The Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative (MLMMI) has issued a call for proposals for research into the economics and operating effectiveness of air flotation and belt filter press manure separation technology.

The technology uses a multi-step process to separate manure into two streams, a nitrogen- rich liquid stream and a solid stream which typically contains most of the phosphorus.

MLMMI executive director John Carney says by separating the two streams producers can use the nitrogen where it's produced and transport the phosphorus from areas high in phosphorus to areas that have a deficit, but this technology tends to be expensive.

John Carney - Manitoba Livestock Manure Management Initiative:

For producers in the southeast part of the province, they are looking for answers in terms of how can they comply with phosphorus regulations.

So it certainly makes sense to me and I think to many that we have an independent research organisation like MLMMI that can scan the horizon for alternatives, collaborate with subject matter experts at the universities, local engineering firms and others and listen to the industry to come up with technologies that we need to understand.

Then we are able to do a deep dive on an objective basis on those technologies and provide that information back to producers in the province.

Mr Carney says research proposals are being accepted until 9 January. The hope is to see the project start in January and be completed with results available by mid-2015.