02-06-2007
Cash Cow? Conference Explores Turning Manure To Money

Editors please note: In the third bullet point, "Kenn" is the correct spelling.

MADISON -- Registration is open for "Exploring the Profit Potential of Cow Manure," a one-day conference set for Tuesday, March 6, at Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

The focus of this conference is on real-world experiences on Wisconsin farms where producers have converted manure into products and energy. It's aimed at producers as well as representatives from cooperatives and rural communities, and will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $65 per person.

"When we held this conference for the first time a year ago, we said it would be an annual event, because this is such a great opportunity for producers to solve the perennial problem of animal waste by turning it into a profit center," said Rod Nilsestuen, secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. "A number of producers who attended last year took the information they gathered and now have or are developing manure digesters and other conversion systems on their farms."

The day will feature six panels of speakers:

• The Challenges: Where are we now and how did we get here?
  Ed Odgers, DATCP, regulatory/government perspective; Dennis Frame, Wisconsin Discovery Farms, industry perspective; John Imes, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, environmental perspective.
• The Opportunities: Where have we come in the past year?
  Brian Homes, UW-Madison, manure technology update; Larry Krom, Focus on Energy, bio-energy update; Bill Johnson, Alliant Energy, utility update.
• Real World Experiences with Manure Technologies
  Tom Hunt, University of Wisconsin Pioneer Farm, Platteville, composting, manure separation, and current research; Kenn Buelow, Holsum Dairy, Hilbert, methane digesters and community engagement; and Mark Wiese, Wiese Brothers Farm, Greenleaf, manure digestion and combustion.
• Real World Case Studies
  Producers from four farms with different manure digester systems: Quantum Dairy, Weyawega; Suring Dairy, Suring; Green Valley Dairy, Krakow; and Emerald Dairy, Emerald.
• The Dollars and Sense of Bio-conversion -- A Banker's Perspective
  Mark Binversie, Investors Community Banks.
• The Decision Tool Kit
  Carl Rainey, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, grants, loans, partnerships, UW resources; Larry Krom, Focus on Energy, interactive conference CD demonstration.

Participants can register online or can download the registration form from that site and mail or fax it. For more information, contact Timm Johnson, 608-224-4653.

The Wisconsin Agricultural Stewardship Initiative is hosting the conference, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; WE Energies; Wisconsin Public Service; Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board; UW-Extension; and Madison Gas and Electric.

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