by Scott Weybright (Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences) Washington State University scientists are working to more precisely understand how plants use nutrients from soil at
Tag "soil"
(Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research) The idea of biodegradable plastics sounds good at first. However, very little is known about how they are degraded in the soil and how this is
by Sally Brown (BioCycle Magazine) … This fuller understanding of how SOM (soil organic carbon) operates in no way takes away the importance of soils as a tool for carbon
Eduardo K. Mitter, James J. Germida and J. Renato de Freitas (Scientific Reports) Soil contamination as a result of oil spills is a serious issue due to the global demand
by Sarah George (edie.net/Eurative) Boeing has already completed one commercial flight using 100% biofuel in 2018 –Boeing Co has unveiled plans to deliver commercial aircraft capable of using 100% biofuel
by Julie Chao (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab launches three new projects to advance sustainable agricultural practices … The three projects, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), leverage
(Carbon 180) Soil carbon storage offers significant economic and environmental opportunities for farmers and ranchers. Agricultural practices that store carbon in the soil can help fight climate change at a
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $3.3 million grant to a multidisciplinary research team at the University of
(U.S. Department of Energy) As the global population swells, boosting the demand for both food and energy, land management has never been more important. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)
by Brad Plumer (New York Times) … A new study published on Wednesday, however, found that better management of forests, grasslands and soils in the United States could offset as much
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 3Bar Biologics’ Bio-YIELD uses naturally occurring microbes that are precisely matched to specific crops and soil environments. These microbes were discovered and isolated during a 15-year
Resilience through Regional Partnership: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the SPARC Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC) is a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia,
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) My wife checked my fishing gear upon learning that I was attending the Biochar 2018 Conference in Wilmington, Delaware. Why? She thought I made
(The Soil Health Institute/Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire) Soil health policies are growing in number and importance across the United States but are widely dispersed across a variety of academic institutions, state
(U.S. Department of Energy) The idea of bacteria as diverse, complex perceptive entities that can hunt prey in packs, remember past experiences and interact with the moods and perceptions of their
by Glenneis Kriel (Farmer’s Weekly) Christo Smit, a former researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, is working on developing a sustainable biofuel industry from the diesel tree. — The South African government
(University of Idaho/Ethanol Producer Magazine) University of Idaho College of Natural Resources Assistant Professor Tara Hudiburg was awarded $750,000 to study the sustainability of biofuels. The grant, award by the Department of Energy, is
(Solutions from the Land) U.S. agricultural producers have long understood that healthy soil is a critical requirement for the production of our nation’s food supply. They also know that as the
(25 x ’25/North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Last November, we wrote here of a major breakthrough occurring at the global climate talks in Bonn, Germany, where, for the first
by Jeff Mulhollem (Penn State News) Agroforestry could play an important role in mitigating climate change because it sequesters more atmospheric carbon in plant parts and soil than conventional farming, according to
by Louis Verchot (Quartz) … Positive agricultural interventions could achieve up to 6% of reduction emissions needed to achieve the Paris Agreement goals—showing that this sector is not only part of the problem,
(Wisconsin State Farmer) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be in Pennsylvania Wednesday, Jan. 24 to roll out the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill and legislative principles for 2018. READ
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) New research from Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago at Illinois and the International Food Policy Research Institute shows that incorporating conservation
(CGIAR) Evidence-based science on the mitigation and socio-economic impacts of soil carbon sequestration is needed to support commitments to sustainable development goals and the Paris Agreement target. … Soil carbon sequestration,
by Thin Lei Win (Reuters) Improving soil health in farmlands could capture extra carbon equivalent to the planet-warming emissions generated by the transport sector, one of the world’s most polluting industries,
by Kathy Swisher (West Virginia University) West Virginia University biologists are part of a $40 million Department of Energy effort to create sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts through four new bioenergy research
by Wendy Wolfson (University of California Irvine Applied Innovation) In a high-ceiling room in professor Markus Ribbe’s lab, a giant still emits pungent vapors from fermenting bacteria. Ribbe, chancellor’s professor
by Chelsea Harvey (The Washington Post) … In a paper published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that land use changes associated with planting crops and
