S&mp jul aug '13 final

Vol. VII No. 4

July / August 2013

Serving Soil, Mulch, Compost, & Biofuel Professionals www.SoilandMulchProducerNews.com

NEWS

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Dust Suppression & Odor Control Buffalo Turbine – pg 12

Mulch Coloring Equipment/Colorants Colorbiotics – pg 13

Shredders, Grinders, Chippers & Screening Systems Allu Group Inc – pg 10 Diamond Z Mfg – 7 Doppstadt – pg 11 Morbark Inc. – pg 2 Peterson – pg 17 Premier Tech Chronos – pg 15 Rayco Mfg – pg 8 Rotochopper Inc. – pg 23 Screen Machine Inds – pg 5 Screen USA – pg 6 West Salem Machinery – pg 24

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Used Equipment

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‘Plant Recognition Program’

Set for Bulk Mulch, Soil Suppliers

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By P.J. Heller

oil and compost bulk producers who have long urged the Mulch and Soil Council to develop a policy similar to its longstanding product certification program for bagged materials, will soon get their wish with the organization’s launch of a “plant recognition program.”

The voluntary program, expected to be announced in mid-October at the council’s 42nd annual meeting in New Orleans, will recognize suppliers who have the processes, procedures and controls in place to produce quality bulk products.

“We don’t want to confuse it with product certification,” stresses Bob LaGasse, executive director of the council. “It is not product related.

It is process related.”

Certification for bulk producers, unlike the existing program for bagged products, was not a viable option since there was no way to control the product in the distribution chain.

“People who sell MSC certified products in bags couldn’t say the bulk material they loaded on a truck for a landscaper was certified because there was no chain of custody for it,” notes Bill Fonteno, professor of horticulture at North Carolina State University and technical advisor to the Mulch and Soil Council.

“You can’t follow the product through the market the way you can with a bagged product

that has bag integrity,” LaGasse explains. “We’ve been trying to find some way to get parity for the bulk suppliers so they can differentiate themselves in a similar way to the certified product suppliers.

I think at the very least this is a first step for us.

“They [bulk manufacturers] have been asking us for a long time to certify their products,” he adds.

“They understand why we can’t do that. We’ve never had an alternative for them, and now we plan to have an alternative which will do what they want to do, which is to differentiate their company in a very competitive marketplace.”

That’s exactly what Steve Liffers predicts the program will accomplish.

“The plant recognition program is going to allow us to distinguish our company and our products from our competition,” says Liffers, whose company Harvest Garden Pro in Dagsboro, Del., offers both bagged and bulk products.

He says the effort also will give bulk suppliers a more equal footing with others in the industry who sell certified bagged products, as well as help smaller bulk suppliers compete with larger competitors.

“As an organization, the Mulch and Soil Council has not had a lot to offer bulk manufacturers, but now with the new program, they will have a full list of benefits, just as their bag producing brethren,” says Liffers, board president of the Continued on page 3

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‘Plant Recognition Program’

Set for Bulk Mulch, Soil Suppliers Continued from page 1

PUBLICATION STAFF Publisher / Editor Rick Downing Contributing Editors / Writers P.J. Hellers Todd Williams Sandy Woodthorpe Production & Layout Barb Fontanelle Christine Pavelka Advertising Sales Rick Downing Subscription / Circulation Donna Downing Editorial, Circulation & Advertising Office 6075 Hopkins Road Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com For subscription information, please call 440-257-6453.

Soil & Mulch Producer News is published quarterly by Downing & A s s o c i a t e s. Re p r o d u c t i o n s or transmission of Soil & Mulch Producer News, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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council and head of the committee developing the plant recognition program.

Details of exactly how the plant recognition program will work and who will oversee it were still being ironed out at press time in mid-August, with input being sought from bulk producers.

The program, according to both LaGasse and Liffers, will focus on best practices for things such as intake inspection of raw materials, safety, inventory and processing controls, quality control procedures, employee training and bulk loading procedures.

“The intent here is to demonstrate the capability of producing a quality product,” LaGasse says.

As envisioned, suppliers seeking plant recognition will submit documentation showing that their facility meets those standards. One option also being considered for manufacturers who want to go to a higher level would involve on-site inspections.

“Not everybody will qualify,” LaGasse says.

