Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

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SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS, OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS NCCC-9 Quarterly Conference Calls NCCC-9 successfully transitioned to convening the committee on a quarterly basis via conference calls. During each of these calls, an extension specialist was invited to present on an extension program that was recently completed or has produced significant outcomes. Each presentation provided opportunity for discussion and was recorded for later viewing. Outcomes: Presentations made during the year addressed: " Anaerobic digestion (Becky Larson, University of Wisconsin-Madison) " Manure and environmental management for horses (Shea Porr, Virginia Tech University) " Air quality education in animal agriculture (Rick Stowell, University of Nebraska) " Monoslope bedded-pack beef barns (Beth Doran, Iowa State University) Impacts: The quarterly conference calls provided more continuity to committee activity and facilitated more timely communication about extension publications and programs. NCCC-9 Collaborations NCCC-9 members worked together on the following collaborations: 1) Minnkota Builders Conference: Minnesota and South Dakota organized the 2012 meeting of the Minnkota Builders and Equipment Association in Morton, MN. Outcomes: The meeting provided consultants, builders, and equipment suppliers with current information about biosecurity, the National Electrical Code, agricultural safety, variable-speed fan controllers, PRRS filtering, swine manure pit foaming, and monoslope beef barn emissions. Impacts: Participants state that this professional development opportunity provides them with useful information that can be directly used in their facility-planning activities. 2) Beef finisher planning: Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota are collaboratively developing planning specifications for bedded-pack beef barns. Bedded-pack barns (solid manure) are presently sized based upon manure production and storage figures for liquid manure systems. As a result, many regulation-driven designs are oversized and inefficient. Future outcomes: For this project, state universities and agencies will work together to collect field data and experiences to improve beef unit planning procedures. Expected impact: Beef finishers with bedded pack manure systems will be designed to more accurately reflect the appropriate manure storage sizes needed to protect the environment, fertilize cropland, and efficiently house animals. 3) Ventilation workshops: Extension engineers and animal scientists in MN, IA, SD, & NE continue to deliver workshops for barn managers and pig caretakers that address the need for improved understanding and management of mechanical ventilation systems in swine buildings. A new mobile ventilation laboratory was used to demonstrate mechanical ventilation principles and controller performance. Funds for the mobile lab were provided by the pork producer organizations in the four states. Outcomes: More than 20 workshops were held in the four-state region this year with more than 400 participants. Expected impact: Pork producers will maintain a healthier and more productive environment for their pigs and will do so using less energy (feed, fuel and electricity). 4) Manure pit foaming: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska are collaborating on combating manure pit foaming. These states have seen an increase in foaming on manure pits, with foam sometimes causing flash fires in buildings. Studies are being conducted to determine foaming causes, come up with safe management strategies, and find possible long-term solutions. Outcomes: A team of university and industry personnel has been assembled that will represent a broad spectrum of experience and capability to tackle the problem. Extension articles and safety information were conveyed across the region and in manure pit safety training sessions, including the 2011 North American Manure Expo, to help address short-term concerns. Expected impacts: Various solutions are expected to be developed within 2-3 years and reduced incidence of fires and explosions is anticipated. 5) Digester operator training: Wisconsin and Michigan (UW-CALS, UW-Extension, MSU Extension, UW Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture) collaborated on developing resources and delivering training for digester operators. The program provided design, process, and safety information for digester operation. The training program highlighted design options and optimization of system operation with a focus on safety, including an on-farm safety assessment and walk-through. Detailed operational and trouble-shooting information was presented for system start-up, process control, and monitoring. An operator panel composed of industry, municipal, and on-farm digester operators also provided real-world experience and expertise for digester operation and management. Outcomes: Anaerobic digester operator training was delivered in April 2011 in Fond du Lac, WI, and at Michigan locations. Expected impacts: The training provides a framework to maintain operator safety while achieving consistent biogas production from anaerobic digesters. 6) TSP training: Illinois is coordinating technical service provider (TSP) training for developing comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMP) for livestock producers. TSPs work with livestock producers and typically write several nutrient management plans each year. Outcomes: In addition to Illinois TSPs, this course was recently approved by the National Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide training to all TSP who need certification. Expected impact: Technical Service Providers will write high quality site-specific manure nutrient management plans that will assist producers to improve environmental quality in their respective vicinities. 7) Biofilter evaluation: Illinois, Missouri and South Dakota are collaboratively evaluating biofilters for ammonia and odor control from mechanically ventilated swine buildings. Outcomes: Long-term, bench-scale experiments showed the effects of cycling media moisture content on ammonia mitigation and nitrous oxide production, indicating time-varying changes in the microbial populations that exist in media biofilms. The moisture sensing and control device was modeled, a new prototype was built, and extensive testing was performed in various biofilter media under a variety of moisture conditions. Two novel biofilter containers were constructed at the University of Illinois Ag Engineering Farm. Construction time-and-materials studies were conducted to estimate economic viability of each type of biofilter container and subsystem. Further experience with the large-scale vertical biofilter container was obtained at a commercial farm installation, with the cooperation of the farm staff. Extension publications on biofilters were posted on the Livestock & Poultry Environmental Learning Centers eXtension website. Impacts: Prediction models for nitrous oxide formation related to media moisture content were proposed and tested and will help biofilter designers and operators avoid creation of excess greenhouse gases. Improved design of the novel moisture sensing system is nearly complete, which will greatly enhance odor and ammonia mitigation performance of biofilters, reduce the need for biofilter media moisture monitoring by the operators, and reduce release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 7) Air Quality: The Air Quality Education in Animal Agriculture (AQEAA) project is a collaborative extension and teaching effort led by specialists in Nebraska, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. Through the AQEAA project, Land-Grant University specialists from across the U.S. have been collaborating in delivering applied, research-based air quality information to those who work with livestock and poultry producers. The AQEAA project developed Air Quality content on the Animal Manure Management eXtension website in collaboration with the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC). The NIFA-funded project was completed this year. Outcomes: The online materials include 18 written publications, 3 videos, and 16 recorded webinars. Also made accessible are selected research and technology summaries as well as online content produced by other organizations. Impacts: Website usage information, participant polls, and stakeholder surveys provided evidence that the resources developed by this project are being utilized to maintain and improve air quality, and that delivery of the information via eXtension has been an effective means of communicating information on this topic. Webcasts were especially effective in communicating information and providing continuing professional development. 8) AFO air emissions: Minnesota is working with collaborators from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota on a USDA NIFA-funded integrated project on airborne emissions from animal feeding operations. Outcomes: A series of videos for public policy makers, regulators, producers, owners, managers and interested citizens is being produced. The videos will be posted on the on the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center website. Expected impacts: Decision-makers will make better-informed decisions and/or more timely decisions regarding AFO air emissions, which are expected to result in reduced and/or less-problematic air emissions. 8) Horse manure composting: Illinois and Wisconsin are collaborating on a project to improve utilization of horse manure in the Chicago and Milwaukee multi-county areas by composting, thus diverting manure from landfills. Outcome: A composting demonstration site was set up in Wisconsin, and workshops have been held for composting cooperators. Impact: One waste hauler who has a horse farm manure disposal route is collaborating so far, diverting manure to a composting site. 9) Climate change: A national project team including Nebraska, Washington, Texas, Georgia, New York, and Minnesota is collaborating on a newly funded (NIFA) Extension project addressing Animal Agriculture and Climate Change. The project aims to build up Extension capacity in this topic area through provision of educational resources via the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center [eXtension] and professional development offered via regional programs. Outcomes: Working groups within each of five regions in the U.S. are forming and beginning to conduct regional needs assessments. Minnesota leads efforts in the Midwest and is involving several NCCC-9 members in the Midwest working group. Expected impacts: This 5-year project will build Extension capacity to extend climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies nationally, which will result in more resilient livestock and poultry operations and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. 10) Flood recovery: North Dakota provided resources and education on flood recovery and rebuilding energy efficient homes. There was significant need and demand for this information throughout the northern plains states and Missouri River valley due to the extensive flooding during the spring and summer of 2011. Outcomes: Information and resources were provided at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/flood in a timely manner for use throughout affected areas in the Midwest. Expected impacts: Rebuilding and recovery in these areas will be hastened and will include better-designed homes and facilities. 11) Field tile drainage: North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota collaborated to deliver joint workshops on designing and installing field tile. Outcomes: Field Tiling Workshops were filled to capacity. Water quality monitoring results were made available at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/waterquality/tile-drainage-1. Expected impacts: More acres in the northern plains states will be properly tiled, increasing the productive capacity of this land without harming water quality. 12) Farm energy: NCCC-9 members (esp. from Iowa, North Dakota and Wisconsin) have contributed to various renewable energy and farm energy conservation extension programs underway in the Midwest. Outcomes: Contributing NCCC-9 members have produced fact sheets, webinars, You Tube videos, and other web content related to grain drying, swine housing, and manure digestion. Impacts: Other members are kept informed of research and educational developments in the farm energy area. The intended impacts are that farm operations become more energy efficient and produce more energy.

NCCC-9 Publications NCCC-9 supported publication activities of MWPS through the following efforts: 1)New publications: Two new publications were produced by MWPS as a direct result of NCCC-9 member-led efforts. " Cow-Calf Production in the U.S. Corn Belt (MWPS-66), by Lemenager, R., D. Jones, D. Buckmaster, W. Field, T. Glanville, L. Horstman, K. Johnson, J. Loven, G. Selk, T. Stewart, and R. Williams. 2011. " Cattle Feeding Buildings in the Midwest (AED 60), 16 pages, by Jones, D., R. Lemenager, K. Foster, B. Doran, R. Euken, and S. Shouse. 2012. 2)Revision of publications: A few publications were prioritized as warranting revision. Revised portions of Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7) were edited and are going into production. 3)Use of MWPS materials: MWPS publications were used in several extension programs and college courses, including: "The LPES National Curriculum is the main training curriculum for Certified Livestock Manager Training in Illinois. The state-mandated CLM training programming continues to serve an audience of about 1,000 producers and consultants over the three-year training cycle. "The Structures and Environment Handbook (MWPS-1) was used as a textbook for a course (MSYM 342, Animal Housing Systems) at the University of Nebraska, and several MWPS publications were used as class reference materials. "Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7), Manure Characteristics (MWPS-18-S1), and Manure Storages (MWPS-18-S2) are being used as textbooks at UW-Madison. "The House Handbook (MWPS-16) is the textbook for TSM 371, Residential Housing, at UIUC.