Background:

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center provides facilities for developing, testing and demonstrating novel methods of managing the waste products of animal agriculture and converting these wastes into useful, valuable products. The center operates waste processing and composting facilities at the Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory. The processing unit houses extruders, a fluidized bed dryer, pellet mills, and other waste processing equipment. Adjacent animal research units at the Lake Wheeler Road Field Laboratory provide facilities to test new waste management practices and technologies under commercial-scale conditions.

Teaching, Research, Outreach:

Center-sponsored projects involve approximately 60 faculty from numerous departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The Waste Processing Facility has also been used extensively by numerous agribusiness groups working with center faculty and personnel to explore various methods of processing manures and animal mortality into products that have market value, are safe and socially acceptable. This work has resulted in marketable end products such as feedstuffs for the aquaculture industry, pet food industry and animal agriculture industry. The center is currently working with agribusiness groups to transfer novel methodology for processing poultry and swine mortality to the commercial market. Several workshops, seminars and training sessions have been conducted at the center facility during the last two years. The Waste Processing Facility is among the college's most visited facilities. Scientists and others interested in animal waste management from the around the world visit the facility each year.

Needed for the Future:

The Waste Processing Facility is currently utilized for storage of mobile equipment that is necessary to conduct the research and education activities for this program. Growth and expansion in this area have exceeded expectations. A separate equipment storage facility would greatly enhance productivity and safety at the facility. In addition, the facility is processing animal waste generated at the adjacent animal education units (poultry, swine and dairy). Temporary waste storage prior to treatment is needed in order to comply with state regulations. Equipment and waste storage facilities are projected to cost approximately $100,000.