North Dakota State University Extension had the honor of co-hosting the 2018 North American Manure Expo (NAME) on August 15-16 in Brookings, South Dakota. NDSU Extension co-hosted NAME with South Dakota State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska – Lincoln and Iowa State University.

NAME was launched in 2001 in Wisconsin by (what eventually became) the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin Extension Nutrient Management Team. The event was put together at the request of custom manure applicators who wanted to see similar equipment go head-to-head with their competitors. The event has evolved to include three main attractions: an industry trade show, manure technology demonstrations and educational seminars and demonstrations.

NAME is an annual, international event that is hosted in a new location each year. It has been hosted in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania and now South Dakota in the US and Guelph, Ontario, Canada. There were 1,300 people in attendance this year over the two-day event with demographics spanning 8 countries including the United States, Canada, England, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand.

Day one includes tours and agitation demonstrations while day two focuses on educational seminars, the trade show and spreader demonstrations. NDSU Extension had the opportunity to chair the educational seminar committee. Two hundred ninety-two people attended the educational seminars! The educational seminars provide a chance to share the latest information regarding technology and equipment, manure-related research, as well as treatment options and management practices that continue to evolve. Preliminary results from a follow-up survey of NAME attendees shows that 87% of 141 respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that attending the 2018 NAME made them more aware of how manure impacts soil health. The educational seminar committee considers this a success as several of the topics presented pertained to the use of manure as a fertilizer and its effects on soil health and the environment. Furthermore, 86% of 136 respondents have used what they learned during NAME to do their job better and 88% of 137 respondents said they have shared knowledge they gained with others after NAME, meaning the education and resources are reaching far more than just on-site attendees.

North American Manure Expo attendees participating in the educational seminars.
Photo courtesy of Robert Meinen, Pennsylvania State University

Professional manure applicators are not the only ones who attend NAME. The list also includes: dairy, livestock and poultry producers; handlers of both liquid and solid manures; crop consultants and nutrient management specialists; compost managers; custom operators; agricultural support industry; Extension and Government agency personnel.

Spreaders lined up and ready for demonstrations during the North American Manure Expo.
Photo courtesy of Robert Meinen, Pennsylvania State University

Comments from attendees included:

• “Keep up the great work. The show continues to be on the cutting edge of technology year after year. Thank you!” – NAME attendee
• “Speakers were diverse.  Good job keeping topics and schedule moving.  There were six in my group, so we split up, to take almost all of them [educational seminars] in.  I know my employees got a lot out of attending as well.” – NAME attendee   

The 2019 North American Manure Expo will be held in Fair Oaks, Indiana on July 31 and August 1. More information can be found at www.manureexpo.org.

Mary Keena
Mary.Keena@ndsu.edu
Extension Specialist