“We already know there are people who don’t have these procedures. And if everybody had them, there would be no need to give special recognition to those who do.”

“In an era of low barriers of entry into the bulk mulch and soil business, participation in the new MSC bulk program initiative will set a company apart from the ‘late-to-the-party, here today, gone tomorrow’ players,” Liffers adds.

Bulk suppliers are expected to be able to apply for the program immediately after it is announced in New Orleans. It will be open to both members and nonmembers of the council.

Also expected to be announced either at the annual meeting or shortly before is a MSC Code of Business Practice.

Under the code, members agree to conduct business in a “responsible, best practice, compliant manner in the eyes of their associates, customers, suppliers and governmental agencies.”

Members who adhere to the code will be able to display a “Proud Member” MSC logo on letterheads, business cards, websites and other promotional materials, as well as on product packaging, to indicate council membership. It does not replace the council’s product certification program.

The voluntary certified product program, which was launched in 2003, allows manufacturers who have had their soils, mulches or soil amendments tested and certified to add the MSC certification logo on their packaging.

Fonteno of North Carolina State University is the director for the certification program and is responsible for testing the products. Areas looked at are safety, product performance and labeling.

“We test how they sell it, make sure the information on the bag is accurate and verified and make sure the product is not harmful and will do what it says it’s supposed to do,” Fonteno explains.

“It’s pretty simple and straightforward but you’d be amazed at how many of those products don’t do that.

“We’re trying to raise the bar so there’s a minimum set of standards . . . ” he says.

The certification program benefits manufacturers, retailers, consumers and regulators.

“MSC certification is a major step in any manufacturer’s customer assurance that its product label is truthful, accurate and that product claims have been verified in an ongoing system of monitoring and evaluation to help users, resellers, regulators and others identify products that conform to the Voluntary Uniform Product Guidelines for Horticultural Mulches, Growing Media and Landscape Soils,” the council says.

Consumers benefit from the program by being assured that the products are safe, reliable and will do what they say they will do.

“Certification means that label claims for packaged products for noncommercial use are reviewed and verified by generally accepted industry criteria or independent research testing and what is on the bag is what is in the bag,” the council says.

“We try to make sure that every claim they put on the bag is verifiable,” Fonteno notes. “We verify every one of those claims no matter what it is.”

Terms such as “ideal growing mix” and “perfect for growing flowers” won’t pass muster.

A slow-release fertilizer that promises to last up to nine months must be able to prove the formulation will last that long, Fonteno says.

“If they say the product will grow flowers twice as big, we need documentation showing flowers growing twice as big,” he says. “Sometimes marketing departments get a little overzealous in what they want to say, so we have to get them to tone it down a bit.”

In addition to lab and greenhouse growth testing, a random audit is done in retail markets at least once a year where bags are checked for standards compliance, formulation, CCA contamination, and net weight or volume.

Manufacturers who submit materials that don’t pass the certification test are advised of problem areas and can revise their product and submit new samples.

“I don’t teach them how to make their products better, but I tell them what’s wrong with it and if they have a question, I’m always willing to answer it, particularly if they’re a member of the council,” Fonteno says. “We try to help all of our members.”

The certification program is open to members and nonmembers of the council, with members receiving a reduced rate for certification testing in addition to other council benefits. The certification process can take from two to six weeks; product certification lasts for one year.

“It makes a better product for consumers and that’s what we’re really about. . . “ Fonteno says.

“We’re just trying to make sure the customers and consumers get what they pay for and its high quality material and they’re happy with it.”

July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News

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Photos courtesy of Morgan Williams, Biochar Solutions, Inc.

Biochar – An Ancient

Agricultural Method Revisited Improves Soil by Capturing Carbon

By Todd Williams

I

n the often-nutrient barren red soils of Brazil’s Amazon River basin, appear islands of dark, rich soils known as “Terra Preta.”

Soil scientists studying these areas as well as others around the world have come to the conclusion the dark earth is evidence of a 2,000year old agrarian practice of converting agricultural waste into a soil enhancer with the modern moniker of “biochar.”

Biochar, according to the International Biochar Initiative (IBI), is a soil additive that can hold carbon, boost food security and discourage deforestation. IBI is a non-profit organization supporting research and commercial applications of biochar.

