SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Five representatives from the Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA) traveled to Washington, D.C., for two days as part of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) biannual legislative fly-in.

 

While there, Mike Haag (IPPA president elect), Bob Frase (current past president), Curt Zehr (at-large director), Phil Borgic (NPPC board member), and Ken Maschhoff (NPPC president) conducted 20 meetings, one with each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.

 

Four key issues were discussed during those meetings: the initiation of bilateral free trade agreement negotiations with Japan, the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the withdrawal of the interim final Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule and robust funding for a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Vaccine Bank in the 2018 Farm Bill.

 

“With the Trump administration taking the helm in January and several new Illinois congressional members taking office, IPPA felt it was critical to have a strong presence in DC, said Mike Haag, IPPA President Elect.

 

In Illinois, the pork industry contributes more than $1.8 billion to the state’s economy, generates more than $170 million in taxes and provides more than 10,500 jobs.

 

 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Pork producers continue to be industry leaders on environmental sustainability issues by using manure as a natural fertilizer to offset the use of commercial fertilizers.

 

This not only helps reduce the energy use associated with making the commercial fertilizers, but it also helps build the carbon content and moisture-holding capacity of soils.

 

Dr. Ted Funk, Agricultural Engineering Consultant for the Illinois Pork Producers Assoc., has been charged with developing an Illinois Manure Calculator to help producers efficiently calculate their  manure usage.

 

“The Illinois Manure Calculator is built for the Illinois-specific manure plan rules, enabling a livestock producer to quickly balance manure applications with field crop nutrient needs,” Funk said. “The user enters manure storages with the respective manure sample data, information for fields that will receive manure, and the general type of manure application equipment being used.”

 

“Calculating the right manure application rate has always been a time-consuming exercise for producers, because they have to gather data from several places before they can compute the answer,” explains Dr. Richard Gates, U of I Extension. “This mobile app puts everything right at their fingertips. I can see how it could become one of the most-used apps on the smartphone during the manure hauling season.”

  

The app calculates a manure application rate, based on the choice of nitrogen or phosphorus limits, and the N, P, and K that will be applied to the field. It also allows the user to enter a trial application rate, to see the effect on the nutrient balance. Completed calculations can be emailed directly to the user for entry into the farm’s main manure nutrient management plan.

 

“Producers are always looking for ways to improve their current manure management and application practices,” says Jennifer Tirey, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. “This free manure rate calculator will give producers another tool in the tool box for carefully developing their manure management plans while utilizing best management practices.”

 

The mobile app is available for iPhone and Android users. To download the free app visit the app store and search for “Illinois Manure Calculator.”

 

Development of the Illinois Manure Rate Calculator was provided by funding from the Illinois Soybean Assoc. checkoff funds and the Illinois Pork Producers Assoc.