ManuREsource conference calls for more collaboration to reach the objectives of the circular economy

From 27 until 29 November, the third edition of ManuREsource took place at Eindhoven (The Netherlands) and welcomed more than 230 participants from 28 countries. At this third edition the legislative framework concerning manure has been addressed extensively in the presence of members of the European Commission DG ENVI and DG GROW. Economic feasibility, marketability of the products and public awareness remain the main obstacles for the transition to a circular manure processing. More collaboration, not only with the mineral fertilizer industry but also with agrofood concerns was mentioned by the attendees as a key condition.

Within the framework of the recent Dutch developments concerning manure processing, ManuREsource 2017 came at the right time. Never before the need and the pressure for a future-oriented, sustainable manure processing – from which both the livestock holder and the crop farmer can profit from – was higher. Also in Flanders this topic is an important issue which recently was also the focus of the vision note on the transition of manure processing towards a circular economy, published by the Flemish Coordination Centre for Manure Processing in July 2017.

This transition towards a circular economy for manure and digestate processing was the central theme at ManuREsource 2017. The conference brought together relevant companies, research institutions and governments from all over the world to join forces in order to turn animal manure from a problem into an opportunity. Anne-Marie Spierings, Deputee of Agricultural Development in the Province of Noord-Brabant, confirmed the importance of this triple helix collaboration between business, policy and research to make manure valorization circular.