This unique material appears in nature as the result of forest fires that leave carbon rich soil in their wake. It is believed that ancient farmers grew superior crops in these areas because of this carbonized soil. Later, these farmers started burning their own crop and wood wastes to mimic nature, resulting in the soil additive biochar.

According to T h a y e r To m l i n s o n , communications director of the IBI, biochar is a solid material obtained from the carbonization of biomass, such wood, leaves, grass, manure, nutshells, fruit pits, leaves and other organic materials.

The carbonization process, or “reductive thermal processing,” she says, is the heating of the material in the range of 350 degrees centigrade to as high as 850 degrees 4

Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

with little or no oxygen. Essentially, the process is baking the biomass in the absence of oxygen, and driving out of the volatile gases leaving behind charcoal. The exact times and temperatures used in carbonization depend on the feedstock used to create biochar.

Also, different types of biochar are produced according to the variety of feedstock.

Furthermore she explains, although the process used to make biochar is similar to that of cooking charcoal, biochar distinguishes itself from charcoal by the fact that it is produced with the intent to apply it to soil as a means to improve soil health as well as filter and retain nutrients from percolating soil water.

Tomlinson explains that the two main carbonization processes, pyrolysis or gasification, not only produce biochar but also as a byproduct, energy in the form of oil and gas. The amount and type of energy varies with the feedstock. The energy ranges from none to enough to heat a small area or even run a large biomass power station.

In addition to making an excellent, carbon-loaded soil additive and an energy source, biochar appears to have the added benefit of fighting global warming by sequestering carbon in the soils because of its sponge-like properties.

A plant grows by taking carbon out of the air in the form of CO2. When it dies the carbon returns to the atmosphere. If this dead biomass is turned into biochar and buried, the carbon will not go into the air as CO2, a pollutant.

It is also known to reduce

the amount of nitrous oxide emissions.

Tomlinson points out that because carbon in biochar is trapped in soils for hundreds of thousands of years, it becomes “carbon negative.”

In fact, one ton of carbon in biochar is equivalent to three tons of CO2.

“Biochar and bioenergy co-production can help combat global climate change by displacing fossil fuel use and by sequestering carbon in stable soil carbon pools,” she says.

Setting aside the huge potential to mitigate climate change through its unique properties of carbon capture, biochar is above all seen by many experts as a major tool in rebuilding the planet’s rapidly depleting soil structure.

“We’ve given biochar a nifty, new name.

But really it’s been around for thousands of years, long before chemical fertilizers,” notes Morgan Williams of Biochar Solutions, a Colorado-based producer of biochar as well as a manufacturer of bio-char producing equipment.

Williams says he’s seen the US biochar industry grow about three times per year. Overall, the industry now produces about 6,000 tons per year with an associated value of about six million dollars.

“As our planet’s soils become depleted though overuse of chemicals, poor tilling methods and lack of water, the use of biochar can help mitigate these things,” Williams notes.

He explains that in addition to adding carbon to depleted soils, biochar also improves water quality and quantity by increasing the ability of the soil to retain nutrients as well as any agro chemicals used on the fields. These nutrients stay in the soils instead of leaching into ground water and polluting that source.

Continued on next page

Soil Continued from previous page Williams also points out that the use of biochar will eventually lead to fewer fertilizers (chemical or organic) being applied to the soil because of this sponge-like property in addition to the carbon it adds to the soil.

According to the IBI, biochar works by stimulating the activity of a variety of agriculturally important soil microorganisms. It seems that the pores in biochar provide a suitable habitat for many of these organisms by protecting them from predation and drying while providing many of their carbon, energy and mineral nutrient needs.

On top of all this, Tomlinson adds, because in most agricultural areas in the world soil is too acidic, alkaline biochar actually buffers acidity in the soil by the negative charge that develops on its surfaces.

Although most biochar feedstock from plant matter does not contain actual nutrients, biochar made from manure and bones does. These nutrients are retained in the soil as well.

Biochar feedstock varies widely and produces different types of product.

Williams says he prefers working with a dry, woody feedstock that is cost effective. “This feedstock can be lumber mill waste, logging byproducts, construction and demolition debris or other, similar substances. I avoid any products like tires, coal and biomass that was painted or stained as that makes a challenging permitting environment,” he explains.

