Soil testing has been emphasized for decades as essential to safe and economical fertilizer use. Fertilizers and manure can, in fact, help improve our environment by enhancing productivity and fertilizer efficiency on the nation's farmland. It contains information on this and many other chemical-related topics. Extension personnel will be glad to go over the information with you and they'll make copies of articles you'd like to take with you. Farmers Should Consider Sludge As A Nutrient Source Farmers searching for nutrient sources for the soil might consider sludge.
Sewage sludge is an end product of the wastewater treatment process.
When used as a fertilizer, sludge benefits the environment by turning wastes into valuable resources. It also means the sludge won't have to be disposed of in a landfill, lagoon, by incineration, or by ocean dumping. One of the main advantages of using sludge is that it can be used alone or as a supplement to commercial fertilizers. Its low cost is another consideration. However, farmers must remember that its nutrient value may vary, so have your soil tested to determine nutrient needs.