NCCC_OLD9: MWPS: Research and Extension Educational Materials

(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[03/29/2010] [01/11/2011] [06/27/2011] [04/11/2013] [07/10/2013] [09/03/2014]

Date of Annual Report: 03/29/2010

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/12/2009 - 05/13/2009
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2008 - 09/01/2009

Participants

See attached minutes

Participants Attachment:

Attachment

Brief Summary of Minutes

See attached minutes.

Minutes Attachment:

Attachment

Accomplishments

Outcomes: EPCRA reporting. In response to EPAs recent final rule on CERCLA/EPCRA for livestock systems, IA, IL, NE, MN, SD, and WI worked together to develop forms and present calculations needed for 'Large CAFO' producers to use in reporting continuous emissions of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide to emergency management agencies. Ventilation workshops. A team from IA, NE, MN, and SD, educated over 100 swine vets on ventilation, energy and emergency procedure issues. These vets will multiply that initial effort and translate it to a large segment of the Iowa swine industry. Outputs: Three new publications were released during the year: " Private Water Systems (MWPS-14) " Farm Machinery & Labor Sharing (NCFMEC-21) " CIDWT, 2nd Edition Milestones: Develop an educational resource or training opportunity for facilitating LGU researchers to collaborate effectively with MWPS in developing and implementing NIFA integrated proposals (by June 2010). Obtain financial support for and begin writing a handbook for Ag builders that addresses problematic code and insurance issues (by May 2010). Pursue collaborative publication and educational opportunities with energy-related groups (by September 2010).

Publications

Impact Statements

Impacts from recent publications include: o The House Handbook, MWPS-16, is used as a text in the Technical Systems Management class on residential housing, which enrolls about 25-30 students per year. o Illinois primary livestock manure management plans, IMMP (www.immp.uiuc.edu), includes references to MWPS publications in its Resources section, and incorporates tables from MWPS-18 section 1, Manure Characteristics.
Impacts of coordinated odor modeling and site planning efforts include: i. Using the Community Assessment Model (CAM) for siting swine facilities, site locations for 27 producers with an approximate value of $24M were examined and feedback given to the producer to reduce the possibility of nuisance odor lawsuits. Proper siting by far has the largest impact on reducing community air quality concerns and keeping livestock production viable. ii. Odor and air quality impacts on agricultural communities have been reduced by working with swine producers before facilities are constructed. Location of the proper site, and the inclusion of mitigating technologies improves the economic viability of farms by reducing the potential of lawsuits, improves neighbor relations, and reduces emissions from livestock operations.

Date of Annual Report: 01/11/2011

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/10/2010 - 05/11/2010
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2009 - 09/01/2010

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

See attached file for FY2010 Minutes.

Minutes Attachment:

Attachment

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 06/27/2011

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/12/2011 - 05/12/2011
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2010 - 09/01/2011

Participants

Funk, Ted IL (secretary FY11); Harmon, Jay IA; Walker, Kathy (MWPS); Lawrence, John (Academic Advisor); Heber, Al IN; Harner, Joe KS; Janni, Kevin MN; Zulovich, Joe MO; Hellevang, Ken and Scherer, Tom ND; Stowell, Rick NE; Zhao, Lingying (Vice-Chair FY11) OH; Pohl, Steve (Chair FY11) SD; Holmes, Brian WI; Rein, Brad USDA

Brief Summary of Minutes

NCCC9 Research and Extension Educational Materials
Minutes of Annual meeting
5/12/11

The 2011 Annual Meeting of NCCC9 was held via teleconference due to logistical and budget constraints. Steve Pohl, SDSU, presiding.

Attending: IL Ted Funk (secretary FY11); IA Jay Harmon, Kathy Walker (MWPS), John Lawrence (Academic Advisor); IN Al Heber; KS Joe Harner; MI (none); MN Kevin Janni; MO Joe Zulovich; ND Ken Hellevang, Tom Scherer; NE Rick Stowell; OH Lingying Zhao (Vice-Chair FY11); SD Steve Pohl (Chair FY11); WI Brian Holmes;
USDABrad Rein

The email list NCCC-9 as of 5/11 is as follows:

funkt@illinois.edu; jharmon@iastate.edu; heber@purdue.edu; jharner@ksu.edu; Kenneth.Hellevang@ndsu.edu; bjholmes@wisc.edu; Thomas.Scherer@ndsu.edu; rstowell2@unl.edu; kjanni@umn.edu; yzhang1@uiuc.edu; zhao.119@osu.edu; zulovichj@missouri.edu; Stephen.Pohl@sdstate.edu;

MWPS HQ: Kathy Walker kjwalker@iastate.edu;
Academic advisor: John Lawrence jdlaw@iastate.edu;
USDA advisor: Bradley Rein brein@nifa.usda.gov

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Kathy Walker: MWPS report highlights
Kathy Walker and Jay Harmon prepared and presented a summary report on MWPS projects, top selling products, inventories, and marketing plans for various products.

Of particular interest:

Cow-Calf Production in the Corn Belt (Don Jones, Purdue retired, lead subject matter expert). This has been peer-reviewed, and estimated publishing date is Fall 2011.

Dairy Freestall Handbook. All content is in hand at HQ, Walker will work toward finishing the product as soon as the Cow-Calf project is essentially completed.

Wiring Handbook. Inventory of the current edition is getting short. Laverne Stetson (USDA-ret.) plans to begin the update late spring 2011; the update will reflect changes in the NEC.

NCFMEC series. William Edwards (IA State) has a grant to support updating the series, which has been a good seller for MWPS.

Discussion:

Marketing plan for the Cow-Calf book. What are the outlets for the book, and how can we get advertising coverage?

Summary of Top 5, top 10 selling products in FY10 and first 3 quarters of FY11. Top sellers are pretty consistent year-to-year, with some large sales due to books being used in college classes or for training/certification program texts. Kathy Walker reported her experiences with sale packaging of multiple books (did not increase revenue), price increases for books based on fair market value, and opportunities for listing MWPS publications on Facebook, OpenLibrary.com, etc.

Pre-publication sales seem to be helping with operating revenue. Kathy is doing Print-on-demand, 5 units each, for publications that have no inventory remaining on the shelf. Pricing reflects the POD costs.

Selling NRAES products is a money-maker for MWPS, because of the considerable mark-up on the per-unit cost.

Jay Harmon: financial report on MWPS

Yearly trends: FY06 and FY10 were in the red, other years including the first 3 quarters of FY11 were positive. The debt to IA State is being paid off. Members were reminded of the relationship between the NCCC-9 committee structure and MWPS, that NCCC-9 does not have administrative authority over MWPS.

John Lawrence--academic advisor to NCCC-9: update

No specific comments about MWPS, i.e. no concerns heard this year. MWPS is seen as a community clearinghouse for publishing relevant books. A question was raised about the need for major revisions of product, such as the grain handling and storage materials, as farms get larger and equipment and management practices change.

The mid-term review of NCCC-9 is due December 15th, 2011.

Brad ReinUSDA advisor: USDA partner update
This has been a very unusual year at USDA, with delays in budget, lots of uncertainty. USDA has had reductions in travel and other restrictions. The federal partner is prioritizing, the organization is restructuring, and advisors are re-assigned under new divisions.

Steve Pohl: General Discussion

Evidences of collaboration in keeping with a viable NCCC committee: Informal vs. formal.

Informal: linkages (co-authored publications), common set of logic models for projects and programs.
Formal: conferences, sponsored publications, eXtension communities of practice.

Questions: is NCCC-9 typical in how it does business? Is the NAEMS project an example of collaboration that NCCC-9 can take credit for? (Depends on stakeholder outreach, etc.)

Concerns about keeping NCCC-9 viable centered around the Agricultural Engineering expertise left in the NC region; members noted that the people who address MWPS traditional content areas are getting very sparse. Example: grain handling and storage experts.

Other concerns: lack of advertising of the educational resources that are available; competition with eXtension, or collaboration; lack of critical mass to author new in-depth publications; reduced frequency of non-administrative meetings among and outside of NCCC-9 committee;

Important benefits of NCCC-9: value of the committee is finding out what other groups are accomplishing, whats available, whats being done across the region, in order to collaborate and avoid duplication of effort.

Suggested new structure: Regular conference calls among Extension Ag Engineers, other specialists, county agents, etc. Need to meet fairly frequentlyquarterly, maybe every other month. Report on what we are doing, (not on what didnt get done). This would require that a few people become points of contact on major program areas, and solicit input from people across the region for selected, pre-arranged and advertised reporting during the conference calls. The conference calls would not need to be formal webinar presentations, which entail a lot of work and preparation, but rather to provide updates and stimulate conversation on ways to work together.

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Other business:

Secretary elected: Rick Stowell, UNL. Offices change October 1. Other officers move up: Funk becomes vice-chair, Zhao becomes chair, Pohl past-chair.