Williams says he has also worked with feedstock such as Kenaf, Switch Grass, Corn Stover and other agriculture residues but prefers wood products because they tend to have a better ending cellular structure and associated absorption.

“The best feedstock is the one with properties that suit your end use.

Remember that soil constraints will determine what type of feedstock should be used to make biochar. Also, the feedstock that is closer to where biochar is produced and used is more advantageous because of fuel used to transport the product,” Tomlinson adds.

Williams cites a lumber company in Colorado that is saving on transportation costs of its wood waste by installing a pyrolysis machine on site to convert waste to biochar. Tomlinson also gives an example of an efficient biochar operation. She cites a West Virginia dairy farmer who uses manure to create biochar as well as utilizing the heat from the production process to

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Mulch Producer NEWS

warm his cow barn.

There seems to be no limit in the uses for biochar or who can utilize it, experts say.

Williams says he’s seen the product used in lawn and turf care, ornamentals care, co-composting, landscape service, air and water filtration, hydroseed/ hydro mulch, carbon coatings, odor reduction, pure carbon growth media (orchids), organic gardening, potting soils, vineyards, and large scale farming such as corn.

A new and potentially very critical use of biochar is now being explored: soil revegetation at mine sites.

According to Williams, in the mountain west alone, nearly 100,000 mines contaminate about 40 percent of the west’s rivers. In Colorado alone, toxic discharge associated with legacy mining pollutes 1,300 miles of rivers and streams.

He explains that because of its positive impact on severely depleted soils at mine sites, biochar has been recognized as a tool in land reclamation by the State of Colorado.

“Our technologies serve to re-balance the active and recalcitrant soil carbon pools of landscapes with poor soil structure, limited water retention, unbalanced pH, metal toxicity, trace pollutants and stagnant biological activity,” he states.

Although biochar may be seen by some as a panacea for many problems like global warming, it is actually one of many tools to assist in that process as well as the equally important task of reversing soil depletion, thus stabilizing agriculture and ensuring a world food supply, says Tomlinson.

“What biochar does are only a few things. But the material does these well and works well for a long time in a challenging environment,” notes Williams.

He notes that the biochar industry is growing as more and more uses for the material are found. He notes there are about 115 biochar producers in the US right now and that number is growing.

“The markets are evolving and the cost is stable. We work in 38 states and Canadian provinces right now. I would say over the past 15 years there has been an increasing awareness of biochar, and what its potential is,” Williams says.

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ong Beach, CA—Dubbed the “Great Wall of Mulch,” this Southern California city has erected a novel type of noise and visual barrier along the Terminal Island Freeway, according to a report on epOnline.com.

The 12-foot 3-foot thick “wall” extends 600 feet, and is composed of just a portion of the 12,000 tons of tree trimmings collected by Long Beach each year. The mulch is kept in place with chicken wire and steel posts.

The project was completed in early August at a cost of $150,000. But the idea for the wall sprouted in 2012 when the City’s Office of Sustainability constructed a smaller version of the Mulch Wall to demonstrate feasibility.

In February 2013 the Port of Long Beach partnered with the City to fund this larger demonstration project. The funding also includes further exploration on effectiveness of the mulch wall, including whether it can absorb air pollution such as diesel particulates.

Long Beach has been putting mulch to use all over the city for the last four years, using it to blanket dozens of vacant lots as a weed preventer, thus reducing maintenance costs. In addition, the City’s Green Team makes some 600 free mulch deliveries to residents a year.

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Finland Scientists Develop Cheap Biofuel

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spoo, Finland—Finnish scientists have found an efficient and economical way to produce biofuel, according to a Climate News Network article on RTCC.org. For less than a euro per liter, they say the fuel could be fairly easily produced on a commercial scale.

In studies conducted at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, scientists tested a process for turning raw wood (ligno-cellulosic biomass) into fuel that can power most internal combustion engines. The process, described as “pressurized, fluidized bed gasification” is a technology that delivers commercial quantities of methanol, dimethyl ether, synthetic gasoline and some of the low-sulphur hydrocarbons known as Fischer-Tropsch liquids. The product was made at pilot plants in Finland and the U.S. and appears be highly efficient – gaining 50 percent to 67 percent energy efficient from bark and waste wood biorefineries, and when surplus heat from the process is captured for district heating or other uses, the overall efficiency increases to 74-80 percent.

