure has a lot of value that fertilizer doesn't. It has the micronutrients and the organic matter.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-magicxeon
Categories: Minnesota, Sustainable Agriculture