Accomplishments

STATE REPORTS Illinois Reporting Scientist: Ted Funk Outcomes and impacts of multi-state extension engineering programs that were recently completed or are ongoing. Biofilter project, including IL, SDSU, and UKY. The goal of this project is to improve biofiltration to treat emissions from mechanically ventilated swine buildings. We characterized organic and inorganic media in order to provide designers a database for biofilter medium selection, by testing the pressure drop of different types of medium taking the particle size distribution, moisture, and compaction of materials into consideration. We are developing a novel moisture sensor concept, expecting to improve accuracy in in-situ moisture measurement of coarse materials; we are testing our design strategy, combining the knowledge we learned from these projects so far and carrying out more tests on bench and pilot scale biofilters. A comprehensive test of eleven biofilter media was carried out and an improved pressure drop prediction method was developed. These results offer biofilter designers handy information to select media and predict pressure drop in complicated designs. A five-month test of bench scale biofilters fed with ammonia demonstrated the necessity for moisture addition in excess of pre-humidification to treat high-concentration ammonia emission. We also found that nitrate/nitric acid buildup inhibits nitrifying microbial communities and reduces nitrification rate; ammonium accumulated in the media could have a negative impact on ammonia diffusion from the gaseous phase into the biofilm. This work indicates that in this design, nitrite does not affect nitrification very much, but nitrate/nitric acid and ammonium are strong indicators of biofilter failure. These observations could help with biofilter design and management. A continuous monitoring plan is tracking the long term performance of pilot scale biofilters. More practical experiences could be derived from this work, and will improve the implementation of biofilters and air quality in the future. Composting project, including Illinois and Wisconsin. States 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. Certified Livestock Manager Training. Our state-mandated CLM training programming continues to serve an audience of about 1,000 producers and consultants over the three-year training cycle. The main training curriculum for the CLM program is the LPES National Curriculum, originally published by MWPS. Extension engineers who have been hired [or retired, fired, re-wired, etc.] in the past year. Matt Robert, a PE who has worked as a Visiting Research Engineer in our department for nearly 10 years, recently took a position with the NRCS IL State Office as an agricultural engineer. Ms. Laura Pepple, MS-Agricultural Engineering, IA State, started in our department in June, 2011. Opportunities for planned or potential collaboration in multi-state programming as identified by extension engineers in your organization. Illinois is implementing a new Technical Service Provider training program to keep TSP certifications current. This will enable producers in Illinois to continue to access NRCS EQIP cost share funds for projects, including livestock manure management. The first round of training will begin in August, 2011, and will be open to TSP individuals practicing in Illinois and surrounding states. Collaboration with Wisconsin Extension and other states, in the form of curriculum development and reciprocal training across state lines, is anticipated. Newly implemented or significant uses of MWPS materials. The Midwest Compost Training Workshop, held in Lexington, IL, made use of the On-Farm Composting Handbook, NRAES-54; and Field Guide to On-Farm Composting, NRAES-114. The Horse Facilities Handbook, MWPS-60, continues to be used in a variety of horse owner workshops. The House Handbook, MWPS-16, is used as the text for an undergraduate class, TSM-371, Residential Housing, in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. www.mwps.org is linked on all our manure-management websites, including: Manure Central, Small Farms Manure Management, IL Livestock Trail, Livestock Training, Manure Share, and Compost Central (all accessible via www.manurecentral.illinois.edu). IOWA Reporting Scientist: Jay Harmon State report by Dr. Harmon is included in the text of the minutes. NEBRASKA Reporting Scientist: Rick Stowell The Air Quality Education in Animal Agriculture (AQEAA) project [leadership provided through NE, LA, PA, and MN; numerous other states involved in developing educational content, including AR, CA, IA, IN, MI, NC, SD and TX that produced final products this year] Outputs: Five air quality webcasts (web-based seminars) and a video were produced and are viewable on-demand at the Animal Manure Management eXtension website website http://www.extension.org/pages/Air_Quality_in_Animal_Agriculture. AQEAA supported the development and delivery of professional development workshops on: - Evaluating opportunities to reduce air emissions on a livestock or poultry operation (using the National Air Quality Site Assessment Tool, NAQSAT); - Using tools for assessing the carbon footprint of a livestock operation; - Measuring particulate matter from animal production sources; and - Measuring bioaerosols in animal environments. These workshops were first conducted at the International Air Quality and Manure Management in Agriculture Symposium, which was held in Dallas, TX, September 13-16, 2010. As a co-sponsor of this symposium, the AQEAA project also brought in keynote speakers on air quality and facilitated a panel discussion of animal industry stakeholders on Perspectives on Implementing Control Technologies and BMPs. Outcomes / Impacts: The Air Quality web section of the Animal Manure Management eXtension website continues to grow as a source of science-based information and educational resources on air quality matters for animal agriculture. The main Air Quality web page had over 1300 page views during the current year. The AQEAA webcasts averaged 129 viewers per live broadcast and each viewer influences an average of 136 producers. Webcast viewers report that their main reasons for participating are for professional development, for providing recommendations to producers, and for influencing regulatory or policy development. The five professional development workshops averaged over 25 attendees. Four integrated air quality projects are collaborating with AQEAA to disseminate air quality information and conduct related educational programs; - Odor, Dust and Gaseous Emissions from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Southern Great Plains, USDA NIFA funding; - Air Emissions from Deep-Bedded Mono-Slope Beef Barns, USDA AFRI project; - Mitigation Monitoring and Microbial Assessment of Gas-Phase Biofilters and Extension Outreach, USDA AFRI project; and - Biofilters for Gas and Odor Control, USDA NRI project. Through the collaborative efforts of AQEAA and the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center, grant funds were obtained to provide leadership and coordination for climate change-related Extension efforts for animal agriculture in the U.S. beginning in 2011. Ventilation Workshops [SD, NE, IA and MN] Incorporate with info reported by other states& The four-state team used $25.5k in funding from pork producer associations (IA, MN, and NE) to construct and equip a new mobile ventilation laboratory. The facility is being used to more effectively deliver workshops that demonstrate management of environmental control systems for energy conservation, reduced air emissions, and enhanced animal health. Manure Pit Foaming [MN, IL, IA, NE] Incorporate with info reported by other states& NE participates in collaborative efforts of the Manure Pit Foaming group, primarily by collecting manure samples from Nebraska facilities and obtaining state producer association funds to cover manure analysis costs of the project. The group is studying the cause of foaming and explosions in deep-pit livestock buildings as well as preventive/counter measures. North Dakota Reporting scientists: Tom Scherer, Ken Hellevang Outcomes: 1. Education on grain drying, storage and handling 2. Disinfection of private water systems after flooding Outputs: 1. MWPS-28 Wiring Handbook for Rural Facilities is a required text in ASM class on electricity and electronics. 2. MWPS-13 and MWPS-29 are used in an ASM class on postharvest technology. Impact Statements: 1. MWPS-14 (Private Water Systems Handbook) has been the source material for several presentations and is recommended as a reference resource during flood control efforts across North and South Dakota. 2. Not many questions on grain drying this past year, however, MWPS-13 is still recommended as a resource to clients and the public. 3. Many organizations and individuals have been referred to MWPS-22 Low Temperature & Solar Grain Drying Handbook. The last two sections usually contain the information many people desire. Recent change of status of positions A nationwide search for a new department head was conducted. We interviewed one candidate and an offer was made but refused. The position is open and applications are being accepted. The job is posted on the Internet at: https://jobs.ndsu.edu/postings/180 Wisconsin Reporting scientist: Brian Holmes Supported by a SARE grant, a series of energy related webinars were planned in 2010 and delivered in 2011. Presenters were from universities in Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. The primary audience for the series was county extension educators, state extension specialists and NRCS staff. In 2010, a SARE supported program developed presentation materials, articles and factsheets on greenhouse energy conservation and alternative fuels for heating greenhouses. A workshop for high school Ag instructors and two webinars was attended by 42 participants from 6 different states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Kansas, and Maine). Subsequent programs offered by those trained in the webinars have reached 64 additional people. The first presentations covered all aspects of greenhouse energy efficiency, the second presentation looked at thermal/shade curtain systems, the third presentation looks at energy efficient plant production methods and the fourth presentation covered heating greenhouses with biomass fuel sources The presentation materials, presentation narrative, webinar recording and publications are available on-line. Publications deriving from the project include: Four new publications and a revision of an existing UW-Extension publication were published under this grant. They are all available at no-cost to download at http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Energy-Conservation-C29.aspx University of Wisconsin Extension bulletins - Greenhouse Energy Efficiency, Scott Sanford, A3907-01 - Using Curtains to Reduce Heating and Cooling Costs in Greenhouses", Scott Sanford, A3907-02 - Greenhouse Unit Heaters: Types, Placement, and Efficiency, Scott Sanford, A3907-03 (revision of previously published bulletin) - Biomass Energy for Heating Greenhouses, Scott Sanford, A3907-04 - Biomass Heating in Greenhouses: Case Studies, Scott Sanford, A3907-05 Magazine Articles - Energy Efficient Annuals Series, Erik Runkle, Greenhouse Grower Accessible at: http://www.uwex.edu/energy/gh_PRES.html 3) Greenhouse Energy model Excel spreadsheet - UW Greenhouse Energy Analyzer Link to tool at http://www.uwex.edu/energy/greenhouses.html 4) All curriculum materials are available on the WI EERE web site under Greenhouses / Presentations (http://www.uwex.edu/energy/AgEnergy.html ). - All materials used in presentations, speaker notes, webinar recordings and links to extension publications are available at http://www.uwex.edu/energy/gh_PRES.html . 5) Resource list of additional information. - A list of articles, bulletins and web sites is available at http://www.uwex.edu/energy/gh_PRES.html An anaerobic digester operator training course was planned in early 2011 and delivered in April 2011 in Fond du Lac, WI. The program provided design, process, and safety information for digester operation. The training program was planned to highlight 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 to provide a framework to maintain operator safety while achieving consistent biogas production. An operator panel composed of industry, municipal, and on-farm digester operators also provided real-world experience and expertise for digester operation and management. This program was a collaborative effort from UW-CALS, UW-Extension, MSU Extension, UW Extension Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The 48th Annual Rural Energy Conference and Agricultural Wiring Code Workshop was held on March 11-12, 2010 at Radisson Hotel, La Crosse, WI. Conference program information can be seen at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/mrec/mrec-programs-and-conferences/mrec-conference-archives/2010-2/ Midwest Plan Service Activity 1. The following MWPS publications were used as textbooks in University of Wisconsin-Madison classes: Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7) Manure Characteristics (MWPS-18-S1) Manure Storages (MWPS-18-S2) 2. Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7) is being revised. In 2010, edited chapters (3,5,6,8,9) were shared with MWPS staff. Reminders to chapter authors and potential authors were made. A decision was made in spring 2011 to shift authorship of chapters 2 and 7 to Brian Holmes.