Studies at University of Illinois are looking at growing crops of trees just for biofuel, mainly the fast-growing black locust – Robinia pseudoacacia.

Bio-refineries with 300 MW capacity could supply fuel for 150,000 cars at a cost of 58 to 78 euros per MWh, or 50 to 70 cents a liter.

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Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

unta Gorda, FL—When Jeff Bisgrove’s house caught fire from somebody flicking a burning cigarette onto his landscaping, he was hot to invent and market an alternative to wood mulch. According to an article on News-Press. com, Bisgrove realized he could use the millions of yards of seashells he excavates from the freshwater reservoirs he builds.

And so was born Colored Shell Mulch of Punta Gorda.

The shells not only are fire retardant, they are an eco-friendly alternative to using wood mulch for landscaping with yet another unique twist – Bisgrove’s company stains them with nontoxic dyes to produce a rainbow of colors -- more than 22,000 shades in all – that will not fade for a minimum of five years.

“It’s a green product that’s been recycled from our Earth’s resources, and it will be around forever,” Bisgrove says.

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USDA and EPA Launch National ‘Food Waste’ Challenge

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ashington, D.C.—The Food Waste Challenge is on, and according to an article on DarienTimes. com, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is getting the word out in a big way.

The two government agencies have teamed up to focus on consumer education, changes in public school meals and expanding recycling programs. By reducing consumption, recovering edibles and recycling food waste, they hope to have 400 partner organizations by 2015 and 1,000 by 2020, including producer groups, processors, manufacturers, retailers, communities, and other government agencies.

Estimates of food waste in the United States fall between 30-40% of the food supply. In 2010, an estimated 133 billion pounds of food from U.S. retail food stores, restaurants and homes went uneaten.

The Food Waste Challenge can help fight hunger and save money, say the organizers. Also, diverting food waste from landfills can reduce greenhouse gases caused by decomposition.

The USDA is educating consumers about food waste and food storage, and supporting the development of new technologies to reduce food waste.

The EPA has developed tools, data management software and technical assistance to help partners manage waste and initiate or improve food sustainability practices.

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Herbicide Aminopyralid Banned in New England

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illiston, VT—The VermontDigger.com reports that Vermont and other New England states have banned pasture application of aminopyralid, a systemic herbicide found in Dow weed-control products, Milestone and Forefront. Farmers who previously used the herbicides on pasture land in New England must wait 18-months before planting hay. The state of New York has banned use of the chemical altogether.

Last summer, landscapers and homeowners noticed dying plants after they had applied Green Mountain Compost (GMC). The material was tested and the trouble was traced to horse manure, one component of the compost. Months of forensic work by the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) which produces GMC, the state Agency of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and Dow Agrosciences found the source.

The residue came from horses that had consumed feed treated with aminopyralid-based products.

Green Mountain Compost is made in Vermont at the Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD) facility in Williston. The damages cost the district some $800,000, and it was left with thousands of yards of tainted compost and woodchips that it cannot sell. Although GMC’s high-heat, high-speed composting process initially was studied for its role in the herbicide residues, investigators later ruled it out when aminopyralid residue was detected.

Over the past year, state and federal agencies have worked with Dow, and the company voluntarily changed its labeling of the chemical.

Now, any violation, or off-label use, is a federal offense. The cooperative effort has been praised by many. Yet, a number of compost business owners are concerned that feed containing aminopyralid is still on the market, easily purchased over the Internet.

In the United Kingdom, products containing the chemical were pulled by Dow in 2008 after problems with contaminated manure surfaced.

The next year, UK regulators allowed restricted use of aminopyralid to grazing land and banned 1235 the making of compost from any possibly contaminated manure. Despite the precautions, The Guardian reported in 2011 that the herbicide had again contaminated compost sold in the U.K. In 2005, Aminopyralid, was reviewed and accepted as a “Reduced Risk Pesticide” under an initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “reserved for compounds that demonstrate lower risk to the environment and to humans than currently used standard compounds,” according to documents from Dow Agrosciences.

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Thousand Cankers Disease Found on Ohio Walnut Trees

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olumbus, OH—The Ohio Department of Agriculture has found walnut twig beetle in a southwest county of the state, LimaOhio.com reports.

The insect carries a fungus that causes deadly, incurable thousand cankers disease (TCD) in walnut trees.

