Latest news with #sustainablefarming
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
45 Years of Sustainability at Frey Vineyards
By Molly Frey, Frey Vineyards Frey Vineyards sits at the heart of Mendocino County in Redwood Valley, tucked into the hills of Northern California. There, the Frey family grows organic grapes in organic vineyards and makes organic wine. Wine Enthusiast awarded Mendocino County the AVA (American Viticultural Area) of the Year award for 2024, in large part due to the sustainable winery practices in this area. Mendocino County is California's greenest AVA, in large part, thanks to the efforts of the Frey family's presence here. In addition to championing Organics and Biodynamics in winemaking, the Frey family has purchased tons of grapes over the years from local wineries, thereby encouraging the growers in the area to go Organic or Biodynamic. What distinguishes Frey from many other businesses is that many of the family members work and live at Frey Vineyards. When Jonathan and Katrina Frey established Frey Vineyards, they were really organic farmers that took an opportunity to pioneer the organic wine movement here in the United States. They weren't businesspeople looking to capitalize on a niche market; they were a family devoted to organic farming and gardening that decided to create the organic category in viticulture and winemaking. Their savvy business sense came out of the necessity of wanting to and needing to promote the category of Organics. Read Molly's engaging article here - ===== Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from GreenMoney Journal
New York Times
21 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Which Cooking Oil Should I Use?
A splash here, a splash there. You might not think your cooking oil matters much for the climate and the environment. But it does. Farming accounts for about a third of global carbon emissions. And, according to a major study published in 2022, nearly 20 percent of the planet's total farmed land goes toward oil crops. But that doesn't mean that all oils are bad. Some are much better than others. And, in some cases, they might even provide a net benefit in terms of planet-warming carbon. Here, in a nutshell, is what you should know. The global rankings Just four crops make up more than 85 percent of the world's edible oil: palm, soy, canola and sunflower. Peanut, coconut and olive oils are the next biggest. All the others, including corn, grapeseed and avocado, make up just a sliver of the global market. According to that study published in 2022, canola and sunflower oil are the two best bets for the climate, on average, around the world. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Science
- ABC News
Microbial soil fertiliser trial shows early success on Tasmanian farms
A group of Tasmanian dairy farmers is hopeful tiny organisms in the soil could soon offer a cheaper, climate-friendly alternative to synthetic fertiliser. They've made more than 500 hectares available on eight farms for a pasture trial to measure whether microscopic soil organisms can supply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), the three essential elements in most commercial fertilisers. Agronomist Hiren Bhadani proposed the experiment three years ago while working at one of the farms now in the trial. The then-master's research student was working at George Rigney's property in Cressy, northern Tasmania, to help pay his way through university. "We were spreading urea throughout the year with one operational tractor every day going with the urea, and that's not really good for the soil or not good for the environment," Mr Bhadani said. Witnessing the daily routine got Mr Bhadani thinking about potential solutions, like applying microbes. "If we reduce the synthetic urea application, we will reduce the greenhouse gas emission in the environment, which is very, very harmful to the climate," he said. He also estimated reducing urea use by 25 per cent would save the dairy $100,000 a year. Hiring Mr Bhadani as a farm worker proved fortuitous for Mr Rigney. Sparked by an after-work yarn with Mr Bhadani about microbes and cricket, Mr Rigney agreed to a trial to see if soil microbes could improve soil health, boost pasture growth and cut the farm's reliance on urea. "[There are] millions of microbes in just one milligram of soil, but out of those millions we have only a few species which are very important for the soil, and me and George are working on those kinds," Mr Bhadani said. Mr Bhadani has been testing four species imported from India, which are sprayed onto paddocks in liquid form. Two take nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil, while the remaining microbes unlock complex forms of phosphorus and potassium, making the nutrients accessible to the plants. The pasture growth and reduced soil acidity shocked both men. "We're actually growing more grass with 25 per cent less fertiliser and soil pH is up," Mr Rigney said. When the trials began three years ago, the soil contained none of the four microbes. Now, their concentration is about 35 per cent. "They multiply by themselves … our aim is to get to 50 per cent microbes per gram of soil, and then we're going to call that fully stocked," Mr Rigney said. "That's our saturation point. We don't think that we're going to get any more benefits after that." Mr Bhadani predicted significant savings. "In the next five years, if the whole area is under [the] microbes trial, it will definitely reduce 30-to-40 per cent of the synthetic urea … that's a big, big amount for the dairy business." As word of the trial spread, other dairy farmers asked to take part. Before signing up, Troy Ainslie, manager of Woodrising Dairy at Cressy, was sceptical. He figured if they worked, microbes would already be widely used. "You have a bit of apprehension [asking], 'Why is it not done already then?' Mr Ainslie said. After the success at Woodrising, the farm's owner Compass Agribusiness Tasmania is considering using the microbes on its five other dairy farms. The trial's early success hasn't just convinced local farmers; it's also sparked interest from industry leaders. The Rigney farm supplies milk to dairy giant Fonterra. Fonterra is watching the trial closely as pressure builds worldwide for farmers to apply less urea to pastures. The milk company's agronomist, Richard Rawnsley, said nitrogen losses were a concern for the industry. "If we're losing it up [into the air], that can be lost as nitrous oxide, which is a greenhouse gas that we don't want. And nitrogen can get down below our root zone and into our waterways. "It's a new area of science and understanding, and it's great to see what Hiren and George and the team are doing here … I think it's very exciting." While the trial is still in its early stages, Mr Bhadani hopes, with Mr Rigney's help, they might one day be able to manufacture the Indian microbes under licence on the dairy farm. Watch ABC TV's Landline at 12:30pm AEST on Sunday or stream anytime on ABC iview.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Solar farm by M1 Watford Gap services approved
