News

Nutrient management risk calculator available to farmers in Great Lakes

A new online tool is being developed to help farmers in the Great Lakes find the optimal time for manure application with the least amount of environmental impact.

Shelby Burlew with Michigan State University tells Brownfield the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service has partnered with state and regional organizations to provide runoff risk decision tools.  “This tool takes into account factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil moisture, and different landscape characteristics.  Farmers that use this tool, it helps them during anytime of the year to help them determine how risky it’s going to be to spread manure on their field.”

She says it is currently available in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, and is under development for Indiana, Minnesota and New York.

Burlew says Wisconsin was the first state to provide the resource to farmers and is working on updating a phase two version, and feedback is welcome from farmers in Michigan and Ohio to improve the online and mobile applications.

AUDIO: Interview with Shelby Burlew