Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Grainne who wrote (107007)	7/27/2005 7:10:32 AM
From: Ish	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Whoopie, an article from The Guardian. Wasn't their last ag article about UFOs making circles in the crops? Find me something from The Prairie Farmer, Farm Journal, U of Illinois or the U of Iowa that has some real evidence behind it.

To: Grainne who wrote (107007)	7/27/2005 1:43:07 PM
From: Ish	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Here's how we handle the waste from factory farms. BTW, Arrowsmith is where they're building the world's largest wind farm. Service makes most of manure By Chris Anderson ARROWSMITH -- Central Illinois livestock producers have always equated manure as a valuable fertilizer instead of a waste product. Now they have a new service available aimed at getting the biggest nutrient bang in an environmentally appropriate way. Graymont Cooperative Association at Graymont debuted the service Tuesday at the Pat and Ed Bane farm near Arrowsmith. Members of the 101-year-old cooperative decided to invest nearly $500,000 into equipment capable of applying manure using variable rate technology that puts nutrients exactly where they're needed in each field. Inspired by complaint "We had a management meeting one day and a feed salesman said he was getting grief from a customer who said our feed prices were a little higher than another company's price. The customer said he wouldn't mind paying the higher price if he could find someone to take care of his manure," said Todd Wibben, Graymont Co-op agronomy manager. Months of research led co-op staff to an Indiana company and an Iowa cooperative offering a similar service. Staff then convinced board members, a bit wary of losing fertilizer sales, to create the manure application service. "Our feed business is growing, so this is a perfect fit for us. But it is definitely outside the box," said Wibben. Manure applied to fields Livestock producers using the service will pay 1 1/2 cents per gallon to have manure pumped from storage pits or lagoons and applied on farm fields. The co-op expects to apply 20 million gallons of manure annually -- about the equivalent of manure produced by four to five large hog operations. A new, computerized TerraGator applicator can apply 200,000 to 250,000 gallons of liquid manure daily. The machine pulls a field cultivator attachment that incorporates manure 6 inches below the soil surface. A row of wheels behind the cultivator closes soil over the opening. Odor during field application was minimal compared to manure applied on top of the soil and knived in at a later time. Observers walked behind the machine and got no manure on their shoes. A computer in the TerraGator cab meshes information from a field soil fertility map with nutrient analysis of the manure. The machine adjusts application rates on the go, placing more manure only where soil maps indicate low fertility levels. Larry Denhartog, manager of Midwest Farmers at Sheldon, Iowa, said he uses similar technology and has never received an odor complaint following manure application. His cooperative decided to offer the service four years ago. They now operate four applicators. "It's the Cadillac way to go. It's not just good for corn yields. Soybean yields on our manure applied fields have jumped 10 to 12 bushels per acre because of the phosphorus and potassium boost," said Denhartog. Hard to find fields Livestock producers in charge of their own manure application also have become strapped to find available fields close to home on which to apply manure. The lack of application sites has sometimes resulted in nutrient overload in fields. That situation can hamper yields and create a water pollution threat if nutrients get washed from fields during heavy rains. Alan Zehr, Graymont Co-op general manager, said the co-op's feed business encompasses a 75-mile radius. The manure application service will probably be a bit wider, he noted. The new service will also supply livestock producers with detailed application information needed by most to meet Illinois Livestock Management Facilities Act laws as well as more stringent, impending federal laws that go into effect next year.