The state Department of Agriculture and Rutgers University have teamed up to develop a unique web service that connects livestock farmers with those looking for the natural fertilizer their animals provide.
NJ ManureLink lists manure and compost availability by location within New Jersey. It also allows those in need to sign up for notifications when the resource they are looking for becomes available.
The NJDA's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources was able to create the site with Rutgers' Office of Research Analytics through a Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.
“This valuable online resource for farmers and composters is a result of work by our own staff as well as the diligent efforts of our partners at Rutgers and other organizations” N.J. Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison III said. “These partnerships allow us to serve the New Jersey agricultural community in a more effective manner.”
The NJ ManureLink website was launched earlier this month.
The project provides an opportunity for farms with limited land capacity a way to distribute their manure to composters and farmers who can use it to benefit their operations.
The New Jersey Composting Council, a project partner, will provide outreach and support for educational components including two webinars and two composting field days.
The first webinar and field day will be in July.
Details on these sessions will be posted to njmanurelink.rutgers.edu.
Livestock farmers and composters, as well as producers across all agricultural sectors are invited to attend the field days.
Webinars will explore the importance of composting, nutrient management, and how to effectively incorporate organic materials into farming practices.
Field days will provide hands-on experience for setting up composting systems, monitoring progress, as well as site considerations.
Goals for the NJ ManureLink project include recycling valuable nutrients, generating accessibility to organic materials, reducing animal waste excess, and protecting waterways through nutrient transfer.
The project will allow urban farmers to gain access to manure as well as finished compost. It also helps to meet the goals of NJDEP’s Global Warming Response Act 80 x 50 Report from 2020, which identifies the need to reduce the waste stream of organic materials.