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers continuously implement new environmentally friendly techniques to raise their crops. — Corn farmers—and with them, the ethanol industry—are growing more sustainable. Farmers in
(Phys.Org) … Taking up this double-edged sword is Cynthia Bartel, a doctoral candidate at Iowa State University. She’s finding a way to lessen the harm and increase the benefits of removing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California arrives the very interesting news that Amyris has entered into an agreement with Blue California whereby its affiliates will provide access to its
by Sam Harrington (Yale Climate Connections) Until about 10 years ago, spring wheat was a favorite crop for farmers in North Dakota. Erickson: “Beginning in 2007, when the government heavily incentivized
by Caitlin E. Hicks Pries, C. Castanha, R. C. Porras, M. S. Torn (Science Magazine) Soils contain about twice as much carbon as Earth’s atmosphere, so their response to warming is crucial to understanding
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … While there were big questions, there were big answers, beginning with a panel on The Sustainable Agriculture Imperative. John Pieper from Dupont Industrial Biosciences
by Julie Chao (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Two projects will provide a window to the underground, yielding information on roots and soil — As advanced as agriculture has become, there
(University of Missouri) Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality on Eroded Farms, Study Finds — The loss of fertile topsoil from agricultural fields is an economic problem for modern farmers. When
(30 Dias de Noticias (Google translation)) It aims to boost production of biofuels and avoid contamination. — The bill the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Antonio Bonfatti, which establishes
by Anthony King (Horizon Magazine) Hacking trees by adding bacteria to their roots could help scrub contaminated soil clean of chemicals and metals from industrial spillages and fallouts, a process
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) … The Argonne modeling shows that when grassland, cropland and pasture in the Midwest are converted to corn for biofuels, the level of carbon sequestration
(American Biogas Council/Biomass Magazine) Last week, Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Pat Robert, R-Kan., introduced new bipartisan legislation, the Agriculture Environmental Stewardship Act (S 3248). This latest bill is a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) AgSolver agronomic decision service products help increase profits by improving land management decisions, simplifying mandatory compliance and reporting activities, and maximizing returns for agricultural land
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are using computational modeling to predict which counties in Illinois could see increases in soil organic
by Katie Elyce Jones (Phys.Org) To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of land and local climates for planting bioenergy crops, researchers at
by Gollany HT, Titus BD, Scott DA, Asbjornsen H, Resh SC, Chimner RA, Kaczmarek DJ, Leite LF, Ferreira AC, Rod KA, Hilbert J, Galdos MV, Cisz ME (Biogeochemical Research) Rapid
(POET) POET is expanding its cover crop research as part of soil sustainability work in Emmetsburg, Iowa for cellulosic ethanol development. The work is part of an ongoing commitment
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) … In preparation for this hearing and EPA process, a group called American Council For Capital Formation (an oil industry lobby shill group) commissioned a
by Vonnie Estes (AgFunderNews) With the need to produce more food using fewer inputs, agriculture is seeking new products, practices and technologies. As a planet we must use fewer chemicals
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack shared the first results of USDA’s Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry, one year after he unveiled the plan
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On April 12, the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) announced a new funding opportunity aimed at increasing the carbon storage potential
by Lizzy Schultz (AgWired) Twenty-five more farms have joined in on the groundbreaking research effort from Soil Health Partnership (SHP) that could change the way farmers take care of their
by Dave Evensen (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Research finds where bioenergy crops would grow best while minimizing detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems — … Researchers at the University of Illinois used
by Louisa Burwood-Taylor (AgFunder News) Cool Planet, the biocarbon and biofuel producer, has raised $9 million in extra funding to commercialize its soil amendment product CoolTerra, which just earned a
by Cindy Zimmerman (AgWired) At the first Soil Health Summit last year, I talked with Purdue University agricultural economist Dr. Wally Tyner about the need to quantify the economic benefits
by Louisa Burwood-Taylor (AgFunderNews) … “Ecological farming is ‘AgTech’ but of a different kind. It is a return to the original definition of ‘technology’, which comes from two Greek words: technis, which means
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping
by Ron Alverson (Ethanol Across America) It has been seven years since Argonne National Labs (ANL), as part of the Energy Security and Independence Act requirements, first determined the Life
(Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research/EurekAlert!) DOE-funded project will track movement of phosphate in real time — Professor Maria Harrison has received part of a $1.2 million grant from the