Publications

Publications: Stowell, R., Heemstra, J., Schulte, D., Sheffield, R., Janni, K., and Wheeler, K. 2010. Using webcasts to highlight air quality research. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Air Quality and Manure Management for Agriculture, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, MI. Tyndall, J., and Nicolai, R. 2010. Mitigating Air Emissions with Vegetative Environmental Buffers, eXtension webcast. http://www.extension.org/pages/26273/mitigating-air-emissions-with-vegetative-environmental-buffers. Mitloehner, F., and Stowell, R. 2010. Animal Ags Role in Greenhouse Gas Production, eXtension webcast. http://www.extension.org/pages/28311/animal-ags-role-in-greenhouse-gas-production. Rector, N., May, J., and Karcher, D. 2010. NAQSAT for Swine and Poultry, eXtension webcast. http://www.extension.org/pages/30636/naqsat-for-swine-and-poultry. Rector, N., Powers, C., and Nennich, T. 2010. NAQSAT for Beef and Dairy, eXtension webcast. http://www.extension.org/pages/29400/naqsat-for-beef-and-dairy. Wheeler, E., Burns, R., and Xin, H. 2010. Controlling Ammonia and Air Emissions in Poultry Facilities, eXtension webcast. http://www.extension.org/pages/31831/controlling-ammonia-and-air-emissions-in-poultry-facilities. Sheffield, R., and Stowell, R. 2010. Odors from Livestock Farms: A Case Study in Nebraska, eXtension video. http://www.extension.org/pages/33088/odors-from-livestock-farms:-a-case-study-in-nebraska. University of Wisconsin Extension bulletins - Greenhouse Energy Efficiency, Scott Sanford, A3907-01 - Using Curtains to Reduce Heating and Cooling Costs in Greenhouses", Scott Sanford, A3907-02 - Greenhouse Unit Heaters: Types, Placement, and Efficiency, Scott Sanford, A3907-03 (revision of previously published bulletin) - Biomass Energy for Heating Greenhouses, Scott Sanford, A3907-04 - Biomass Heating in Greenhouses: Case Studies, Scott Sanford, A3907-05 Magazine Articles - Energy Efficient Annuals Series, Erik Runkle, Greenhouse Grower Accessible at: http://www.uwex.edu/energy/gh_PRES.html 3) Greenhouse Energy model Excel spreadsheet - UW Greenhouse Energy Analyzer Link to tool at http://www.uwex.edu/energy/greenhouses.html 4) All curriculum materials are available on the WI EERE web site under Greenhouses / Presentations (http://www.uwex.edu/energy/AgEnergy.html ). - All materials used in presentations, speaker notes, webinar recordings and links to extension publications are available at http://www.uwex.edu/energy/gh_PRES.html .

Impact Statements

The main Air Quality web page had over 1300 page views during the current year. The AQEAA webcasts averaged 129 viewers per live broadcast and each viewer influences an average of 136 producers. Webcast viewers report that their main reasons for participating are for professional development, for providing recommendations to producers, and for influencing regulatory or policy development.

Date of Annual Report: 04/11/2013

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 06/01/2012 - 06/01/2012
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2011 - 09/01/2012

Participants

Participant List
Funk, Ted -IL; Jones, Don (jonesd@purdue.edu)-IN; Wilcke, Bill (wilck001@umn.edu) - MN; Harmon, Jay(jharmon@iastate.edu)- IA Larson, Rebecca A. (ralarson2@wisc.edu)-WI; Zhang, Yuanhui (yzhang1@illinois.edu)-IL; Harner, Joseph P. (jharner@ksu.edu)-KS; Reeder, Randall C.(reeder.1@osu.edu)-OH; Zhao, Lingying (zhao.119@osu.edu)-OH; Hellevang, Kenneth (Kenneth.Hellevang@ndsu.edu)-ND; Scherer, Tom (Thomas.Scherer@ndsu.edu)- ND; Zulovich, Joe (zulovichj@missouri.edu)-MO; Holmes, Brian (bjholmes@wisc.edu)-WI; Stowell, Richard (richard.stowell@unl.edu)-NE;
Janni, Kevin (kjanni@umn.edu)-MN; Pohl, Stephen (Stephen.Pohl@sdstate.edu)-SD; limt@missouri.edu; Walker, Kathy (kjwalker@iastate.edu)-IA

Brief Summary of Minutes

See Attachment

Minutes Attachment:

Attachment

Accomplishments

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.

Publications

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.

Impact Statements

The quarterly conference calls provided more continuity to committee activity and facilitated more timely communication about extension publications and programs.
Participants state that this professional development opportunity provides them with useful information that can be directly used in their facility-planning activities.
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.
Pork producers will maintain a healthier and more productive environment for their pigs and will do so using less energy (feed, fuel and electricity).
Various solutions are expected to be developed within 2-3 years and reduced incidence of fires and explosions is anticipated.
The training provides a framework to maintain operator safety while achieving consistent biogas production from anaerobic digesters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
One waste hauler who has a horse farm manure disposal route is collaborating so far, diverting manure to a composting site.
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.
Rebuilding and recovery in these areas will be hastened and will include better-designed homes and facilities.
More acres in the northern plains states will be properly tiled, increasing the productive capacity of this land without harming water quality.
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.

Date of Annual Report: 07/10/2013

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/15/2013 - 05/16/2013
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2012 - 09/01/2013

Participants

See the minutes from the meeting for a list.

Brief Summary of Minutes

NCCC-9: MWPS Research and Extension Educational Materials
Minutes 2013 Annual Meeting
May 15 and 16, 2013, Ames, IA

2012-13 officers:
Chair, Rick Stowell, (NE) Vice-Chair, Ken Hellevang, (ND)
Secretary, Kevin Janni, (MN) Past Chair, Lingying Zhao, (OH)
John Lawrence, Administrative Advisor Brad Rein, NIFA Representative

Participant List (5/20/2013, http://nimss.umd.edu/homepages/member.cfm?trackID=10696 )
Richard Cooke (IL) Kevin Janni (MN) Richard Stowell (NE)
Jay Harmon (IA) Don Jones (IN) Yuanhui Zhang (IL)
Joseph P. Harner (KS) Rebecca A. Larson (WI) Lingying Zhao (OH)
Kenneth Hellevang (ND) Laura Pepple (IL) Joe Zulovich (MO)
Brian Holmes (WI) Tom Scherer (ND)

The meeting was called to order by Rick Stowell, NCCC-9 Chair.

Members and guests in attendance included:
Richard Stowell and Amy Schmidt (NE) Kevin Janni and Larry Jacobson (MN)
Ken Hellevang and Tom Scherer (ND) Lingying Zhao (OH)
Brian Holmes and Rebecca Larson (WI) Laura Pepple, (IL)
Joe Zulovich and Teng Lim (MO)
Jay Harmon, Steve Hoff, Dan Andersen, Dan Huyser and John Lawrence (IA)
Kathy Walker (MWPS)

During introductions attendees were invited to highlight one or two key ways that NCCC-9 has helped them achieve extension and/or research dissemination objectives.

Collaboration Discussion 1
Members and guests broke into two groups based on interest areas to identify potential opportunities and needs for collaboration for research and extension educational. Numerous ideas were identified. Small group reports were presented.

Administrative Update
Dr. John Lawrence, NCCC-9 Administrative Adviser, gave a report on the projects status. The midterm reviews for NCCC-9 were labeled good to excellent. The committee was encouraged to continue to report on multi-state efforts, outcomes and impacts. The annual report and final report were encouraged to be comprehensive. NCCC-9 is ending in 2014 so a proposal for renewal is due in 2013. Deadlines for renewing NCCC-9 were reviewed. They can be found online at http://ncra.info/MSR_ApprovalProcess.php. The Issues and Justification sections are due September 15. Objectives are due October 15. Completed Appendix E forms from each participating state are due November 15. The completed proposal is due in NIMSS in its entirety by December 1, 2013.

NIFA priorities were reviewed including: Climate Change, Energy, Water Quality and Feeding 9 billion people on earth. Budget cuts due to sequestration were expected to be permanent. USDA is backing away from the large CAP projects. NIFA is down 40 staff members and is expected to delay the release of grant funds. Dr. Lawrence encouraged members to look to the National Science Foundation (NSF) for potential funding by emphasizing impacts and use of proposed intellectually meritorious work proposed.

Review of Project Objectives of Proposal Renewal
Project objectives from the current project were reviewed, reordered and revised for the project renewal. The new project objectives are:
1. Identify, conceptualize and communicate emerging issues for feed, food, fiber and energy production systems that necessitate basic and/or applied research to maintain the viability and competitive marketing advantage of U.S. feed, food, fiber and energy sectors.
2. Develop science-based information for nontraditional audiences, in addition to traditional audiences, regarding feed, food, fiber and energy production to help ensure resources are sustained and the environment is protected.
3. Foster science-based, multidisciplinary and multi-state activities for the protection of our natural resources through sustainable feed, food, fiber and energy systems, including protection of surface and ground water, soils, and air quality through appropriate technology transfer.
4. Enlarge and preserve the knowledge base made available through NCCC-009 activities and transform this knowledge for use by clientele-based media.

MWPS Report
Kathy Walker presented a report on MWPS for 2012-2013 activities. MWPS has a new website, which has several new features including auto rotation of products on the home page, and capabilities to tag products and handle international sales. She also reported that NRAES (Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service) has changed its name to PALS (Plant and Life Sciences) Publishing. PALS is selling off its inventory and going digital.

New MWPS publications for the year include:
" Cattle Feeding Buildings in the Midwest (AED-60)
" Wiring Handbook for Rural Facilities (MWPS-28)
" Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment Handbook (MWPS-7) Eighth edition

Materials in production include the Grain Drying Handling and Storage (MWPS-13).

Kathy requested NCCC-9 members to assist with marketing through their networks. Several ideas were discussed including: developing a tri-fold (pdf) with lists of books that could be distributed to extension offices, creating MWPS business cards with website and phone number, and developing a marketing schedule.

