Historically, animal manures rich in nutrients were amended to nearby agricultural lands to maintain soil health. However, when manures are applied in excess of crop nutrient demands, elevated levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, salts, and potentially pathogens, may contribute to air and water quality degradation. Increased attention is being paid to the development of commercially viable nutrient recovery technologies that may reduce environmental loading, and decrease the rising cost of dairy manure nutrient management. Emerging nitrogen and phosphorus recovery technologies have the potential to partition nutrients in forms that are more easily transported off-dairy to croplands that are in need of nutrients, with benefits for dairies, crop farms, and the environment.
Nutrient recovery work at CSANR includes research and extension efforts aimed both at dairies, and at crop farms and others who are potential users of dairy-derived nutrients.
Featured Publications
Dairies to Berries: Dairy-Manure Derived Fertilizers for Use in Raspberry and Blueberry Cropping Systems – Evaluation for Agronomic, Soil Health and Food Safety Efficacy
Benedict, C, Yorgey, G, Zhu, MJ, Zhang, Y, Tsai, H-C, Stacey, N, Su, Y, Sheng, L, Shen, X, Schacht, E, Kruger, C, Hills, K, Drennan, M, Cook, J. 2020. Dairies to Berries: Dairy-Manure Derived Fertilizers for Use in Raspberry and Blueberry Cropping Systems – Evaluation for Agronomic, Soil Health and Food Safety Efficacy. Final Report. Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Evaluation of Pre-harvest Microbiological Safety of Blueberry Production With or Without Manure-Derived Fertilizer
Shen, X, Sheng, L, Benedict, C, Kruger, CE, Su, Y, Schacht, E, Zhang, Y, Zhu, MJ. 2020. Evaluation of Pre-harvest Microbiological Safety of Blueberry Production With or Without Manure-Derived Fertilizer. Front Microbiol. 10:3130. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03130
Estimating and comparing cropland nitrogen need with dairy farm nutrient recovery: A case study in Whatcom County, WA.
Stacey, N, Hills, K, Yorgey, G. 2020. Estimating and comparing cropland nitrogen need with dairy farm nutrient recovery: A case study in Whatcom County, WA. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170520000198
Demand for bio-based fertilizers from dairy manure in Washington State: a small-scale discrete choice experiment
Hills, K., Yorgey, G., & Cook, J. (2020). Demand for bio-based fertilizers from dairy manure in Washington State: a small-scale discrete choice experiment. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/s174217052000023x
Microbial Safety of Dairy Manure Fertilizer Application in Raspberry Production
Sheng L, Shen X, Benedict C, Su Y, Tsai H-C, Schacht E, Kruger CE, Drennan M and Zhu M-J. 2019 Microbial Safety of Dairy Manure Fertilizer Application in Raspberry Production. Front. Microbiol. 10:2276
Approaches to nutrient recovery from dairy manure
Stacey, N. 2019. Approaches to nutrient recovery from dairy manure. A companion webinar to WSU Extension Publication EM112E. Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Puyallup, WA.
Nutrient Recovery: Products from dairy manure to improve soil fertility
Stacey, N. 2019. A companion webinar to WSU Extension Publications EM112E and FS305E. Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources, Puyallup, WA.
Protocol for Third Party Evaluation of Agricultural Nutrient Management Technologies
Bronstad, E., G. Yorgey, and M. Stoermann. 2018. Washington State University and Newtrient.
Nutrient Recovery: Products from dairy manure to improve soil fertility
Benedict, C., J. Harrison, S. Hall, G. Yorgey. 2018. Washington State University. FS305E.
Approaches to Nutrient Recovery from Dairy Manure
Frear, C., J. Ma, G. Yorgey. 2018. WSU Fact Sheet EM112E. This fact sheet is part of the AD Systems Series.
Evaluation of Low-Impact Ammonia Stripping with Bio-Fertilizer Recovery and Support for Technology Decision Making
Ewing, T., G. Yorgey, C. Frear, and L. Yu. 2018. The Water Research Foundation.
Video: Recovering Nutrients from Manure – New Tools for Maintaining Air and Water Quality
Hall, S., and G.G. Yorgey. 2017. Produced by CAHNRS Communications. Washington State University, Pullman, WA. This video profiles two Washington State dairies – Edaleen Dairy and Royal Dairy – who have implemented new technologies that partition, and in some cases recover, some of the nitrogen and phosphorus in manure. The video discusses both the potential that these new tools have to improve manure management for dairies, and some of the challenges that remain.
Soil Amendments
Yorgey, G., W. Pan, R. Awale, S. Machado, A. Bary. 2017. Chapter 7 In Yorgey, G. and C. Kruger, eds. Advances in Dryland Production Systems in the Pacific Northwest. Washington State University Extension, Pullman, WA.
Profits from pollutants: Economic feasibility of integrated anaerobic digester and nutrient management systems
Astill, G.M. and C.R. Shumway. Journal of Environmental Management. 2016. In Press.
Phosphorus Uptake by Potato from Fertilizers Recovered from Anaerobic Digestion
Collins, H. P., E. Kimura, C. S. Frear, and C. E. Kruger. 2016. Agron. J. 108:2036-2049. doi:10.2134/agronj2015.0302
Economic Feasibility of Anaerobic Digester Systems with Nutrient Recovery Technologies
Galinato, S. P., C. E. Kruger, and C. Frear. Sept. 2016. WSU Fact Sheet TB27E. This publication analyzes the economic feasibility of three nutrient recovery technologies that work in tandem with anaerobic digester systems. This fact sheet is part of the AD Systems Series.
The Rationale for Recovery of Phosphorus and Nitrogen from Dairy Manure
Yorgey, G., C. Frear, C. Kruger, T. Zimmerman. 2014. WSU Extension Fact Sheet FS136E. This fact sheet is part of the AD Systems Series.
Additional Publications
Review of emerging nutrient recovery technologies for farm-based anaerobic digesters and other renewable energy systems
Prepared for Innovation Center for US Dairy by Jingwei Ma, Nick Kennedy, Georgine Yorgey and Craig Frear. Nov 2013. Washington State University.