Manure Share

Illiinois Manure Share is not something that Idahoans can actually participate in but it is an idea who’s time has come and we can use it. I’m David Sparks and I’ll spread the manure with you in just a minute. We hear so much about manure these days particularly with all the CAFO operations that exist right here in Idaho. The University of Illinois Extension has come up with a great idea. They put up a web site called Manure Share and it’s a free program that benefits livestock owners, gardeners, landscapers and the environment. It’s a manure exchange program that brings gardeners and landscapers searching for organic materials for use in composting or field applications in contact with Cafo operations who have excess manure. The program’s goal is to remove the manure from producers who can’t adequately utilize it. This benefits water quality by removing excess nutrients from farms and by lowering the amount of commercial fertilizer used by gardeners and landscapers.

Randy Fonner, U of I Extension Certified Livestock Program Specialist says the web site puts people together. "We basically have 2 lists, kind of a supply and demand, you can be on either list dependant on what your situation is and you can sort through the list to find people in the area that fit your needs." You may remember we reported that The University of Idaho Extension hosted the 2010 Nutrient Management Conference as an opportunity for ag people to identify cost-effective nutrient-management practices that optimize yields and protect the environment. Manure share fits the bill.