Animal Waste in Demand as Fertilizer Prices Rise
2022-04-11
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1The war in Ukraine is causing a rise in oil and wheat prices.
2Other items are hard to come by due to international restrictions on doing business with Russia.
3For example, many countries are seeing less fish than usual, because Russia usually catches and sells a lot of fish.
4However, one item you may not think of that often is harder to find than normal.
5That is the crop-growing aid known as fertilizer.
6Fertilizer is added to soil and provides plants such as wheat and corn with nutrients so they can grow.
7But some of the chemicals used to make fertilizer, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, require a lot of energy.
8As energy sources like gas, oil and coal get more expensive, so does fertilizer.
9The Dutch bank Rabobank said 40 percent of the world's supply of potash, or potassium chloride, comes from Russia and Belarus.
10Potash is an important fertilizer ingredient, and it is not as available as usual.
11A company that follows fertilizer in London, CRU Group, said nitrogen-based fertilizer is four times more expensive than it was in 2020.
12Fertilizer made from phosphate and potash has gotten three times more expensive.
13As a result, farmers are more interested than before in using animal waste, sometimes called manure, as fertilizer.
14The animal waste has some of those nutrients and can be used by farmers to make their soil healthier.
15Farmers that raise livestock such as cows and pigs normally have to pay to get manure removed from their land.
16However, due to the high cost of fertilizer, people are paying the farmers to pick it up.
17"Manure is absolutely a hot commodity," said Allen Kampschnieder, a farming consultant.
18There are long lists of farmers waiting for manure deliveries.
19The need for manure is also helping people who make farm equipment that helps dry and spread manure.
20The spreaders are called "honeywagons."
21Phinite is a company based in North Carolina that makes manure dryers.
22The dryers take the water out of the waste and make it easier to spread.
23Phinite said it has gotten calls for its equipment from farmers in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
24One company in Canada, Husky Farm Equipment, makes honeywagons.
25Some of them can cost $70,000.
26The company's president, Walter Grose, says they are sold out for six months.
27Other companies that make similar products said they are selling more than normal.
28Abe Sandquist says he has worked for much of his career to sell manure to farmers.
29Now, he doesn't have enough.
30"I wish we had more to sell," he said, "but there's not enough to meet the demand."
31In the U.S., high fertilizer costs will likely cause farmers to plant fewer crops.
32The government notes the amount of wheat stored in the U.S. is at its lowest in 14 years.
33The manure will be able to replace some of the fertilizer, but it is not risk-free.
34First, there is not enough supply.
35Second, it is costly to transport.
36And third, there are environmental concerns about manure.
37Experts believe the manure can make water unhealthy.
38As a result, it is hard for farmers that raise pigs and cows to easily get into the manure business.
39Jim Monroe is a spokesperson for a large company that raises pigs.
40He said more farmers are thinking about using manure to help grow crops.
41Dale Cramer is unsure about what he will do.
42He grows corn, soybeans and wheat in the Midwestern U.S. state of Nebraska.
43He has been trying to get manure for his 2,400 hectares of land.
44So far, he has not found any.
45Kampschnieder said manure prices are almost 100 percent higher than usual.
46Pat Reisinger is a farmer in Iowa.
47He said he is glad he raises animals, because he can use their manure for his corn and soybeans.
48He is also able to sell a little to his neighbors.
49Reisinger, however, is unique.
50In recent years, farms like his are less common.
51Instead, certain regions in the U.S. are known for producing items like eggs, milk and meat.
52That is where the most manure can be found.
53However, some of those regions are far away from the areas that need the animal waste.
54As a result, some parts of the U.S. have too much manure and others do not have enough.
55Brett Reinford of Pennsylvania raises cows that produce milk.
56Last year, he told other farmers they could take his manure.
57No one wanted it.
58Now he has something valuable.
59"I wish we had more," he said.
