Manure has two shades of green, so to speak. The green of greater farm crop yields. And the green of a cleaner environment.

Organizers of the Aug. 14 Manure Science Review say farmers can see both at the same time and that the event will show how to do it.

"Manure is an excellent product for improving soil quality and increasing crop yields when handled correctly," said Glen Arnold, field specialist in manure nutrient management systems with Ohio State University Extension.

"As new manure application equipment becomes available, manure application methods change and farmers can better utilize the nutrients in manure," he said.

Manure Science On Review

"The Manure Science Review is a great place to learn this cutting-edge information."

OSU Extension is the statewide outreach arm of Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The college is one of the event's collaborators.

The program takes place at Rupp Vue Farm in Wayne County in northeast Ohio. It features talks and demonstrations on manure handling, storage and application. Speakers will be from the college, the farming community, and state and federal agencies.

Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 14636 Seville Road in Sterling.

The program will emphasize keeping lakes, rivers and streams clean, said David White, executive director of the Ohio Livestock Coalition, a sponsor of the event.

Experts say farm nutrient runoff, especially phosphorus, is a cause of the algal blooms plaguing Lake Erie, Grand Lake St. Marys and other Ohio water bodies.

"Nutrient management and water quality are critical issues, and understanding their importance has never been more important," White said.

"By attending and participating in the program, farmers who use manure as a nutrient for crop production can learn how to adopt and utilize management practices and technologies that will help them do an even better job of protecting and conserving precious natural resources."

Sessions will look at the Rupp farm's practices, manure's economic value, nutrient variations in liquid manure, the benefits of using manure to side-dress corn, a new device for subsurface application of poultry litter and the effectiveness of setbacks in preventing winter nutrient runoff.

A farmer panel will discuss plans and solutions for manure storage.

Field demonstrations will feature the new poultry litter applicator, a mobile solar unit, cover crops' benefits to soils, calibration of solid manure spreaders, effects of manure application rates on yields, and applicators for injecting liquid manure, side-dressing liquid manure and dragline systems on corn.

Registration costs $25 by Aug. 6 and $30 after that date. Continental breakfast and lunch are included.

"Any farmer interested in learning about new research into manure application practices should plan to attend," Arnold says.

The event flier has a mailable registration form and the complete list of topics and speakers. It can be downloaded at go.osu.edu/jug.

For more information, call 330-202-3533.

The event's collaborators also include the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Soil and Water Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, and Cooper Farms.

In addition to the Ohio Livestock Coalition, sponsors are the Ohio Poultry Association, Case Farms, Gerber's Poultry, Ag Credit, Hubner Seed and Farm Credit Mid-America.

Participants in the event are eligible for the following continuing education credits: ODA Certified Livestock Manager, 5.5 continuing education hours; Certified Crop Adviser, 3.0 Soil and Water Management continuing education units and 2.5 Nutrient Management CEUs; and Professional Engineer, 2.0 continuing professional development hours.

Source: OSU extension