Here is a snapshot of what has been happening in soil carbon in Australia and around the world over the last week or so:
- Plastics in Soil: A Challenge: an interview with Professor Alex McBratney on the environmental issues of plastic pollution from mulching, wrapping and binding affecting soils http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/professor-alex-mcbratney-plastics-in-soil-a-challenge/
- Ag department announces healthy soil biomass pilot program: an overview of the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Heath Soil Biomass pilot program paying farmers to plant winter cover crops https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/farm_news/ag-department-announces-healthy-soil-biomass-pilot-program/article_e3c98221-4e18-5749-83a3-1f68cce3789b.html
- National Cotton Council of America developing US Cotton Trust Protocol: an integrated data collection, measurement and verification procedure to track US progress on national sustainability goals, including a 30% increase in soil carbon by 2025 http://www.cotton.org/news/releases/2018/susted.cfm
- Part of the Answer to Climate Change May Be America’s Trees and Dirt, Scientists Say: a New York Times article on natural climate solutions, including building soil carbon through new agricultural practices https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/14/climate/climate-change-natural-solutions.html
- Farmers’ perspective vital to long-term improvements in agricultural practices: an overview of a study from scientists at UWA examining temperate perennial grass pastures as a mechanism to build soil organic carbon http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/2018112711126/agriculture-farmers-conservation/farmers-perspective-vital-long-term-improvements-agri
- Soil C Quest’s field test: updated on broad scale trials of inoculum to accelerate soil carbon sequestration https://www.forbesadvocate.com.au/story/5767047/soil-c-quests-field-test/
If you have any news or links to share, please send to matthew.warnken@agriprove.io in the first instance, so that the information can be shared with the wider membership.