FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Pro-Act Microbial

1-800-772-3775

www.ProActMicrobial.com

Manure Can Help Satisfy Fertilizer Demands for Increased Corn Crops
 

June 19, 2007 ---- Farmers are dedicating more acreage to the lucrative corn crop in order to produce ethanol. Although corn to ethanol may decrease prices at the gas pump, it can hurt in other ways, including the price of fertilizer and animal feed.

In his article “How Ethanol Bites You in the Wallet” on www.msn.com, Jim Jubak points out that the “16% increase in the acreage planted to corn has also produced a big surge in fertilizer demand—as much as an extra 1 million metric tons this year.” Due to this high demand, he notes that we are importing 21% of the urea we turn into nitrogen fertilizer. But do we have an often untapped source for fertilizer in our dairy manure?

Farmers already know the value of cow manure as fertilizer. But all manure is not equal.  Farms that use Pro-Act to manage their manure treatment find they no longer need to purchase as much fertilizer. Their treated manure and water deliver a powerhouse of fertilizer, resulting in saved money and more bountiful crops.

Pro-Act’s treatment converts organic nitrogen to inorganic nitrogen (ammonium) to stabilize the manure. Under most conditions, ammonium is volatile and normally evaporates to the air where it is lost from the manure lagoon. But Pro-Act’s three-stage digester counteracts this. Much less ammonium goes to atmosphere, allowing farmers to retain more of that valuable nitrogen fertilizer for their crops.

A Pro-Act customer in Pennsylvania saw the value of Pro-Act treated manure when using it on his own corn crop. “We irrigated the corn field after we planted and went on about our business,” explains Roy Beardslee of Lottahill Farms Dairy. “Half way through the season we noticed it was taller than other fields, and then it just kept on going toward the sky. We have to think that the treated manure made the difference, because we didn’t do anything different than we usually do.”

In the last few years, another customer has more corn than he can feed to his herd, so he contracted with his neighbor to supplement his feed.

For more information on Pro-Act’s fertilizer value, go to http://www.proactmicrobial.com/nutrient%20management.htm.
 

# # #