Released December 2, 2008
The free Dec. 19 educational webcast from the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center of eXtension focuses on Manure Management Planner (MMP), a Windows-based computer program developed at Purdue University. MMP helps create manure management plans for crop and animal-feeding operations.
Brad Joern and Phil Hess of Purdue University’s agronomy department and Rick Swenson with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) are the webcast speakers.
They will introduce the planner, which an animal producer or adviser can use to assemble a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP). The software currently supports the nutrient recommendations for 34 states and the phosphorus risk assessment for 25 states. The software generates plans for field specific manure and fertilizer recommendations and assess the sufficiency of available crop acreage, seasonal land availability, manure storage capacity and application equipment to manage manure.
MMP is recommended by USDA NRCS as the preferred software tool for technical service providers developing CNMPs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency endorses MMP as an option that will address the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) nutrient planning requirements for the new regulations. This webcast is co-sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy. An application has been submitted for continuing education credit for Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) and members of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS).
Brad Joern is an agronomy professor at Purdue University. His extension interests are in comprehensive nutrient management planning and land application of livestock manures and industrial/municipal biosolids. Some of his research projects evaluate how source water, drainage, P source rate and placement, and animal diet manipulations impact P loss from soil to water and improved soil test methods for plant nutrients. He received his doctorate in crop and soil sciences/environmental toxicology from Michigan State University.
Phil Hess is the lead programmer for the MMP software at Purdue University.
Rick Swenson, USDA NRCS, is the director of the Animal Husbandry and Clean Water Division. He has been with the agency for 34 years with experience in six states. He holds degrees from Arizona State University and Syracuse University.
The Friday, Dec. 19 session begins at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Additional information on the software is at http://www.agry.purdue.edu/mmp/.
Monthly webcasts are hosted by the Livestock and Poultry Environmental (LPE) Learning Center, an information resource developed by more than 150 experts from land-grant universities, agencies and other organizations. The center is part of the national eXtension interactive Web resource customized with links to local Cooperative Extension Web sites.
The webcast meeting room opens 15 minutes before the start time. Go to http://www.extension.org/pages/Live_Webcast_Information to view.
LPE Learning Center
The center advocates that individuals involved in public policy issues, animal production and delivery of technical services for animal producers should have on-demand access to the nation's best science-based resources. Articles about animal manure management are at http://www.extension.org/animal+manure+management.
eXtension is an educational partnership helping Americans improve their lives with access to timely, objective, research-based information and educational opportunities. The eXtension site is www.extension.org. Land-grant universities were founded on the ideals that higher education should be accessible to all, that colleges should teach liberal and practical subjects and share knowledge with people throughout their states.
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Contacts: Brad Joern, Purdue University, (765) 494-9767, bjoern@purdue.edu
Phil Hess, Purdue University, (765) 494-8050, pjhess@purdue.edu
Richard Swenson, USDA NRCS, (301) 504-2198, richard.swenson@wdc.usda.gov
Jill Heemstra, University of Nebraska, (402) 748-3909, jheemstra@unl.edu
Lynette Spicer, Iowa State University, (515) 294-1327, lspicer@iastate.edu
