For immediate release: 1/31/02

For more information contact:

Judy Goplin - Program Assistant
Office Phone: 715/983-5668
Fax: 715/983-2138
jgoplin@wisc.edu

Methane Digestion Publication Available from Discovery Farms

Pigeon Falls – The Discovery Farms Program is pleased to announce a new publication for producers exploring the feasibility of a methane digester for their farm. This publication is called “Anaerobic Digesters and Methane Product ion... Questions that need to be asked and answered before investing your money,” and is extension publication number A3766.

This publication answers the beginning questions agricultural producers are asking as they consider methane digestion as a waste management option for their farms. It describes the different types of methane digesters and what management systems each digester works best with. Questions about why digesters have failed on farms in the past, time requirements for digester management, hazards and benefits, issues involved in getting on an electrical grid, and more are answered in this publication. At the end of this six-page publication is a list of resources to seek further information.

Producers are turning to methane digesters as a possible answer to farm odor issues, as well as waste management challenges and pathogen transfer. Methane digesters provide opportunities to virtually eliminate farm odors from manure storage and handling, generate electricity that can be sold back to power companies for a profit, create a more valuable fertilizer for crops, or even a recycled, pathogen-free bedding material.

To receive a free copy of “Anaerobic Digesters and Methane Product ion... Questions that need to be asked and answered before investing your money,” publication number A3766, contact the Discovery Farms office at 715-983-5668 or download it from the Discovery Farms web site: www.discoveryfarms.org .