The beetles were present in nine of 26 traps set by ODA officials near walnut trees in Butler County, officials said. The disease itself is not present in Ohio; however, the ODA has added Butler County to a list of national TCD quarantine areas. TCD has been found in 12 other states.

This is the second time walnut twig beetles have been detected in Butler County. In late 2012 the beetles were found in traps set by Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry officials near a wood processing business. ODA officials have quarantined walnut products that have the potential to spread the pest when moved from the site of discovery, the agency said.

The following experts in Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences can offer insight on the fungus and its implications: * Nancy Taylor is program director of the C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. She is involved with testing suspect walnut samples for TCD. Columbus, 614-292-5006, taylor.8@osu.edu. * Dan Herms is a professor in the Department of Entomology. He processed the samples that first revealed the insect’s presence in Butler County. He conducts research and outreach programs on invasive tree pests, including, recently, the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle. Wooster, 330-202-3506, herms.2@osu.edu. * Cindy Meyer is an agriculture and natural resources educator in Ohio State University Extension’s Butler County office. She works with woodland owners and sawmill operators, among others, in the affected

area. 513‑887‑3722, meyer.842@osu.edu. * Amy Stone is an urban and consumer horticulture educator in OSU Extension’s Lucas County office. She conducts outreach and engagement programs on invasive species around Ohio, in part as coordinator of Ohio State’s Emerald Ash Borer Outreach Team. Toledo, 419-2134254, stone.91@osu.edu. * Kathy Smith is OSU Extension’s forestry program director. She leads Extension’s Ohio Woodland Stewards Program, conducts outreach and engagement programs on invasive species throughout Ohio, and can talk about TCD’s potential impact on Ohio’s forests. Columbus, 614-6883136, smith.81@osu.edu. * Eric McConnell is an assistant professor and OSU Extension specialist in Ohio State’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. He has done research estimating the economic impact of TCD and other invasive species in Ohio and can talk about TCD’s potential economic impact on Ohio’s forest industry. Columbus, 614-292- 9838, mcconnell.213@osu.edu.

OSU Extension offers a free fact sheet on thousand cankers disease at http://go.osu.edu/VDX. Stone, Smith and colleagues last year helped produce a free wallet-size TCD identification card. Details on how to obtain one are at http://go.osu. edu/Qrg. The team also recently released a free smartphone app that allows users to report the walnut twig beetle and other invasive species to researchers.

Details, including download instructions, are at: http://go.osu.edu/GLEDN, http://go.osu.edu/Qrj and http://go.osu.edu/VCn. OSU Extension is the college’s statewide outreach arm. Many of the experts in the college also hold appointments with CFAES’s research arm, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

u.net

www.all

usa@allu.net

Info Request #128 10 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

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Soil

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Canada’s Boreal Forest at Great Risk, Panel Warns

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www.buffaloturbine.com

Info Request #175

altimore, MD—A full 50 percent of the boreal forest should be set aside as permanent wild land, top North American researchers propose, according to an article on Canada.com.

The pronouncement was made at the International Boreal Conservation Science Panel, a global conference of biologists, in July. The scientists discussed conserving Canada’s boreal forest, which spans about half of the country’s 9.9-million-sq.-km landmass. One panelist referred to the forest as “one of the world’s greatest natural treasures, one of the last three significant stretches of forested land on Earth that has “never been touched by the large-scale footprint of human industrial expansion, along with the Siberian boreal forest and the Amazon rainforest.”

Previous expert recommendations were for a 10-12 percent set aside.

Now the biologists say this was a significant underestimate, and they advise more aggressive conservation goal.

The panelists emphasized the importance of protecting the forest from any sort of development disruptive to wildlife, plant life and wetlands.

Moreover, they advised that the rest of the boreal area should be managed to preserve its “ecological integrity” because this 5.8-million-sq.-kilometer expanse of northern woods and wetlands is at risk from the effects of forestry, mining and energy projects and related infrastructure construction.

Citing a number of study findings, the panel’s report describes, for example, impacts on water quality and wildlife habitat, leading to the disappearance of woodland caribou and compromising ecosystems where wolverine, grizzly bear and wolf once thrived. Ancient animal migration patterns are being disrupted and some 730,000 square kilometers of Canada’s boreal forest — an area “larger than Texas” — is already affected, they say.

