The North American Manure Expo will be hosted July 8-9 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 North Grant Ave., Springfield. The theme for the 2014 event is “Valuing Manure and the Environment.”

On July 8, interested parties can register online to take part in a free bus tour featuring stops at a local dairy and a wastewater treatment and biosolids facility.

The first stop on the tour will be a pasture-based dairy with concrete manure storage and lagoon. There, tour attendees will learn more about the farm’s unique needs in the area of manure management. The dairy will also be the location of several agitation equipment demonstrations utilizing both a lagoon storage system and a concrete tank storage system.

The second stop will be at the Southwest Clean Water Treatment Plant in Springfield. This award-winning facility can handle 42.5 million gallons of wastewater per day. The facility removes about 70,000 pounds of pollutants from the wastewater a day before being discharged.

The plant also generates about 15 dry tons of biosolids per day. The biosolids are processed and utilized as a soil conditioner and fertilizer. During this stop, tour participants will have an opportunity to tour the treatment facility and learn more about biosolids, anaerobic digestion, nutrient management plans and field mapping.

Advertisement

The tour buses plan to return to the fairgrounds by 3 p.m. when the Expo tradeshow will open, providing attendees an opportunity to see the latest technology and innovations involving manure handling, management, environment protection, treatments and services. More than 80 exhibitors are taking part in the indoor and outdoor event.

A tour day and exhibitor appreciation dinner is scheduled at 4:30 p.m., and starting at 5:30 p.m., visitors can take part in one of the three information sessions: Pump school, recycling dairy bedding and precision nutrient management.

Attendance is free for both tour day and events attached to the Expo, but pre-registration is required. PD

—From North American Manure Expo news release

PHOTO
Participants are shown at the 2013 Manure Expo Tour. This year’s event will be held July 8-9 in Springfield, Missouri. Photo courtesy of North American Manure Expo.