The group also discussed E-books and / or digital downloads. Several members suggested selling books in pdf that users can read using tablets and other computers. Other ideas were discussed.
MWPS Best Sellers for the past year were:
1. Cattle Feeding Buildings in the Midwest (AED-60)
2. Residential Onsite Wastewater (CIDWT)
3. Grain Drying Handling and Storage (MWPS-13)
4. Wiring Handbook for Rural Facilities (MWPS-28)
5. Structures and Environment Handbook (MWPS-1)
6. Installation of Wastewater Treatment (CIDWT-Installer)
7. Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook (MWPS-3)
8. Horse Facilities Handbook (MWPS-60)
9. Sprinkler Irrigation Systems (MWPS-30)
10. Raising Dairy Replacements Book / CD (RDR)

Kathy also reported that the MWPS debt has been reduced 60% since August 2006; 16% since July 1, 2012.

Collaboration Discussion 2
Members and guests again broke into two groups based on interest areas to discuss opportunities and needs for collaboration for research and extension education from the first discussion. Participants were asked to prioritize two or three topics. Some of the prioritized topics included (not in order):
" Water conservation and emergency preparedness for animal agriculture
" Revising MWPS-13, Grain Drying Handling and Storage
" Lighting for animal agriculture
" An AED for anaerobic digester management for training programs in multiple states
" Pit foaming
" Manure processing
" MWPS-1 revision
" Vegetative filters for feedlot runoff

NCCC-9 Business Meeting
NCCC-9 Chair Rick Stowell called the NCCC-9 business meeting to order. It was moved and seconded that the minutes of the 2012 annual meeting of NCCC-9 be approved as distributed. The motion passed.

Committee membership. It was noted that Dr. Don Jones (IN) has retired. Dr. Jiqin Ni was contacted and has expressed interest in participating in NCCC-9. Potential members from Michigan State University were discussed, but no one has been contacted.

In an effort to increase participation in NCCC-9 and its quarterly conference call and webinars, it was suggested that webinars related to new topics be organized to meet prospective member interests. Precision agriculture was an example topic that might be used in the future for a webinar topic.

The revised project objectives for NCCC-9 were reviewed again and approved.

Nominations for NCCC-9 secretary were solicited. Dr. Becky Larson (WI) was nominated and elected to serve as NCCC-9 secretary.

Plans for the 2014 NCCC-9 Annual meeting were discussed. Proposed dates were May 13, 14 or 15, 2014. A central location where members can drive seemed to have more support than at an airport hotel or rotating campuses.

The meeting was adjourned.

A tour of the new Iowa State University laboratory and office buildings for the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department was conducted after lunch.

Accomplishments

SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS AND OUTCOMES NCCC-9 Collaborations NCCC-9 members worked together on the following collaborations: 1. NCCC-9 Quarterly Conference Calls NCCC-9 successfully continued to hold quarterly teleconferences. During each teleconference people were 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. Quarterly conference calls were also used to provide update on Midwest Plan Service materials and ideas for collaboration. Outcomes: Presentations made during the year addressed: " Dairy farm energy audits (Scott Sanford, University of Wisconsin-Madison) " Diesel engine efficiency in field operations (Dana Peterson, Iowa State University) " On-farm grain drying system efficiency (Sam McNeill, University of Kentucky) " Air quality videos and outreach (Kevin Janni, University of Minnesota) 2. Minnkota Builders Conference: Minnesota and South Dakota organized the 2013 meeting of the Minnkota Builders and Equipment Association in Sioux Falls, SD. Outcomes: The meeting provided consultants, builders, and equipment suppliers with current information about gestation stall issues, pig industry changes, animal feeding operation site selection, confinement beef barns with deep manure pits, airflow patterns in monoslope beef barns, beef cattle performance in slatted floor confinement beef barns, dairy feed storage design and selection, swine deep pit manure foaming, rural utility view of energy needs and climate change education. 3. Beef finisher planning: Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota are continuing collaborative work to develop 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. Outcomes: State universities and agencies are working together to develop new beef unit planning procedures using the field data collected. 4. Ventilation workshops: Extension engineers and animal scientists in MN, IA, SD and NE continue to deliver workshops for barn managers and pig caretakers to address the need for improved understanding and management of mechanical ventilation systems in swine buildings. This year engineers from MO helped present a workshop in MO too. A mobile ventilation laboratory was used to demonstrate mechanical ventilation principles, fan interactions, inlet behaviors and controller performance. Funds for the mobile lab were provided by the pork producer organizations in the four states. Outcomes: Fourteen workshops were held in the four-state region this year with more than 300 participants. In addition two workshops were held in MO with another 70 participants. 5. Manure pit foaming: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska are continuing to collaborate on research to combat excessive foaming in swine deep manure pits. These states continue to experience excessive foaming in some 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 representing a broad spectrum of experience and capabilities were addressing the problem. Extension articles and safety information were conveyed across the region to help address short-term concerns. 6. Technical Service Provider (TSP) training: Illinois is coordinating 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 (NRCS) to provide training to all TSP who need certification. 7. Biofilter research and webinar: Illinois, Missouri and South Dakota are collaboratively evaluating biofilters for ammonia and odor control from mechanically ventilated swine buildings. Outcomes: A webinar entitled Modern biofilters, critical points in the systems, footprints and costs was presented by faculty from IL, MO and MN in December 2012 via the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center Educational Webcast Series. Approximately 80 people attended the webinar including personnel from EPA, DNR, NRCS, extension, research, and education. The webinar was based on research with two novel biofilters at the University of Illinois and experience with a large-scale vertical biofilter at a commercial farm installation. Extension publications on biofilters were posted on the Livestock & Poultry Environmental Learning Centers eXtension website. 8. Air Emissions Rates for Swine Finishing Researchers from Missouri and Indiana analyzed ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and dust emissions rate data from Indiana and North Carolina swine finishing facilities. The data was used to develop emission models that estimate daily and annual emission rates for commercial facilities with similar production characteristics, and based on local weather station data. Outcomes: Emission models based on the Indiana and North Carolina data were developed. New user friendly swine finishing emission model website was setup. The website shows daily and annual emission rates and figures that illustrate the emission rate variations at different growth stage and time of the year. 9. AFO air emissions monitoring and outreach: Minnesota is collaborating with research and extension faculty at Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota on a USDA NIFA-funded integrated project on airborne emissions from animal feeding operations. Assessment of the videos is ongoing. Outcomes: Six videos for public policy makers, regulators, producers, owners, managers and interested citizens were produced. The videos are posted on the on the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center website. 10. Horse manure composting: Illinois and Wisconsin are collaborating on a project to improve use 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. 11. Climate change: A national project team including Nebraska, Washington, Texas, Georgia, New York, and Minnesota is collaborating on a 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 assessed needs and are planning programming within each of five regions in the U.S. Minnesota leads efforts in the Midwest and is involving several NCCC-9 members (ex. Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Missouri) in the Midwest working group. An online course was developed (in review) to provide baseline continuing education for extension educators and other producer advisors. A Climate Change Symposium was held in conjunction with the Waste-to-Worth Conference to bring together leading experts in the field and disseminate current information to a national extension audience. 12. National Air Quality Site-Assessment Tool (NAQSAT): Faculty from Nebraska and Minnesota contributed to revision and updating of NAQSAT. Outcomes: NAQSAT is a free and confidential online tool that animal feeding operators and managers can use to assess the impact of common animal feeding operation practices and alternatives on emissions from their operation. 13. Flood recovery: North Dakota and Missouri are collaborating in a NIFA Special Needs grant that is providing funding for a National Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) project to create subject matter work groups who are compiling and developing technical resources for both EDEN and eXtension related to preparation and recovery from flooding. Having peer reviewed science and research based resources compiled in subject matter groups will save Extension educators a great deal of time as they prepare for flood response. The project is also clarifying the roles of extension staff during the phases of a flood and recovery. 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. 14. 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. 15. Energy Education and Outreach: Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Minnesota have contributed to various renewable energy and farm energy conservation extension programs underway in the Midwest. Members from WI, IA and MN participate as ex-offico members on the board of directors of the Midwest Rural Energy Council (MREC). MREC holds an annual educational conference Outcomes: Contributing NCCC-9 members have produced fact sheets, webinars, You Tube videos, and other web content related to grain drying and storage for corn, barley, and sunflowers; swine housing and manure digestion. One of the quarter NCCC-9 conference calls focused on energy Extension programming. South Dakota is leading development of workshops to help dairy producers manage risk and energy associated with hot weather ventilation of mechanically ventilated dairy barns. 16. National AgrAbility: Indiana is host to the National AgrAbility Project which serves 24 state and regional projects and provides limited assistance in all states through the www.agrability.org website, toll free assistance line and regional workshops. Participating states included Indiana, Minnesota, Vermont, North Carolina, New York, Missouri, Maine, Kentucky, Utah, Delaware, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The group conducted monthly planning meetings from October 2012 to April 2013 to develop the annual National Training Workshop. The Workshop was attended by all 32 State and regional AgrAbility projects, affiliate programs and clients. Outcomes: AgrAbility National Training Workshop was held to address issues of disability in agriculture. It improved client enrollment, assistive technology resources, and individuals learned about research and extension materials and programs of interest to others attending the workshop. 17. Robotic Milking Surveys: Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota have collaborated on robotic milking surveys. Outcomes: Survey results will provide date for Extension and outreach programming activities to provide robotic milking system users with science-based information. Iowa State Extension had developed an online spreadsheet to help interested producers analyze the economics of robotic milking as they investigate the new technology. 18. Manure Systems: Several states participated in the planning, hosting and educational programming of the 2012 North American Manure EXPO and the 2013 Midwest Manure Summit. Both events were held in WI. Outcomes: The EXPO included a digester tour, pump school, demonstrations of numerous agitation, pumping, and application systems for manure. The Midwest Manure summit included talks on research and developments associate with farmstead manure issues ranging from digestion to manure storage design to climate change. 19. Vegetative Treatment Systems for Feedlot Runoff: Research results at sites across four states served as the basis to inform producers, designers and consultants about the merits and needs of vegetative treatment systems for managing runoff from open feedlots. Outcomes: Nebraska hosted a multi-state workshop to equip NRCS engineers and industry consultants with information to design and manage vegetative treatment systems for managing runoff from open lots. More than 20 participants received technical training and professional development. A draft Owners Manual for Vegetative Treatment Systems was produced and reviewed. 20. MWPS Publications: NCCC-009 members coordinate the review and revision of existing Midwest Plan Service (MWPS) publications and the writing of new materials. Outcomes: Two new publications were published this year. A few MWPS publications were prioritized as warranting revision and select new publications were identified for development at the annual meeting.