Plans to install more than 15,000 solar panels on farmland near the M1 Watford Gap services have been will be put on an 18-acre (7.3 hectare) field close to the service station, the A5 and existing Northamptonshire Council received no objections to the Walker, from developer PS Renewables, told the authority's planning committee it was "a relatively small solar farm comprising a single field". The meeting of the council's strategic planning committee on Tuesday heard the panels would have little visual impact due to warehousing and wind turbines in the backdrop, the Local Democracy Reporting Service built, the site could generate up to 6mw of renewable electricity, which the applicants advised would be enough to power 2,100 Walker told the committee: "The solar farm will contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in line with legal requirements - and will importantly be electricity generated in the UK for use in the UK."He added the site was not previously used for growing crops but instead held livestock, which would continue once the solar farm was operational in the form of sheep committee members voted unanimously to approve the project. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CBC
4 days ago
- Business
- CBC
This Alberta solar field is becoming a high-tech hobby farm on the side
This summer, a solar field in Alberta will not only be generating about 40 megawatts of electricity each sunny day but also producing eggs, honey, meat and wool. There are 110,000 solar panels on the 130 hectares of land, in addition to about 400 sheep, 40 pigs and 100 chickens. The bees are arriving soon. The solar project, which is owned by Edmonton-based Capital Power and located near the town of Strathmore, is beginning to resemble a hobby farm. But for those involved, it's an important opportunity to test new technology and farming techniques. As demand for electricity grows every year, this site provides a glimpse into the future of the solar industry in Canada. The chickens arrived this week and began laying eggs inside their new home, a mobile coop that slowly moves between the long rows of panels. The structure is a self-propelled pasture barn designed by UKKÖ Robotics, a Manitoba-based startup. The concept is to house animals in a building, while providing fresh grass to graze and spreading the manure evenly on the land. Multiple times a day, the coop slowly moves a small distance, usually half a metre at a time. The company has installed 50 of the roaming structures around the world, but this is the first time it will operate on a solar site. "If it does work, I think there's some great applications throughout North America because this is underutilized agricultural land," said Daniel Badiou, co-founder and CEO of UKKÖ Robotics. Solar industry vs. farming As the solar industry has expanded, especially in Alberta, rural landowners have raised concerns about the impact on farmland. Those critiques are in part why the Alberta and Ontario governments have introduced new rules that restrict solar panel development on prime agricultural land and require solar operators to include some type of agriculture, depending on the quality of the land. But sheep farmer Janna Grier said she thinks solar farming and regular farming can actually go hand in hand. She's the co-founder of Solar Sheep, and this is the fourth summer that she'll manage the vegetation at this solar field. "Our vision is essentially farming under every panel," said Grier, who began by using sheep and has expanded to test out on other animals. "We want to kind of prove the concept that we can raise more protein and more local food per acre," she said. "There's a ton of solar development going on throughout the province, and so we're just trying to keep that land in agriculture. But we're also trying to keep it and leave it in a better place than when we started." 'Rethinking how beekeeping is done' The bees will also be part of testing new technology, as they will be housed in a predator-proof, climate-controlled building that's similar in size to a garden shed. The mobile indoor apiary is designed and built by Bee Cube, a Calgary startup. Instead of housing one hive in a box, the Bee Cube building can house up to 20 hives. So far, seven of the structures have been built, including the one at the solar field. Each building has sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, weight and the sound of the bees. "All that data goes to a database so that beekeepers will know what's going on inside their hives at any given time," said Herman Van Reekum, founder and CEO of Bee Cube. The next step will be integrating artificial intelligence to provide early warnings and management tips. The technology is aimed at improving bee health, while also saving time for beekeepers. At the solar field, the bees will not only produce honey; they'll help pollinate the various types of flowering plants. "It's going to be a great learning experience," Van Reekum said. "Bees are dying at unbelievable rates, and so we're trying to do something about that through this kind of rethinking how beekeeping is done." The main objective of the Strathmore solar field, located about 40 kilometres east of Calgary, is to generate electricity, but the agricultural activities are nonetheless important, said Wade Heuscher, solar manager for Capital Power, the power generator that owns the project. The company is beginning a 10-year soil-testing program to better understand how the livestock, rotational grazing and vegetation management are impacting the soil conditions. "One of the common issues is that we've taken this land and we've made it into a solar farm, and it's now not usable for anything else. We're showing that there's a difference here," Heuscher said. "This is the way of the future. I think this is a partnership that all solar providers should be looking at doing." WATCH | The synergy between solar and agriculture: The goal of 'farming under every panel' 12 minutes ago Duration 1:30 Solar Sheep's Janna Grier and Capital Power's Wade Heuscher explain why animals are used at the Strathmore Solar site in Alberta.