2013 MSC Annual Meeting The Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal Street New Orleans, LA For Details Visit: www.mulchandsoilcouncil.org

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12 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

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Info Request #116 July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 13

Soil

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Earthworms Are Heavy Metal Fans

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ondicherry, India—A ScienceDaily.com article reports that several earthworm species are capable of extracting heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead, manganese and zinc from solid waste.

Writing in the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, researchers from Pondicherry University in India say they have identified three species of earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae, Eisenia fetida and Perionyx excavates, which can do this detox work effectively. The research findings indicate that the worms extracted up to three-quarters of the various heavy metals in test plots. The E. eugeniae species turned out to be the most prolific, judged by the amount of remediated waste in its castings.

Vermicomposting is not new, but targeting toxic waste as feedstock for compost is. However, there’s a price to be paid – by the worms, that is.

While their castings produce rich compost, the metals remain in their tissues, eventually killing them. The dead worms are then removed from the compost material, thus effectively removing the toxic waste. Testing revealed that vermicomposting reduced the presence of heavy metals to levels significantly below the permissible safe limits.

Previous studies by the Pondicherry team focused on vegetable and floral waste, which they found could be vermicomposted and returned to gardens.

Vermicompost has been found to be higher in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium compared to the substrate or underlying soil, and normal compost.

The worms’ digestive process unlocks the nutrients from the organic waste, changing them to simple and more readily available and absorbable forms such as nitrate or ammonium nitrogen, exchangeable phosphorus and soluble potassium, calcium, magnesium. Vermicompost is often considered a supplement to fertilizers and it releases the major and minor nutrients slowly with significant reduction in organic carbon ratios and is readily absorbed and used by plants.

attention: readers!

NY Senator Wants Funding for Emerald Ash Borer Controls

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uffalo, NY—U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is calling for additional funding to fight the battle against the emerald ash borer, according to a report on BizJournals.com.

The invasive insect is threatening the 900 million ash trees in New York and throughout the country. As yet, no methods of effective control have been developed.

“New York State is home to some of the world’s most beautiful forests that today are at a major risk,” Gillibrand says. “Unless we take action, this harmful insect will continue to spread and eat away at trees and forests. We need to make the right investment and bring this harmful insect to a halt before it’s too late.”

Beyond aesthetic beauty, New York’s forestry industry is at stake. With more than 60,000 workers, the forestry adds approximately $4.6 billion to the state’s economy, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The emerald ash borer is suspected of first entering the U.S. near Detroit, Michigan, in 2002, where it led to the killing of millions of ash trees in the Midwest. It then made its way to 19 states and Ontario, Canada. The insect was detected in New York in 2009. It has the potential to destroy upwards of 7 percent of New York’s forests (7.5 percent of trees across the United States).

Emerald ash borers have been confirmed in 15 Upstate New York counties, including Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee and Niagara counties in Western New York.

Gillibrand, who is a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, says extra money is needed for research into ways to control and perhaps eradicate the borer.

Would you like more information about products and equipment advertised in this issue? If so, please complete the Equipment Locator Service form located between pages 12 & 13 and fax to 440-257-6459.

Canada’s ONLY trade show serving the waste, recycling and public works markets

November 20 - 21, 2013

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1 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013 14 CWRE13_SoilMulch_halfpage_ENG_July.indd

6/3/2013 2:23:23 PM

www.ptchronos.com

Info Request #119 July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 15

Product/Equipment Profiles

Bandit Announces the All-New XP-Series Beast® Recyclers / Horizontal Grinders

Biomass Combustion Systems Offers Industrial Wood Furnaces

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andit Industries recently announced that their line of Beast® Recyclers will now carry the XP badge to reflect over 35 specific enhancements and add-ons in eight different categories.

Model 2680XP, 3680XP and 4680XP Beast Recyclers now feature angled front infeeds with larger infeed drive chains. Track Beasts feature height-adjustable pans for adjusting feed angle. A new rail system on the return side of the infeed replaces the roller system, significantly reducing load on the tail shaft. These machines also offer a new “Big Mouth” option that increases the height of the opening into the mill. An extra-large 32-inch diameter feed wheel is optional and includes a brush deflector to better direct material into the machine.

