What Manure Technology Did You See at World Ag Expo?

Thankfully the first two days of the Expo had great weather. There were some exciting new creations for agriculture. Like you, I clocked miles walking around, kicked tires, listened to pitches, and asked questions. I listened to talks and enjoyed talking with producers and consultants. Afterward, I sifted through what I heard.

Will I need a permit? Most vendors promoting technologies to solve your problem didn’t fully understand your problem. Let’s start with the ability to install the equipment or technology. Anything that changes the character, volume, or location of manure on a dairy requires that a producer (or vendor on your behalf) submit information to your Regional Water Quality Control Board prior to any construction. If the Water Board staff have questions, they will request additional information. It is mandatory to notify them prior to construction and installation. Note: they have 140 days to respond, although it doesn’t necessarily take that long. In the San Joaquin Valley, all changes in manure management should go through the Air District. Staff will identify if an Authority to Construct is needed or not.

Can I monetize installation? Vendors promised to capture and use or reduce or eliminate methane while seeking carbon credits. Some have knowledge of California dairy operations and management and can accomplish the technical reduction in methane emissions AND deliver carbon credits. Some cannot. CAREFULLY READ statements and ALL CONTRACTS to ensure you understand ramifications on your animal and manure management options based on the vendor’s or supply chain’s use of your carbon credits. Understand implications of different carbon management scenarios in 5 to 10 years. This is especially important if your current manure application to land is important for soil health (organic matter, moisture holding capacity, porosity….) or if a technology requires carbon inputs. Does the company have a track record in getting carbon credits? Who will do the verification?

Will this improve my nitrogen exports? Many dairy producers seek opportunities to densify nutrients and remove them from their inventory and fields. A few vendors promoted the ability to densify nutrients to enable more efficient export of nutrients off site. The fallacy arose when they said the value of a unit of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash was x, y, and z, so the densified material from the dairy had a value of the sum of those values. Theoretically, this is how one would make the calculation. However, if someone only needs one of those constituents, it’s highly unlikely they will pay top dollar for the other two. Consider likely “market” value when evaluating. Don’t forget to think about form, consistency, need to store material prior to export, and transportation costs.

Are there benefits? If you’re considering something new, ask for a copy of the research that was done supporting claims. Then, READ the material. Focus on the methods. If research was done on farm, does what they did make sense for your operation? If the answer is NO, decide if you want to keep reading. Was the actual technology tested? Were measurements measured directly, or were some data collected, and then assumptions and calculations were used to determine effectiveness? Think about your operation over the course of a few years to reflect on manure management, including cleaning ponds. No producer willingly purchases equipment with the goal of it breaking or being a white elephant at the dairy. Consider the cleanup ramifications if this doesn’t go the way you want.