Manure Management

Indiana generates large quantities of various organic wastes, such as animal manure from farms, agro-industrial wastes from ethanol production and food processing plants, food wastes from supermarkets, and municipal wastewater from cities and towns.

Organic wastes can cause environmental pollution to affect water and air quality, but can also be turned from a liability to an asset through appropriate management and utilization.

Indiana animal agriculture produces approximately 9.51 million tons of animal manure each year (Table 1), equivalent to about 1.45 tons per resident per year.

Manure contains rich nutrients and can be used as organic fertilizers (Figure 1). Manure and other wastes can be used to produce renewable energy via anaerobic digestion (Figure 2) or thermo-conversion.

This website is designed to provide technical, economic, environmental and regulatory information resources related to organic waste management..

Web site contact:

 

Jiqin (JQ) Ni, Ph.D.

Agricultural and Biological Engineering

225 S University St

West Lafayette, Indiana 47907

Phone: 765 496 1733

Fax: 765 496 1115

E-mail: jiqin@purdue.edu

Manure management information resource

Figure 1. Dairy manure goes through composting in Indiana

Figure 2. Dairy manure is converted to biogas that is used to generate electricity at Fair Oaks Farms, Indiana..

Manure is an organic waste. Organic wastes contain compounds of a biological origin and are typically originated from animal and plant materials such as animal manure, food, green and garden waste, biosolids, sludge, paper, and cardboard. Organic wastes can be biodegraded by other living organisms.

Purdue University Manure Management Extension Team

Table 1. Estimated manure production from animal agriculture in Indiana.