By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

ALBION, Ind. — Manure management on high residue fields will be the focus of a July 29 field day northwest of Albion.

The Multi-County Manure Management Field Day is geared toward livestock producers and farmers who incorporate manure on any type of residue, said Stacey McGinnis, Noble County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) manager.

“Grain farmers sometimes allow producers to put manure on their fields, so the information should be helpful to them,” McGinnis said. “We’ll also be promoting conservation practices, and look at nutrient management and cover crops.”

Representatives from Whiteshire Hamroc will demonstrate a manure management system they use on the fields near their swine genetics company in Noble County.

“They’ve been through numerous manure management systems, and they’ll discuss the challenges and things they’ve found that have been successful,” McGinnis said.

McGinnis asks that those interested in attending RSVP by Friday for a free lunch. The field day is sponsored in part by the SWCDs in Noble, Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Steuben, St. Joseph and Whitley counties. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the program at 10 a.m.

Morning speakers include Tim Harrigan, of Michigan State University, who will demonstrate a process that injects seeds for cover crops into the ground as the manure is being injected.
Demonstrations of a variety of tillage tools will be a part of the day, McGinnis said.

“There are so many tillage tools out there,” she said. “We’ll run them the night before and the next day, we’ll be able to show what the different tools can do.”

A Natural Resources Conservation Service representative will provide information on technical and financial assistance, and Max Weber, of the Indiana State Police, will discuss farm and family safety.
Field demonstrations take place after lunch.

About 100 to 125 people are expected to attend the field day, which will end at 2:30 p.m., McGinnis said.

The field day is at Noble County roads 200 West and 450 North.
For more information and to register, contact McGinnis at 260-636-7682, ext. 3.