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Katie Myers
Countryside Conservancy

The Nominator: Beth Knorr, Countryside Conservancy

How has the nominee implemented sustainable business practices in his or her business or organization and what are the triple bottom line benefits (people, planet, prosperity) of the nominee`s work?
Katie began a pilot project in Baughman Township in Wayne County entitled M.A.N.U.R.E., or "Manure Agreements, Nutrient Utilization and the Rural Economy." This program is designed to help farms with an abundance of manure to place a dollar value on this product based on the nutrient content. They then make it available to other farmers in the region looking for manure for their fields. This project helps divert manure from the waste stream, and turns it into a usable commodity, spurring additional economic activity and keeping money in the rural economy. It also creates a product that meets a demand for nutrients for farmers without animals, and could supplement or potentially replace chemical fertilizers in some instances.

How has the nominee inspired you to implement sustainable business practices?
This project is a collaboration between Countryside Conservancy, Wayne Economic Development Council, Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District, and The Ohio State University`s Center for Farmland Policy Innovation. Katie is actively engaged in farm and food issues, and serves on the Governor`s Food Policy Council and the Council`s Agriculture Viability Task Force.

How can someone else translate the success of the nominee? Is the work of the nominee an example or model that others can follow?
Katie inspires me to figure out creative ways to divert waste. What is so inspiring is that she is creating a business model that can be handed off to someone in the future, once she has worked out the kinks....we need more people like Katie working on solutions to our challenges.

How does the nominee actively participate in the sustainability community? How do they collaborate and share their knowledge with others?
Others can most definitely follow Katie`s lead. This project was designed so that others could take it over in the future, so I believe there will be at least one economically viable project, and I`m sure it will inspire others to do something similar but with a unique twist.