Publications

NCCC-9 Publications NCCC-9 member led efforts to produce two new publications published by MWPS. They include " Wiring Handbook for Rural Facilities (MWPS-28 4th edition), 92 pages, Technical Editor L. Stetson 2013. " Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7 8th edition), 226 pages, B. Holmes, N. Cook, T. Funk, R. Graves, D. Kammel, D. Reinemann and J. Zulovich. 2013.

Impact Statements

Quarterly conference calls enhanced committee activity, facilitated timely communication about extension publications and programs and facilitated networking among NCCC-9 members and presenters.
Minnkota Builders Conference participants reported that this professional development opportunity provided them with useful information that they can use in their facility-planning activities. The meeting facilitates networking among builders, equipment suppliers, consultants and university faculty.
Beef finisher operations with bedded pack manure systems will be designed more accurately reflecting appropriate manure storage sizes needed to protect the environment, fertilize cropland, and efficiently house animals.
Barn managers and pig caretakers that participate in swine ventilation workshops will maintain a healthier and more productive environment for their pigs and will do so using less energy (feed, fuel and electricity).
Collaborative research and outreach on manure pit foaming are developing various solutions and recommendations that are expected to be available within 2-3 years.
Well trained technical service providers write high quality site-specific manure nutrient management plans that assist producers to improve environmental quality in their respective vicinities.
The biofilter research and online webinar enhanced the understanding and design capabilities of engineers, consultants, and producers. Biofilter treating air from livestock and poultry production facilities reduces odor, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter emissions.
Daily and annual emission rates for swine finishing barns can be estimated based on local weather and farm operational characteristics. Understanding emission rate variation at diurnal and annual levels and estimated annual emission values aids emission reporting, management and mitigation decision making.
Decision-makers who have seen videos about animal feeding operation air emissions will make better-informed decisions and/or more timely decisions which are expected to result in reduced and/or less-problematic air emissions.
One waste hauler who has a horse farm manure disposal route is collaborating and diverting manure from a landfill to a composting site.
This 5-year climate change 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.
The national air quality site assessment tool (NAQSAT) provides owners and managers of animal feeding operations a confidential online tool to investigate practices and their impact on airborne emissions from their operations.
Flooding related materials about rebuilding and recovery in these areas will be hastened and include better-designed homes and facilities.
Field tile workshops increase the number of acres in the northern plains states that are properly tiled, increasing the productive capacity of this land without harming water quality.
Energy education projects keep members informed of research, educational developments and unique energy expertise in the farm energy area in the NCR and farm operations become more energy efficient and produce more energy.
National AgrAbility Project helps eliminate (or minimize) obstacles that inhibit success in production agriculture or agriculture-related occupations. It also enables a high quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities.
Dairy producers with or considering robotic milking systems have more information and decision tools to use as they decide whether to invest in the new technology.
Surveys of the 2012 North American Manure EXPO and the 2013 Midwest Manure Summit attendees documented a significant impact to education and knowledge transfer.
Vegetative treatment systems research and outreach have enhanced the design capabilities of engineers and consultants in the western Corn-belt, who will hasten the implementation of this technology on livestock operations seeking an alternative to constructing conventional holding ponds.
MWPS publications are used extensively in extension programs and college courses including: a) Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan materials for technical service providers in Illinois; b) MWPS-1 and MWPS-13 are both used as textbooks for a course at the University of Nebraska; c) MWPS-18 is used as a text at the University of Minnesota and d) MWPS-16 is the textbook for a course at the University of Illinois.
The Sprinkler Irrigations Systems handbook (MWPS-30) is being used by a firm providing water for oil drilling in Northwest North Dakota. The person using the Pumps, Piping, and Power Units chapter of MWPS-30 says that it is the best material that he has found on the topic.

Date of Annual Report: 09/03/2014

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/15/2014 - 05/16/2014
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2013 - 09/01/2014

Participants

PARTICIPANTS

2013-14 Officers:
Past Chair, Rick Stowell, University of Nebraska
Chair, Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University
Vice-Chair, Kevin Janni, University of Minnesota
Secretary, Rebecca Larson, University of Wisconsin
John Lawrence, Administrative Advisor
Brad Rein, NIFA Representative

Participant List (7/1/2014, http://nimss.umd.edu/homepages/member.cfm?trackID=10696 )
Richard Cooke, University of Illinois
Yuanhui Zhang, University of Illinois
Morgan Hayes, University of Illinois
Laura Pepple, Illinois Cooperative Extension
Don Jones, Purdue University
Jinqin Ni, Purdue University
Jay Harmon, Iowa State University
Steve Hoff, Iowa State University
Joseph Harner, Kansas State University
Zifei Liu, Kansas State University
Kevin Janni, University of Minnesota
Teng Lim, University of Missouri
Joe Zulovich, University of Missouri
Richard Stowell, University of Nebraska
Amy Schmidt, University of Nebraska
Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State University
Tom Sherer, North Dakota State University
Lingying Zhao, Ohio State University
Erin Cortus, South Dakota State University
Brian Holmes, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Rebecca Larson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Brief Summary of Minutes

NCCC-9
2014 Annual Meeting Notes
Thursday May 15, 2014
Attendees (20) – K. Janni, J. Ni, S. Rahmen, E. Cortus, K. Hellevang, P. Murphy, A. Schmidt, K. Walker, B. Larson, R. Stowell, L. Jacobsen, Z. Liu, R. Cooke, D. Anderson, C. Hay, M. Hanna, Morgan, T. Scherer, J. Zulovich. K. Heleji, J. Lawrence, D. Huyser
Bill Koening visitor
Welcome and Introductions
Objectives and Expected Outcomes
• Focus of the group is to establish collaborations and try to coordinate projects, materials etc.
• New objective No. 5 – explores engineering expertise to make recommendations for needed expertise in the region
Update from Brad Rein – USDA NIFA
• Difficult year due to funding reductions, 10% reduction from farm bill, 7% through rescission, 2% other
• B. Rein was acting director for bioenergy environment and climate institute June 2013-Feb 2014
• 2014 budget back to or above 2012 levels, $1.43 billion in 2014 and $1.5 billion in 2015
• Funding opportunities, challenge areas some adjustments in 2014, continuations grants, sustainable bioenergy production no additional funds this year due to budget mortgages but may have some availability in 2015
• NEW Water for agriculture grants opportunity
• How to balance portfolio – reduce CAP project funding and increase funding to foundational funding
• 60% of AFRI funding go to basic funding
• New program, critical agriculture research and extension, No. 7 in the foundational program, critical problems that affect agricultural production, focus on industry/producer issues, LOI due June 4, 2014
• Exploratory program – small funding line, high risk/high reward projects
• Farm bill – crop research initiative jumped up to $80 million per year, $25 million focused on citrus
• Decrease in biomass research and development initiative funding $30 million to $3 million per year
• 2015 proposal is online
• Feedback – he reads reports we put out, helpful to identify impacts and outcomes used to develop formula base, most important is what we want to work on collectively and outcomes
Kathy Walker MWPS Report
• Self-supporting, Iowa State holding debt
• Focus on peer-reviewed publications
• Established in 1929, first plans 1933, first book of plans published 1959
• Available online, phone, or in person
• FY 2013 – gained $8k, reduced by same amount in 2014
• Funding flatline, created by semester schedules and small runs sent to bookstores
• Creative promotional rescue – conventions and shows were not effective advertising, by joining PRAM was able to increase search engine optimization (SEO)
• Any ideas of redefining keywords please
• Use incognito window to look for sites (does not use previous knowledge/cookies)
• Google analytics – 80% new visitors, majority of users are young, do have international orders due to new shipping practices
• Facebook page – increase traffic, send information you would like K. Walker to post
• Additional revenue from grant money for fact sheets (11 of 25 completed)
• Grain drying, handling, and storage in production by December 2014, editor and illustrator appointed using grant money
• June 23, 2014 moving to new building
• Most are still using their universities system for fact sheet production
• R. Stowell – clear trend that we need to design information to be accessed on a personal device
• Reflective design – assure that the entire set of data can be visible on a small screen, sometimes can be difficult with various drawings etc.
• Still a need for printed publication and other modes of communication
• Our primary audience is not necessarily producers,
Balancing Expectations
• NCCC-09 and regional collaboration allow us to produce better products together
• Purdue developed document on scholarship of extension, includes definition of how impacts should be defined, provided to all faculty in the college (with and without extension appointments), will provide to others
• Impact reporting – materials would be useful on the metrics people use for reporting particularly assigning economic value to impacts, need to assess how we report including what is important and accuracy vs time spent to develop information
• Quarterly call material focus on professional development – e.g. impact reporting, communication techniques
Facilitating Collaboration
• Multi-state collaboration and completion of projects
• What doesn’t – lack of communication, common goals but unclear individual contributions, no clear goals
• Collaboration typically takes longer than you are going to do it yourself
• Keys for collaboration – (1) need a champion, (2) everybody on the team has to put the team goal first, (3) resources to get the job done (this includes the available time to complete the tasks), (4) metrics for success and outlining roles, (5) frequent communication, (6) need face-to-face contact, (7) objectives and goals are specific and feasible, (8) project needs to align with personal/individual goals
• Values of collaboration –
• Projects work with align with research you are already conducting
• Increasing breadth with people
• When to dissolve a collaboration – sometimes issues/goals are resolved and the collaboration
Water project – T. Scherer
• North central region water center developed (northcentralwater.org)
• RFA out for extension programs, 7 areas – due June 13, 2014
• Planning projects
• Program delivery projects
• Professional development for extension professionals
Topic group meetings
• manure group – manure utilization, anaerobic digestion
• grain drying efficiency & energy efficiency
• water – sub irrigation, infiltration grassed filters
• livestock – and energy use in livestock facilities

