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Sanford is an assistant professor in the School of Agriculture at UW–Platteville. His research interest is in agriculture wastewater management including management of farmstead and edge of field runoff, nutrient management, precision manure application, water recovery and recycling, pathogen inactivation and transport, and emerging agricultural contaminates such as PFAS. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub.
Manure plays an important role in crop production by returning nutrients to the soil—but managing it in a way that protects water, air, and soil health is a growing challenge for livestock farms. At UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm, a new project aims to support smarter manure use with the help of new equipment and hands-on research.
With the new tanker, faculty and students will test emerging technologies like nutrient sensors, manure treatments, and additives that could help farmers make the most of their manure—while also protecting the environment. This equipment will also serve as a mobile research and outreach tool, helping connect what happens in the field to what farmers and industry professionals need to know.
Ultimately, this will boost UW-Platteville’s research capacity, provide real-world training for students, and offer Wisconsin farmers practical, science-based information to guide their decisions.