Making the Case for Manure to Improve Enhance Natural Resources

Using manure to fertilize crops is a practice as old as time. However, as agricultural production systems have become more specialized (e.g., less integrated), reliance on inorganic fertilizers has increased while manure has increasingly become viewed as an environmental pollutant and nuisance. When properly managed, though, manure serves as a valuable fertilizer and soil amendment to provide essential crop nutrients and support the living ecosystem in soil. This presentation will explore the role of soil health in achieving food security, natural resource protection, and resilience to climate change, and the value of recycling locally available manure as a cropping system input prior to importing inorganic fertilizers.