Summer is here, and I’m excited! I do enjoy certain elements of winter, spring and fall, and I am glad that I live in a seasonal climate, but summer is by far my favourite time of year. It’s so nice to see everything alive and well after a long winter. The noises from the pond outside my office window have quieted down since spring, as well as the traffic from the nearby fertiliser plant. Now aside from the click-clack of my keyboard, all I can hear is the hum of a passing car and the birds chirping outside.

When a manure spill resulted in a large fish kill, officials in Dane County wanted to be able to address the issue of manure and water quality without hindering the dairy industry. A public/private partnership led to the creation of a community digester in Waunakee, Wisconsin.

Inoculants are silage additives with a main ingredient of lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria ferment sugars in the crop and help to preserve it. “Adding lactic acid bacteria helps ensure the fermentation goes the direction we want it to go,” said Richard E. Muck at the Midwest Forage Symposium earlier this year.

Most dairy producers I’ve talked to tell me they farm because they love the outdoors, they love working with animals, they love operating equipment and they love working in the fields. Rarely do I hear it’s because they love producing a high-quality beverage for infants or the elderly.