Call for presentation proposals for the 2025 Michigan Manure Summit

Proposals can be submitted by academics, teachers, farmers, consultants and for-hire manure applicators with expertise in specific manure-related topic areas.

Participants of a past Michigan Manure Summit sit in a room watching a speaker give a presentation.
Michigan Manure Summit. Photo by Tess Van Gorder

The 2025 Michigan Manure Summit, now in its sixth year, is an educational event that provides relevant information on manure management and related topics to farmers and custom haulers. Proposals for 20 minute in-person presentations are being sought for breakout sessions on the following topics:

  • Manure application and compaction
  • Greenhouse gas emissions and climate resiliency (focus on manure/animal agriculture)
  • Public relations (interacting with the public on social media or other forums)
  • Value of manure (cost savings, nutrient value, soil health, etc.)
  • Technology and manure management (use of technology, best practices, new/emerging technology, etc.)
  • Manure management, such as integrating manure into crop planning, managing application issues, best management practices (solid and liquid), transportation regulations, pit foam management, etc.
  • Farm infrastructure for successful manure application and spill prevention
  • Workforce management (hiring, employee retention, training, etc.)

Instructions for submitting a presentation proposal are as follows:

  • Submit a brief (less than one page) summary with an overview of your proposed presentation. Include the speaker contact information and presentation title. Farmers and for-hire manure haulers are strongly encouraged to submit proposals!
  • Presentations should utilize the Microsoft PowerPoint application.
  • Final presentations and short (2-3 sentences) speaker bios will be submitted two weeks prior to the Summit.
  • Presenters must be willing to have their presentation recorded and posted online for educational purposes of the Michigan Manure Hauler Certification Program.
  • Presenters from for-profit organizations/companies are welcome to apply. Presentations should be focused on the topic and should not be a sales pitch. Presentations will be evaluated upon submission to ensure an educational focus.
  • Limited travel support may be provided on a case-by-case basis.

Submit your proposal to Charles Gould at gouldm@msu.edu by end of day Friday, Oct. 11.

Proposals will be reviewed by the Michigan Manure Hauler Certification Program leadership team, which is comprised of individuals from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Farm Bureau and Michigan State University Extension.

The Michigan Manure Summit will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Okemos Conference Center in Okemos, Michigan.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Charles Gould at gouldm@msu.edu or 616-834-2812.

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