(Bioenegy Insight) The Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK and the supply chain specialist Terravesta are running new trials to examine how the energy crop miscanthus survives in water-logged land and
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has announced that the U.S. DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has awarded $125 million to 41 energy technology projects, four
(Rural Energy News) The conclusions of five years of field research, released today, show that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
(Renewable Energy Association/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The conclusions of five years of field research in the UK show that the greenhouse
by Monte Shaw (Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Des Moines Register) Letter to Editor: I was embarrassed for the University of Northern
by Emily Cassidy (Environmental Working Group) Biofuels produced from switchgrass and post-harvest corn waste could significantly reduce the emissions that contribute
by Gene Lucht (Iowa Farmer Today) Mahdi Al-Kaisi is not against using corn stover to make cellulosic ethanol products, and
by Kristen Johnson and Alicia Moulton (U.S. Department of Energy) At the Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, we’re actively working
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Switchgrass, a perennial native to the tallgrass prairie, is one of the most promising bioenergy crops
by David Hest (Corn+Soybean Digest) Farmers find stover removal for cellulosic ethanol boosts yields, reduces costs and saves soil. Like
(UT News) A researcher at The University of Texas at Austin will receive two grants totaling $15 million to study
by Lauren Klamm (Source) Colorado State University is one of 10 institutions in a $13.8 million research grant to improve
by Tom Doran (AgriNews) … “When it comes to growing corn, no one does it better than America’s family farmers,” National Corn
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University has earned a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better
(ECN Magazine/Argonne National Laboratory) The handling of agricultural crop residues appears to have a large impact on soil’s ability to
(Iowa State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers who are considering selling corn residue from their fields to produce cellulosic ethanol first
(Farm Futures) Models predict that miscanthus will have higher fuel yield and profit when compared to corn stover and switchgrass
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) In the World Resources Institute (WRI) working paper, “Avoiding Bioenergy Competition for Food Crops and
(Renewable Fuels Association) Today (January 30, 2015), the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) criticized a new report by World Resources
(25x’25) A report released today by the World Resources Institute would seem to demonstrate the old adage: “The more things
(North Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) A technology developed at North Dakota State University creates precise in-the-ground measurement and monitoring of
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today begins its celebration of the International Year of Soils to
(KSG Agro) In the production of biofuels one should take into account the need to maintain soil fertility. This was
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) … During a presentation at the American Seed Trade Association CSS 2014 and Seed Expo last
(25 x ’25) A broad survey of farmers has documented a yield boost from the use of cover crops in
(US Department of Agriculture) For the First Time, USDA Climate Hubs Get New Tools to Gauge Progress in Building Drought-Resistant
(POET/DSM) Emmetsburg research aggregated with 500+ years of other USDA site data Five years of soil nutrient data gathered at
by Rafaela Relvas (BioNews Texas) Researchers at Texas A&M University conducted a study that brought new insights regarding bioenergy sorghum, finding
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Researchers from Michigan State University, U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and Lawrence
by Ann Perry (USDA/Biomass Magazine) Findings at the USDA are providing information about the soil carbon dynamics that play a crucial
by Noah Fierer, Joshua Ladau, Jose C. Clemente, Jonathan W. Leff, Sarah M. Owens, Katherine S. Pollard, Rob Knight, Jack
by Mary C. Scholes, Robert J. Scholes (Science Magazine) In the past, great civilizations have fallen because they failed to prevent the
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Cool Planet Energy Systems has announced the launch of its trademarked Cool Terra biochar for
(World Bank) The purpose of this report is to improve the knowledge base for facilitating investments in land management technologies
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) As a precursor to the National Advanced Biofuel Conference and Expo in Omaha, Neb.,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Corn stover. It’s that inedible leftover from the corn crop, and if you’ve ever noted
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to a new study performed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn grown using no-till
(Helmholtz Centre For Environmental Research – UFZ/The AlphaGalileo Foundation) The contribution of bacterial remnants to soil fertility has been underestimated
by Ed Hamrick (Biofuels Digest/Greenworld Fuels) … There are more than two billion tons of MSW produced worldwide every year, with
(USDA Agricultural Research Service) From 1850 to 1950, the Tri-State Mining District of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma
(National Science Foundation/Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers contend that manufactured nanomaterials—now popular in consumer products such as shampoos, gels, hair dyes and