Florence, S.C.-Agriculture Research Service (ARS) soil scientists have found an effective way to remove the excess phosphorus in poultry manure, which would eliminate the drawbacks to using litter as a fertilizer and turns the phosphorus into a reusable or marketable product. According to ARS, the method, dubbed “Quick Wash,” provides a rapid removal and recovery that removes the phosphorus while leaving the nitrogen. The washed poultry litter can be safely applied to farm fields as a balanced fertilizer or used again as a bedding material. It can also serve as a feedstock for bioenergy production. ARS points out that poultry litter is plentiful in some areas, where 8.9 billion broilers were produced in 2006, along with piles and piles of residual litter rich in phosphorus and nitrogen Although poultry litter is typically used by farmers to fertilize their field crops, it usually contains more phosphorus than the crops need. The excess phosphorus has the potential to wash away and pollute nearby rivers and lakes. ARS is disclosing only that the process selectively removes 80 percent of the phosphorus from poultry litter while leaving the nitrogen. The scientists making the discovery were identified as Ariel Szogi, Matias Vanotti, and Patrick Hunt. ARS has already applied for a patent on the process and is interested in finding business partners to move the product to market.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain