Things are bound to hit the fan in July at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wayne, Neb.
That’s because the North American Manure Expo is set to return to Nebraska for the first time in 15 years, offering educational sessions, technology, demonstrations and equipment exhibitors for manure handling.
Leslie Johnson, Nebraska animal manure management Extension educator, likes to call the event, which runs from July 29 to 30, the “Husker Harvest Days of manure.”
“It’s a large farm show focused on manure technologies from treatment systems to collection equipment to application in the field,” Johnson said. “The event has a very targeted audience.”
Johnson said that the day before the show starts, Tuesday, July 28, showgoers can participate in several tours around the area. On Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30, they can visit exhibitors at the fairgrounds who are selling manure-handling equipment and related products.
“There will be demonstrations of equipment and technology, including critical safety demonstrations, along with educational sessions and panel discussions,” Johnson added. “Throughout the three days, farmers can network with people working in the manure industry from not only Nebraska, but from around the nation and even Canada.”
From Johnson’s standpoint, the expo will bring in different manure separation systems and the latest technology in manure spreaders, including one solid machine that is billed for its ease in changing out beaters for different products, along with precision equipment for manure applications.
Why northeast Nebraska?
“Northeast Nebraska is home to plenty of livestock,” Johnson said, “so a lot of manure as well. It was a natural fit for the expo — go where the manure is.”
Other complementary factors include a great working relationship with the Wayne County Fair board, along with proximity to a lagoon for agitation demonstrations, just 3 miles down the road. There is land nearby for demonstrations on property owned by the county fair. The fairgrounds in Wayne also have an infrastructure for educational sessions and exhibits.
While pre-expo tours are still in the works, there are multiple options already confirmed, including nearby University of Nebraska Haskell Agricultural Laboratory in Concord, Neb.; Reigle Cattle Co.; and the Junior Pfanstiel Farm. Johnson added that tour themes will be centered around food processing, value-added processing, land application, soil health and regenerative agriculture.
Nebraska is a livestock state, so manure management and application on farmland is important.
“The animal management team at UNL strives to see that all manure is applied agronomically and economically and in a manner that doesn’t pollute water resources, whether that is groundwater or surface water,” Johnson explained. “In some ways, manure technology hasn’t changed a lot. And in other ways, it has dramatically improved — especially when it comes to precision application and manure treatment systems.”
Do it yourself or custom-apply
This expo offers applicators — whether they are applying manure for themselves or for their customers — an opportunity to see the latest and greatest technologies for making the best and most efficient applications possible, Johnson added.
“Manure application should be done professionally,” she said. That is true whether it is a full-time job, or something on your farm that needs to get done.
“Producers will have the potential at the expo to learn about ways to professionally manage manure on their fields, while also having the chance to kick the tires on new equipment, and network with other manure management professionals, both in academics and those that apply manure for a living,” she said. “The opportunities throughout the expo should allow producers to improve manure applications on their farms, whether they are doing it themselves or calling a custom applicator.”
Learn all about the North American Manure Expo coming to Wayne, Neb., this summer online at manureexpo.ca.