60I'm Dan Friedell
1The war in Ukraine is causing a rise in oil and wheat prices. Other items are hard to come by due to international restrictions on doing business with Russia. For example, many countries are seeing less fish than usual, because Russia usually catches and sells a lot of fish. 2However, one item you may not think of that often is harder to find than normal. That is the crop-growing aid known as fertilizer. 3Fertilizer is added to soil and provides plants such as wheat and corn with nutrients so they can grow. But some of the chemicals used to make fertilizer, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, require a lot of energy. As energy sources like gas, oil and coal get more expensive, so does fertilizer. 4Why a fertilizer shortage? 5The Dutch bank Rabobank said 40 percent of the world's supply of potash, or potassium chloride, comes from Russia and Belarus. Potash is an important fertilizer ingredient, and it is not as available as usual. 6A company that follows fertilizer in London, CRU Group, said nitrogen-based fertilizer is four times more expensive than it was in 2020. Fertilizer made from phosphate and potash has gotten three times more expensive. 7As a result, farmers are more interested than before in using animal waste, sometimes called manure, as fertilizer. The animal waste has some of those nutrients and can be used by farmers to make their soil healthier. 8Farmers that raise livestock such as cows and pigs normally have to pay to get manure removed from their land. However, due to the high cost of fertilizer, people are paying the farmers to pick it up. 9"Manure is absolutely a hot commodity," said Allen Kampschnieder, a farming consultant. There are long lists of farmers waiting for manure deliveries. 10Farm equipment sales rise 11The need for manure is also helping people who make farm equipment that helps dry and spread manure. The spreaders are called "honeywagons." 12Phinite is a company based in North Carolina that makes manure dryers. The dryers take the water out of the waste and make it easier to spread. Phinite said it has gotten calls for its equipment from farmers in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. 13One company in Canada, Husky Farm Equipment, makes honeywagons. Some of them can cost $70,000. The company's president, Walter Grose, says they are sold out for six months. 14Other companies that make similar products said they are selling more than normal. 15Abe Sandquist says he has worked for much of his career to sell manure to farmers. Now, he doesn't have enough. "I wish we had more to sell," he said, "but there's not enough to meet the demand." 16In the U.S., high fertilizer costs will likely cause farmers to plant fewer crops. The government notes the amount of wheat stored in the U.S. is at its lowest in 14 years. 17Some concerns 18The manure will be able to replace some of the fertilizer, but it is not risk-free. First, there is not enough supply. Second, it is costly to transport. And third, there are environmental concerns about manure. Experts believe the manure can make water unhealthy. 19As a result, it is hard for farmers that raise pigs and cows to easily get into the manure business. 20Jim Monroe is a spokesperson for a large company that raises pigs. He said more farmers are thinking about using manure to help grow crops. 21Dale Cramer is unsure about what he will do. He grows corn, soybeans and wheat in the Midwestern U.S. state of Nebraska. He has been trying to get manure for his 2,400 hectares of land. So far, he has not found any. 22Kampschnieder said manure prices are almost 100 percent higher than usual. 23Pat Reisinger is a farmer in Iowa. He said he is glad he raises animals, because he can use their manure for his corn and soybeans. He is also able to sell a little to his neighbors. 24Farm economy changes 25Reisinger, however, is unique. In recent years, farms like his are less common. 26Instead, certain regions in the U.S. are known for producing items like eggs, milk and meat. That is where the most manure can be found. However, some of those regions are far away from the areas that need the animal waste. As a result, some parts of the U.S. have too much manure and others do not have enough. 27Brett Reinford of Pennsylvania raises cows that produce milk. Last year, he told other farmers they could take his manure. No one wanted it. Now he has something valuable. 28"I wish we had more," he said. 29I'm Dan Friedell 30Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report by Reuters. 31Do farmers where you live use animal waste to grow food? Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. 32Words in This Story 33ingredient -n. one of the things used to make a food product 34expensive - adj. costing a lot of money 35livestock - n. animals raised to be used by people for food 36consultant - n. a person who gives professional advice for a fee 37commodity - n. something bought and sold 38unique - n. something different or unlike anything else 39region - adj. a part of a country or of the world that is different than another part