By Ken McEntee Almost three months after the Biden administration announced its final rule defining “Waters of the United States (WOTUS)” and how and which waters will be regulated by the federal government, a federal court in March blocked implementation of the rule in Texas and Idaho. However, Judge Jeffrey Brown, U.S. District Court, Southern Texas District, denied a nationwide …
Peat Demand on the Rise, Harvest Results Mixed
By Ken McEntee A pandemic-driven growth in gardening activity has helped to boost demand for peat moss. On the supply side, however, this year’s Canadian harvest has yielded mixed, weather-related results in the nation’s eastern and western regions, according to the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA), Edmonton, Alberta. In its annual report, based on a member survey about the …
Worm-based Filtration System Creates a Great Soil Amendment
By Ken McEntee Several North American dairy farmers are employing a worm-based filtration system to clean manure-laden wastewater to use for irrigation while producing a marketable soil amendment and potentially earning credits for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The patented BioFiltro BIDA (biodynamic aerobic) filtration system is proving to solve the problem of high nitrate levels in dairy farm …
Mulch, Soil Producers Report Booming Sales During Pandemic
By Ken McEntee Government imposed closings related to Covid-19 may have hurt – or even destroyed – many businesses across the country. The soil and mulch industry was apparently not one of them, according to mulch and soil producers who reported robust sales volumes this spring. “Our soil sales have been overwhelming and we have not been able to keep …