Friday, May 16
John Lawrence
• 5 year project approved with minor revisions
• USDA budget fairly well intact, not a lot of new money but not a lot of cuts
• Correct integrated report form which shows collaboration and impacts
• Federal numbers for extension restored most of the hits that occurred during the sequester, state level has been area which has received most of the cuts
• Formula funds remain the same, capacity building is in competitive grants, research to integrated
• Make recommendations about what expertise is needed on a regional basis, including which states have a leadership in one area and need to continue that position or if a group of states need to have at least one position filled in a specific topic area
• Iowa state and Wisconsin shared a faculty position, took two years to get approved and another year to get it hired (housed in one and funded by both)
• Any information which can aid in hiring is useful
• What about the pool of candidates? States pulling back funds for graduate students which are working for the system, now all students are tied to a grant, there are no flexible people in the system so no one is trained on the issues, this is a reality, end up stealing people from each other
• Potential to take post doctoral students with grant funding to educate on extension materials
• Projects with research/teaching/extension should have parallel extension programming occurring not just on the research, do not wait for the completion of the research
• Large grants can be run by extension people, interesting to see what the extension outcomes of those grants are
Topic Group Reports
• manure group – manure utilization, anaerobic digestion –
• long term goal to develop research based manure management materials, possibly MWPS18-4
• short terms goals to develop public manure materials
• apply documents to many places, never can have to many abstracts house full information in one spot
• clients do not care about where the information comes from, it is the University that requires the branding
• grain drying efficiency & energy efficiency – Midwest plan service 13, revising handbook by end of the year, Ken was the champion NC 213 had funding, had old materials to revise, challenge is to be on target and communicate frequently, meeting in Quebec to update the status of the project, Kathy has helped to keep project moving and by the end of the year hopefully we can get a document finalized, how do we put together a group to measure the energy efficiency of various grain dryers, helps inform farmers of what the efficiencies are – many farmers receiving reap funding for grain dryer replacements, need a standard methodology for comparing systems
• soil and water – drainage and irrigation (Scherer) – big issue is the basics of dual purpose/sub surface drainage – questions on how to design these systems – biofilters for reducing nitrogen are becoming increasingly – publication needed for these designs, primarily target audience is tile installers and NRCS agents, not a large publication, still need to determine the method of delivery, start with chapters from Michigan State book designed a few decades ago – contact many who have worked in the area to see if they want to participate in writing, Sherer is the champion, industry collaborators may be available for money (Princeco, ADS, Agridrain)
• estimates for publication costs through MWPS?
• Animal agriculture & facilities – energy use and animal ag buildings – ASHRAE wanted information for Ag buildings for LEED materials, LCA work has been done at Arkansas to look at carbon footprints of production and energy assessments – Minnesota conducting comprehensive energy use for dairy and swine – monthly conference call generate some content, develop a news release, each develop a monthly piece, include water & energy
• Are renewable energy systems driven by tax credits or do they make sense otherwise – is their information out there available for others to see how these are impacted? Utilities drive a lot of these distributed energy projects, what are the options for users?
List Collaborating Organizations (commodity groups, etc.)
• Groups where we are meeting
o 4-state dairy
o Minnkota Argi-building
o NCR 217 – drainage water management, taskforce coordinate with industry and those implementing drainage systems
o Tri-state dairy
o I29 – south Dakota and Minnesota dairy group
o Midwest rural energy council – Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, ND?
o NC 213 – grain, predominately university but have some industry people
o S 1032 – multistate sustainability for animal agriculture
o SE-412 – manure management
o LPELC – meet by phone monthly, face-to-face one year
o North American Manure EXPO planning committee
o Heartland water quality committees
o North central water education network
o National pork board and environment and community
o Dairy management Inc.
o Pork board extension educators committee
o Irrigation association
o Certified crop consultants
o Custom manure applicators
o State livestock associations
o Aerial applicators
o State Agribusiness cooperative groups
o State feed and grain associations, Indiana corn council
• Groups we meet with
Status of Agricultural Engineering
Leads for Ohio (Linng), SD (add one more person), Missouri (Joe), Illinois (Molly), and Indiana (Jinqin Ni and Klien) identified, divide into categories – air quality, complete density maps and outline deficits
Communicating with Administrators
Engineering needs
• Research information not available for many things
• Water quantity issues
• What is private industry providing and are they doing a good job?
• Need to keep in mind a broad focus when thinking of engineering needs and then set priorities
• Energy systems
• Urban agricultural design
• Traditional production agriculture versus emerging engineering issues
• We are hiring emerging issues engineers but do notnecessarily have an extension appointment
• Ecological engineering for urban areas
• Aquaponics
• Push at Illinois for ALL colleges/departments to have extension
Unmet Clientele needs
• Post-harvest
• Farm safety
• Precision ag and machinery systems
• Human or residential housing, particularly in the emergency situations (e.g. flooding)
• Field storage
• General support of GPS, GIS
• Structures – specifically livestock facilities
• No FTE capacity for fires, not as much topic capacity but FTE capacity
• Impacts (livestock, human health, environment) from oil and gas
Benefits received from engineering extension and research
• Systems evaluation – combine multiple disciplines
• Unbiased research and science based information, may be losing some research capacity for applied research or no available documented research
• Decision making tools - with good engineering information they can also make better economic decisions
• Troubleshooting information
• Environmental and personal safety that industry may not provide
• Provide certification programs and professional development
• Information on current regulations
• Information on current technology development and performance
• Research – gives you new technology, extension relays the information
Effects of Clientele on not having specific extension expertise
• Go to private industry for information
• They do not know what they do not know – if information is not out there people make assumptions and they do things incorrectly or it may have negative impacts
• Things are not properly adapted to the local conditions, designs from other areas may not be suitable for all areas
• Is there public good in people making informed decisions? Some people believe the market should just be set free
• People go straight to the internet
• Credibility is important – must be engaged, just putting some on the internet will not give you credibility
Effects on specialists
• Spend a lot of time answering questions that are not in area of expertise, if you do not answer the question then you are labeled as uncooperative or not knowledgeable
• As it is easier to find people with expertise, we become inundated with requests from a wide area base, reaching out to other specialists for help is not realistic if they are not located in a nearby state
Current publications
• Issues with outdated materials, impact on creditability
• If you don’t have a comprehensive design piece you have to collect a large number of documents or you need to take the time to walk through the design with someone
• Spend time in teaching when you are trying to fill a hole in which publications do not cover
• Revisions versus new publications are not viewed equally, need to identify what amount of detail you contributed, we are receiving mixed messages about this
Extension or Other Administration
• Constantly needing to prioritize where the need is the greatest, rely on input from an organized process, so without a commodity group pressuring that the expertise is needed then it does not become a high priority
• Emerging issues are ranked higher than more classic production ag positions, production ag does not necessarily have the availability of research dollars that are needed to hire the position
• Balance for extension with teaching/research can be difficult in some places as reports or pressures on policy makers is typically on teaching
• We are no longer training people in many areas of production agriculture
• We have to look at what administrator you are talking about as they have different messages and priorities
How are we letting administrators know the importance of our programs?
• Giving stakeholders the information of who to contact in administration to let them know the importance of some positions, you need to ask for a specific message to be relayed
• Build a position with other departments, joint-appointments can be ranked higher than positions from one department
• Within the department need to hold seminars on extension related information (not just teaching or research), let administration know when an activity or presentation is occurring so at least they are aware of the programs/activities you are conducting
• Make sure administrators are aware of positive ongoing work, make appointments, send reports, cc them on emails of events
Business Meeting
• Update on committee renewal – 5 year renewal, North central coordinating committee, suggestions and comments on review were mostly editorial, will be addressed within the appropriate timeframe
• State Reports - Annual report will be sent out, each state will need to provide information on their activities, particularly for multi-state, request to have completed by the end of May
• Secretary election – official term starts October 1, Amy Schmidt nominated and has accepted for incoming secretary, motion (Joe/shafi), all in favor, congratulations Amy!
• Next year’s meeting face-to-face – in May 2014 next year after finals, coordinate with a tour, Syngenta next here near, finished Iowa state facilities, in Des Moines again next year
• Quarterly calls
12:15 Adjourn (box lunch)

