Final conference of the Manure Standard project and experience exchange trip to farms in Zemgale

On November 27, the closing conference of the Manure Standard project was held at the Ozolnieki People's Hall, organized by the association "Farmers' Council" and the State Plant Protection Service.

The conference was opened by a video address by the project's lead partner, the Finnish Institute of Natural Resources (LUKE), and project coordinator Sari Luostarinen, and introductory remarks by Kristīne Lifānova, Director of the State Plant Protection Service, and Maira Dzelzkalēja-Burmistre, Deputy Chairwoman of the association “Zemnieku saeima”. The informative part of the conference was continued by Skaidrīte Rulle, Director of the Agrochemistry Department of the State Plant Protection Service, informing about the work done in the “Manure Standarts” project, the benefits and the project's recommendations for manure management. Subsequently, Lauris Leitāns, Chief Expert of the State Plant Protection Service, spoke about the methodology for calculating manure, the results of manure analyses and a comparison of the survey of Latvian demo farms with the results of other countries. The first part of the conference was concluded by Aldis Kārkliņš, Professor of the Latvia University of Agriculture, with a presentation: “Manure – terminology and its importance in agriculture”.

In the second part of the conference, Kalvi Tamm, a representative of the Estonian Plant Research Institute, shared the experience of neighboring countries in manure management, while A. Strukčinskas and E. Cikockaitė, representatives of the Lithuanian Plant Service, spoke about the requirements for manure use and control in Lithuania. The conference was closed by Silvija Dreijere, Head of the Livestock Department of the Latvian Rural Consulting and Education Center, introducing the attendees to the impact of dairy cow nutrition and feed rations on ammonia emissions.

On November 28, an experience exchange trip to farms in Zemgale took place. Thanks to the owner of SIA “Mežacīruļi” Juris Cīrulis and the LLU training and research farm “VECAUCE” for hosting us!

PRESENTATIONS FROM THE CONFERENCE:

Manure management practices in Estonia_Ozolnieki_2019

Requirements and control of fertilizers application in Lithuania_Ozolnieki_2019

Manure – terminology and its importance in agriculture_Ozolnieki_2019

Manure calculations, analysis results and their comparison with other countries_Ozolnieki_2019

Achievements, benefits and recommendations of the MANURE STANDARD project_Ozolnieki_2019

The effect of dairy cow nutrition and feed rations on ammonia emissions_Ozolnieki_2019