More than 16,000 U.S. wastewater treatment facilities serving
more than 220 million people produce sewage sludge, according to
a survey cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). A significant portion of that material is turned into
biosolids available to farmers for fertilizing crops. And, as
commercial fertilizer costs continue to soar, those biosolids
are increasingly prized for their ability to reduce crop
fertilizer bills by providing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and
some secondary and micronutrients for crops. They also provide
organic matter. If you haven't checked into a source of
biosolids for your cropland, you may be missing out on a major
savings. Among those to contact for availability are: your local
wastewater or sewage treatment plant, local Extension educator,
farm management consultant or land grant university. Supply is
far from open-ended. You might find yourself on a waiting list,
with only limited amounts of biosolids available. FARMERS BOB
CLAUSEN and Ron Bopp in eastern N