Accomplishments

SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS AND OUTCOMES NCCC-9 Collaborations NCCC-9 members participated in and continue to participate in numerous collaborative efforts within the region. These include projects targeted by NCCC-9 active work teams covering the topic areas of manure, grain drying and energy efficiency, soil and water, and animal agriculture and facilities. These groups meet monthly by phone call and work on developing extension materials that are useable by the region increasing collaboration and productivity, strengthening unified messages, and reducing the resource demand on extension personnel. The collaborations of the NCCC-9 include more specifically: 1. NCCC-9 Quarterly Conference Calls NCCC-9 successfully continued to hold quarterly teleconferences. During each teleconference people were invited to present on an extension program that was recently completed, produced significant outcomes, or was timely to recent events. Each presentation provided opportunity for discussion and was recorded for later viewing. Quarterly conference calls were also used to provide update on Midwest Plan Service materials and ideas for collaboration. Outcomes: Presentations made during the year addressed: • Flooding and grain storage (Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University) • Animal Agriculture and Climate Change (David Schmidt, University of Minnesota) 2. Grain Drying and Storage In addition to many farmers in central North Dakota not having experience in drying corn, farmers and extension staff in Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, Wyoming and other states also sought technical assistance from the NDSU Extension Service. Outcomes: A grain drying and storage educational program was conducted that included 18 seminars or webinars; 25 media interviews; news releases that were used across the region; articles distributed to ND, SD and MN Extension agents, grain equipment manufacturers and dealers across the country, grower/farmer organizations (commodity groups); and some 260 telephone and e-mail consultations. Presentations in other states in cooperation with their extension service. • Billings, MT - Barley Storage, • Rutgers, N.J. - Soybean Drying and Storage, • Crookston, MN - Corn Drying and Storage • Thief River Falls, MN - Corn Drying and Storage • NCR SARE Webinar - Energy Efficient Grain Drying, Participants in several states • Willmar, MN - Grain Dryer Operation and Grain Storage, • Huntley, MT – Drying and Storing Malting Barley • Powell, WY - Drying and Storing Malting Barley 3. Minnkota Builders Conference Minnesota and South Dakota organized the 2014 meeting of the Minnkota Builders and Equipment Association in Granite Falls, MN. Outcomes: The meeting provided consultants, builders, and equipment suppliers with current information about calf housing issues, an update on manure pit foaming research and outreach efforts, beef confinement housing systems, a preview of new swine and beef cow/calf research facilities being planned at South Dakota State University, summary of livestock (dairy/swine) and whole farm energy projects that are starting at the U of MN West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC), and updates on animal (swine) barn energy audits. Finally, an update on the severe problem with the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDV) for Midwest and the U.S. pork industry by a local veterinarian. 4. Ventilation Workshops Extension engineers and animal scientists in MN, IA, SD and NE continue to deliver workshops for barn managers and pig caretakers to address the need for improved understanding and management of mechanical ventilation systems in swine buildings. This year engineers from MO helped present a workshop in MO. A mobile ventilation laboratory was used to demonstrate mechanical ventilation principles, fan interactions, inlet behaviors and controller performance. Funds for the mobile lab were provided by the pork producer organizations in the four states. Outcomes: Twelve workshops were held in the four-state region this year with more than 240 participants. 5. Biofilter Research and Conference IL, MO, and SD collaborations on biofilter research includes long-term bench-scale experiments which 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 rebuilt, 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. Iowa organized a Biofilter Conference in 2014 with speakers from Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota and South Dakota. Outcomes: South Dakota State University and University of Missouri have further experience with the large-scale vertical biofilter container installed at a commercial farm with the cooperation of the farm staff. Biofilter fact sheets were posted at the eXtension Livestock/Air Quality community of practice website. The Biofilter Conference was held at Iowa State University for animal feeding operation owners and managers, Extension field specialists, staff with commodity organizations, NRCS and state regulatory agencies. The conference introduced people to biofilters and their use to mitigate emissions from animal feeding operations, factors to consider when designing systems and whether to use them, and provide additional sources of biofilter information. 6. Air Emissions Rates for Swine Finishing Researchers from Missouri and Indiana analyzed and reported emission rates from various livestock facilities, and developed emission models based on latest data set. Emission rates of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and dust, from Indiana and North Carolina, were analyzed and applied to develop emission models. The models estimate daily and annual emission rates for commercial facilities with similar production characteristics, and based on local weather station data. Outcomes: Emission models based on the Indiana and North Carolina database were developed. New swine finishing emission model website was setup and being improved. The website is user friendly and shows daily and annual emission rates, and figures that illustrate the emission rate variations at different growth stage and time of the year. 7. AFO Air Emissions Monitoring and Outreach Minnesota is collaborating with research and extension faculty at Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota on a USDA NIFA-funded integrated project on airborne emissions from animal feeding operations. Outcomes: Six videos for public policy makers, regulators, producers, owners, managers and interested citizens were produced. The videos were posted on the on the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center website. Online surveys indicate that people watching the videos increase their knowledge by watching the videos. 8. Climate Change A national project team including Nebraska, Washington, Texas, Georgia, New York, and Minnesota is collaborating on a 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 assessed needs and are planning programming within each of five regions in the U.S. Minnesota leads efforts in the Midwest and is involving several NCCC-9 members (ex. Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Missouri) in the Midwest working group. An online course was developed and has been used by 150 individuals nationwide to provide baseline continuing education for extension educators and other producer advisers. A second Waste-to-Worth Conference is being planned for the spring of 2015 in Seattle, WA to bring together leading experts in the field and disseminate current information to a national extension audience. 9. Sustainable Dairy A national project team including Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania among other states is collaborating on a funded (CAP) project addressing dairy sustainability. This project team is also coordinating with others from the climate change team described above. The objective of the extension component of this project is to increase available educational materials and provide useful producer tools to increase sustainable practices within the dairy industry. Outcomes: The extension team is helping to develop a number of conferences over the next 3 years concerning sustainable dairy practices throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes region. Tools and other educational materials on management practices, technology, and economic impacts of sustainable dairying are to be available on the eXtension LPELC site. 10.National Air Quality Site-Assessment Tool (NAQSAT) Faculty from Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota contributed to the revision and updating of NAQSAT. Outcomes: NAQSAT is a free and confidential online tool that animal feeding operators and managers can use to assess the impact of common animal feeding operation practices and alternatives on emissions from their operation. ? 11. Flood Preparation and Recovery North Dakota and Missouri are collaborating on a NIFA Special Needs grant that is providing funding for a National Extension Disaster Education Network project that has compiled technical resources for both EDEN and eXtension related to preparation and recovery from flooding. Having peer reviewed science and research based resources compiled in subject matter groups will save Extension educators a great deal of time as they prepare for flood response. The project also clarified roles for extension staff during the phases of a flood and recovery. Outcomes: Information and resources were provided at EDEN and eXtension in a timely manner for use throughout affected areas in the Midwest. 12. Drainage Research Forum (Annual) University of Minnesota and Iowa State University Extension have collaborated for 15 years in conducting the Drainage Research Forum. South Dakota State Extension joined the collaboration in 2011. Host institution rotates annually. Outcomes: The annual event is typically attended by 100 state agency and university affiliates, conservation staff, and agricultural professionals. The event is a forum where current work is presented and ideas for new projects are cultivated. 13. Extension Drainage Design and Water Management Workshops An annual series of four 2-day workshops were conducted by the University of Minnesota Extension (lead institution), North Dakota State University Extension and South Dakota State University Extension on designing and installing field tile. Outcomes: A total of 180 farmers, industry people and government agency personnel were trained in the basics of tile drainage design. Two to Three hundred drainage contractors and farmer-installers attend these events annually. The consistently say that they are more prepared to consider water management alternatives and conservation practices aimed at reducing the unwanted effects of artificial drainage systems. 14. NCERA-217 - Drainage Design and Management Practices to Improve Water Quality In existence since 2004, this committee includes about 20 official members who represent 12 states and two government agencies. Annual meetings focus on presentation and discussion of current research and Extension work, and additionally feature a mini-symposium to highlight an area of work. Outcomes: The Committee has helped to lead a regional NRCS CIG grant that led a special issue publication in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation on the yield and water quality benefits of drainage water management in the Midwest. Collaborative relationships of Committee members were instrumental in development of a successful Coordinated Agriculture Project funded by USDA titled “Climate Change, Mitigation, and Adaptation In Corn-Based Cropping Systems” through USDA-NIFA A3101 Regional Approaches to Climate Change Cropping systems: cereal production systems (corn). This project involves Committee members from four states across the Midwest. The Committee has been instrumental in the development of NRCS Interim Conservation Standards #739 “Vegetated Subsurface Drain Outlet” and #747 “Denitrifying Bioreactor” and Conservation Practice Standard #554 “Drainage Water Management”. 15. Irrigation Workshop A 2-day irrigation pumping plant efficiency workshop was conducted as a joint effort between North Dakota, Arkansas, Louisiana and Arizona. Outcome: Trained about 90 NRCS personnel from 12 states. 16. Energy Education and Outreach Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Minnesota have contributed to various renewable energy and farm energy conservation extension programs underway in the Midwest. Members from WI, IA and MN participate as ex-offico members on the board of directors of the Midwest Rural Energy Council (MREC). MREC holds an annual educational conference Outcomes: Contributing NCCC-9 members have produced fact sheets, webinars, You Tube videos, and other web content related to grain drying and storage for corn, barley, and sunflowers; swine housing and manure digestion. One of the upcoming quarterly NCCC-9 conference calls (Sept 2014) will focus on energy Extension programming. 17. National AgrAbility Indiana is host to the National AgrAbility Project which serves 24 state and regional projects and provides limited assistance in all states through the www.agrability.org website, toll free assistance line and regional workshops. Participating states included Indiana, Minnesota, Vermont, North Carolina, New York, Missouri, Maine, Kentucky, Utah, Delaware, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Outcomes: AgrAbility National Training Workshop was held to address issues of disability in agriculture. It improved client enrollment, assistive technology resources, and individuals learned about research and extension materials and programs of interest to others attending the workshop. 18. Robotic Milking Surveys Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota have collaborated on robotic milking surveys. Outcomes: Survey results will provide date for Extension and outreach programming activities to provide robotic milking system users with science-based information. Iowa State Extension had developed an online spreadsheet to help interested producers analyze the economics of robotic milking as they investigate the new technology. 19. Manure Pit Foaming Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska are continuing to collaborate on research to combat excessive foaming in swine deep manure pits. A reduced frequency of excessive foaming in manure pits has been observed in all these states. The reasons for this reduction are not completely understood but may be due to management changes such as the addition of RumensinTM to the pits after pumping in the fall and/or spring or to changes in the pig's diets, or other unknown reasons. Studies are still 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 representing a broad spectrum of experience and capabilities were addressing the problem. Extension articles and safety information were conveyed across the region to help address short-term concerns. 20. Beef Finishers Bedded-Pack Planning Specifications Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota are continuing collaborative work to develop 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. Outcomes: State universities and agencies will work together to collect field data and experiences to improve the beef unit planning procedures. MWPS material is newly implemented into undergraduate coursework: TSM 371 Residential Housing course. Required textbook: The House Handbook. MidWest Plan Service (MWPS) – 16. 21. North American Manure EXPO [MO, OK, WI, PA, AR, and OH] Missouri and Oklahoma co-chaired the 2014 North American Manure Expo, July 8-9, 2014. The theme of the Expo was “Valuing Manure and the Environment”, and the Expo was held at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, MO. Outcomes: The two day event brought together over 70 vendors, and Extension and research personnel from various states, including Missouri, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Canada to offer short classes and demonstrations relating to nutrient management and environmental protection. The Expo participant came from various states of U.S., and the countries of Canada, Argentina, Germany, and China. The first Expo day featured new and improved manure storage agitation demonstration, wastewater treatment process and biosolids as valuable fertilizer with precision field mapping. The Expo also offered side by side demonstrations of liquid and solid manure injectors and spreaders, manure equipment and management displays, and presentations of experts on manure management in educational seminars. There were presentation and demonstration on manure gas safety and manure spill management at the end of the Expo. 22. 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. A composting demonstration site was set up in Wisconsin, and workshops have been held for composting cooperators. Outcomes: One waste hauler who has a horse farm manure disposal route is collaborating so far, diverting manure to a composting site. 23. Vegetative Treatment Systems for Feedlot Runoff Research results at sites across four states served as the basis to inform producers, designers and consultants about the merits and needs of vegetative treatment systems for managing runoff from open feedlots. Outcomes: Materials are in development to equip engineers and industry consultants with information to design and manage vegetative treatment systems for managing runoff from open lots. 24. Technical Service Provider (TSP) Training Illinois is coordinating the second year of 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 (NRCS) to provide training to all TSP who need certification. 25. Erosion Control Research and Training Center The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at the University of Illinois has teamed with state and federal organizations to develop a facility that will provide research and training opportunities in erosion and sediment control and storm-water management. The Erosion Control Research and Training Center was originally created under a research project administered by the Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT), with in-kind contributions from the Illinois Land Improvement Contractor’s Association (ILICA). ICT is an innovative partnership between the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the University of Illinois. ICT administers IDOT’s contract research program, which is funded using IDOT’s federal State Planning and Research funds. Prasanta Kalita, an agricultural engineer with ABE, was a co-investigator for the project, along with Niels Svendsen and Heidi Howard of the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) of the Army Corps of Engineers. The team has received continued funding from IDOT for additional studies. Outcomes: Trainees have learned improved techniques and materials for erosion control on and around highway construction projects. 26. MWPS Publications NCCC-009 members coordinate the review and revision of existing Midwest Plan Service (MWPS) publications and the writing of new materials. Outcomes: Two new publications were published this year. A few MWPS publications were prioritized as warranting revision and select new publications were identified for development at the annual meeting.

