Topdressing.biz News: Have You Looked into this Alternative Source, it "Doesnt" Smell Either!

Pork Magazine - Features ttp://www.porkmag.com/directories.asp?pgID=728&ed_id=3954 This very well written article about another source of Topdressing is delineate by:21st Century ManureBy Darcy Maulsby (Wednesday, February 01, 2006)

Concepts:
Topdressing source, manure, digesters, producers, swine, fertilizer, methane, industry, farms, Iowa, nutrient, plant, biogas, MaxYield, compost, byproduct.

Summary:
The technology behind swine manure digesters hasn't changed much in the past decade, but new applications are redefining nutrient management nationwide."With odor, air-quality and water-quality issues facing the swine industry, we need to look at 21st-century solutions," says John Norwood, a principal with Triple Bottom Consulting in West Des Moines, Iowa."That means taking a new lookat manure digesters."In northwest Iowa, pork producers, local communities and West Bend based Max Yield Cooperative are looking at converting manure into electricity and other value-added products through a centralized, anaerobic digester system.Processing manure from area swine farms to produce methane gas can generate electricity for the power grid, explains Larry Arndt, MaxYield's agronomy and technical services marketing director.The residual byproduct of anaerobic digestion also contains manure nutrients without the odor.The byproduct can be land applied or can be dried and sold as fertilizer."Anaerobic digestion provides not only odor abatement and pollution control, but also sustainable energy and nutrient-rich compost," notes Arndt."The compost is pasteurized and far more stable and transportable than liquid manure.Anaerobic digestion can convert a potential liability into a value-added product and profit center."The approach is on the right track, says Rodney Frazier, president of FBA Consulting in Memphis, Tenn."We've got to find something that the public wants.
People don't want swine manure, but they do want electricity."Europe has had centralized manure digesters in place for decades, notes Shihwu Sung, associate professor of environmental engineering at Iowa State University."Denmark and the Netherlands have government-subsidized, centralized digesters that convert livestock manure to fertilizer and methane."The fact that digesters aren't located on individual farms has been key to their success. "Most swine operations are too small to make on-farm digesters economically feasible," notes Sung."Most producers don't have the time, interest or expertise to manage one."In late 2004, MaxYield Cooperative received a USDA grant to study the use of a community-based manure collection system.Last spring the Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a second award to investigate composting options. MaxYield started identifying producers within a 20-mile radius of Whittemore, Iowa, who are interested in participating in a manure cooperative.Equity interests in the business could come in the form of manure or cash.It also could offer returns to shareholders. "To do a value-added project, you need at least a 20 percent return on investment.Biogas is generated in the digester's tank when bacteria in the temperature-controlled, oxygen-free atmosphere break down manure.
is concentrated.

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