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Bioplastic Pellet Absorbs Phosphate for Fertilizer Use

ATTRA

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have developed a bioplastic pellet made from marine polysaccharide (chitosan), eggshells, and wheat straw that absorbs phosphate nutrient pollutant from water. The biodegradable pellets can then be applied to agricultural land as fertilizer.

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Can Human Urine Fertilize Our Crops?

Modern Farmer

In August, Rich Earth released a Farmer Guide to Fertilizing with Urine , available for free on their website. The multi-year trials found that crops fertilized with human urine performed better than untreated control plots. But the potential benefits of fertilizing with human urine reach far beyond the fields of Vermont.

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Farmer Guide to Fertilizing with Urine Available Online

ATTRA

The Rich Earth Institute has a new publication available free, online, Farmer Guide to Fertilizing with Urine. The Rich Earth Institute reports that interest in urine nutrient reclamation has been surging, driven by spiking synthetic fertilizer prices, global supply disruptions, and increasing regulations on aquatic nutrient pollution.

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What is Biochar and How Can It Improve Your Farm’s Soil Health

Cropaia

Soil degradation mitigation Soil degradation is a major concern in agriculture, leading to reduced fertility and productivity. Biochar helps to mitigate soil degradation by improving soil structure, enhancing nutrient retention, and promoting microbial activity.

Compost 64
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How to Improve Long-Term Soil Health on Your Farm

Farmbrite

Healthy soil can mean increased yields (and profits) as well as fewer inputs like fertilizer or pesticides. Soil health is not just about organic matter content or nutrient levels in your fields or garden beds; it's also about how well your plants are able to access those nutrients and build strong roots that can thrive in healthy soil.

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Farm Runoff May Be Tied to Respiratory Illness Near the Salton Sea

Civil Eats

(Photo credit: NASA) At the root of a lot of the [Salton Sea] difficulties are nutrient inputs that are coming in from agriculture, said Tim Lyons, a geochemist at UC Riverside, at the summit. Due to this agricultural runoff, the Salton Sea is hypereutrophic, a term scientists use to describe water bodies that contain excessive nutrients.

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‘Waste Wool’ is a Burden for Farmers. What if it Could be a Solution Instead?

Modern Farmer

The solution didn’t appear until some time later, when another member of the wool industry gave her an idea: Turn the wool into pellet fertilizer. Hagen began researching one possible avenue for unused wool that wouldn’t require scouring: wool pellets for fertilizer. Left: Maksymiuk’s flock. Wool makes sense as a soil amendment.