Publications

NCCC-9 member led efforts to produce two new publications published by MWPS. They include: • Wiring Handbook for Rural Facilities (MWPS-28 4th edition), 92 pages, Technical Editor L. Stetson 2013. • Dairy Freestall Housing and Equipment (MWPS-7 8th edition), 226 pages, B. Holmes, N. Cook, T. Funk, R. Graves, D. Kammel, D. Reinemann and J. Zulovich. 2013. Other Publications representing the work conducted by those from NCCC-9 include: • Successful Soybean Storage, New Jersey Soybean Board Newsletter. Drying and Storing Wet Soybeans co-authored with Mike Staton, Senior Soybean Educator, Michigan State University Extension • Frequently Asked Questions about Subsurface (Tile) Drainage. Jointly authored by representatives from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. • Hellevang, Kenneth and Pedersen, Carl. Home Envelope: an energy guide to help you keep the outside out and the inside in - AE1616. NDSU Extension Service, 44 pages. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/landing-pages/home-farm/home-envelope-ae-1616. • Hellevang, Kenneth. Keep Your Home Healthy - AE1204 8 pgs. NDSU Extension Service, http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/landing-pages/home-farm/keep-your-home-healthy-ae1204. • Hellevang, Kenneth. Heating Farm Shops, AE 1620. NDSU Extension Service. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/landing-pages/home-farm/heating-farm-shops-ae-1620. • Regional Cooperative Education. Structures Impacted by Drought - Market Journal. University of Nebraska – Lincoln. http://extensiontv.unl.edu/v/2407, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9gqk2ORhYY. • Mold a Problem for Flood-Damaged Homes, Colorado Matters, Colorado Public Radio. http://www.cpr.org/news/story/mold-problem-flood-damaged-homes. • USDA Radio: Preparing the Farmstead for Flooding. http://audioarchives.oc.usda.gov/radnewsfeaturedetail.asp?ID=3521.

Impact Statements

1.NCCC-9 Quarterly Conference Calls: Quarterly conference calls enhanced committee activity, facilitated timely communication about extension publications and programs and facilitated networking among NCCC-9 members and presenters. These calls were also able to allow each subgroup to report on updates and aide in maintaining progress on current projects.
Grain Drying and Storage: The educational program for grain drying provided expertise to make management decisions affecting North Dakota?s corn crop valued at $1.58 billion. It included education on energy efficient grain dryers and how to operate them in an energy efficient manner. A savings of about 500 BTU?s per bushel is expected if energy efficient methods of drying are used rather than inefficient methods. This is an energy savings for drying corn in ND of about 211 billion BTU?s or about 2.3 million gallons of propane with a value of about $3.5 million.
Minnkota Builders Conference: Participants reported that this professional development opportunity provided them with useful information that they can use in their facility-planning activities. The meeting facilitates networking among builders, equipment suppliers, consultants and university faculty.
Ventilation Workshops: Barn managers and pig caretakers that participate in swine ventilation workshops will maintain a healthier and more productive environment for their pigs and will do so using less energy (feed, fuel and electricity).
Biofilter Research: Prediction models for nitrous oxide formation related to media moisture content were proposed and tested. These models will help biofilter designers and operators avoid creation of excess greenhouse gases otherwise caused by improper control of biofilters. 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. The biofilter conference updated and enhanced the understanding and design capabilities of conference participants. Biofilter treating air from livestock and poultry production facilities reduces odor, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter emissions.
Air Emissions Rates for Swine Finishing: Daily and annual emission rates for swine finishing barns can be estimated based on local weather and farm operational characteristics. Understanding emission rate variation at diurnal and annual levels and estimated annual emission values aids emission reporting, management and mitigation decision making.
AFO Air Emissions Monitoring and Outreach: Decision-makers who saw the videos about animal feeding operation air emissions report an increase in knowledge which is expected to help them make better-informed decisions and/or more timely decisions which will result in reduced and/or less-problematic air emissions.
Climate Change: This 5-year climate change project (AACC) 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.
Sustainable Dairy: This project will build national Extension capacity to promote sustainable dairy practices. This will result in a more sustainable dairy practice which will increase efficiencies, decrease emissions, increase adaptation to climate change, reduce environmental impacts, and increase profitability.
National Air Quality Site-Assessment Tool (NAQSAT): The NAQSAT provides owners and managers of animal feeding operations a confidential online tool to investigate practices and their impact on airborne emissions from their operations.
Flood Preparation and Recovery: Provides information which outlines the phases of flood preparation and recovery and the role of extension personnel during these phases. The materials developed will provide critical information to reduce the impact of flooding and provide essential tools for quick recovery which will reduce the economic and operational impact.
Drainage Research Forum (Annual): The drainage research forum allows continued focus on drainage systems to increase benefits related to drainage systems while improving water quality.
Extension Drainage Design and Water Management Workshops: Field tile workshops increase the number of acres in the northern plains states that are properly tiled, increasing the productive capacity of this land without harming water quality.
NCERA-217 - Drainage Design and Management Practices to Improve Water Quality: Participation in multi-state committees helps foster collaboration, communications, improves the knowledge base and produces new standards used by NRCS.
Irrigation Workshop: The efficiency of irrigation pumping plants throughout the South and Midwest will be improved thus saving energy.
Energy Education and Outreach: Energy education projects keep members informed of research, educational developments and unique energy expertise in the farm energy area in the NCR and farm operations become more energy efficient and produce more energy.
National AgrAbility: National AgrAbility Project helps eliminate (or minimize) obstacles that inhibit success in production agriculture or agriculture-related occupations. It also enables a high quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities.
Robotic Milking Surveys: Dairy producers with or considering robotic milking systems have more information and decision tools to use as they decide whether to invest in the new technology.
Manure Pit Foaming: Collaborative research and outreach on manure pit foaming have developed solutions and recommendations for managing manure pit foaming.
Beef Finishers Bedded-Pack Planning Specifications: 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
North American Manure EXPO [MO, OK, WI, PA, AR, and OH]: The audience for the North American Manure EXPO included personnel from EPA, DNR, NRCS, extension, research, and education. The estimated number of people attended was 600+. The understanding and management capabilities (related to manure management of the attendees were enhanced.
Horse Manure Composting: One waste hauler who has a horse farm manure disposal route is collaborating and diverting manure from a landfill to a composting site.
Vegetative Treatment Systems for Feedlot Runoff: Vegetative treatment systems research and outreach have enhanced the design capabilities of engineers and consultants in the western Corn-belt, who will hasten the implementation of this technology on livestock operations seeking an alternative to constructing conventional holding ponds. Technical documentation will increase performance through proper design and implementation with increased knowledge.
Technical Service Provider (TSP) Training: Well-trained technical service providers write high quality site-specific manure nutrient management plans that assist producers to improve environmental quality in their respective vicinities.
Erosion Control Research and Training Center: Trainees have learned improved techniques and materials for erosion control on and around highway construction projects.
26. MWPS Publications: MWPS publications are used extensively in extension programs and college courses including: a) Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan materials for technical service providers in Illinois; b) MWPS-1 and MWPS-13 are both used as textbooks for a course at the University of Nebraska; c) MWPS-18 is used as a text at the University of Minnesota and d) MWPS-16 is the textbook for a course at the University of Illinois.