Changes continue inside the mill housing. Base door openings are now larger for easier removal of the cuttermill.

Replaceable wear plates are now standard on the left side (radiator side) of the mill base, and optional on both sides.

i o m a s s Co m b u s t i o n Systems Inc. offers three wood furnaces from 250,000 to 800,000 BTU/hr.

These furnaces are simple to install and operate while being more responsive to a facility’s demand for heat than hot water or steam boilers.

Designed for industrial/ commercial applications, a BCS wood furnace is a powerful and durable product. The design optimizes the wood-fire combustion process through a patented After Burner Chamber which subjects the flue gases to a multistage combustion process to ensure complete combustion and no smoke. It is also rugged enough to endure years of use: The all steel construction is designed around allowing natural expansion and contraction which normally occurs as the system heats and cools during normal use. Unlike rectangular fireboxes which concentrate this expansion and contraction along corners of the firebox, the cradle mounted BCS circular firebox equally distributes this stress, significantly increasing the life expectancy of the system.

For more information on the Beast XP-Series or for a machine demonstration, contact Bandit Industries at 800-952-0178 or visit www.banditchippers.com.

For additional information on these wood fired furnaces, please visit our website at www.biomasscombustion.com or call us at 508-798-5970.

B

VPM 650 Pellet Mill from Vecoplan Midwest

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ith a production capacity of 6,000 lbs. per hour, the VPM 650 Pellet Mill from Vecoplan M idwest is designed specifically for large commercial scale pellet production. The VPM 650 pelletizes hard woods, soft woods, wood scrap, agricultural bi-products, grasses, manures, virtually any type of biomass, paper, cardboard, and a wide range of other feedstocks.

The VPM 520 is 122” long X 93.75” wide X 100” high and weighs 4.2 tons. It comes equipped with 2 x 150 hp. press, 15hp. mixer, and 5-hp. feeder drive motors. The VPM 650 features heavy-duty rigid construction, offers a range of die sizes, and is engineered to deliver maximum production efficiency. Benefits include its low price point, easy low cost operation, and easy low cost maintenance. Combined these features and benefits give the VPM 520 an extremely quick ROI. For more information contact Vecoplan at 812-923-4992; email info@VecoplanMidwest.com or visit our website at www.VecoplanMidwest.com.

16 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

Foley Engines Offers Remanufactured Clutch Packs

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oley Engines is now offering factory remanufactured clutch packs for people running Twin Disc® and Rockford ® power takeoff clutches in tub grinders and wood chippers.

These remanufactured clutch packs install easily in place of the failed clutch pack. Our Hytork clutch packs can get PTO clutch users quickly back up and running at a savings of roughly 50% of the cost of a new clutch pack.

Foley Engines also offer more than 200 free Tech Tips on industrial clutch and engine maintenance at www.FoleyEngines.com.

Foley Engines is one of the oldest distributors in North America. Founded in 1916, we are a family owned, three generation business specializing in marine and industrial engines, replacement parts, marine transmissions, industrial power takeoffs, and exhaust scrubbers/purifiers. To support our customers, we stock over 600 engines and 20,000 square feet of parts and offer immediate, same-day shipment anywhere in the world.

For more information please call Foley Engines toll free at 800-233-6539.

Make Mountains of Mulch High volume mulch producers know that when they have taken care of the logistics of a mulching operation, they need the power, reliability, and quality that only a Peterson horizontal grinder can provide.

• Caterpillar power from 475 to 1200hp • Over 500 yards per hour output capacity • Lowest cost per ton output No matter what your grinding application, Peterson’s horizontal grinders can get you the volume and productivity that you demand. For more information about Peterson products, call Peterson at 800.269.6520 or visit us at www.petersoncorp.com today!

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Info Request #127 July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 17

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csmith@mining-media.com 18 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

Soil

Huanglongbing Devastates Florida Citrus Crop

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mmokalee, FL—Asian citrus psyllids are citrus crop pests that can be fooled, say University of Florida researchers, according to a report on TheGrower.com. The Asian psyllids are vectors for huanglongbing (HLB), which has devastated much of Florida’s citrus crop. The disease is characterized by discolored, mottled leaves and sometimes, “green islands” on sweet orange fruit skin.

But it turns out that using reflective metalized polyethylene film as mulch beneath newly planted citrus trees repels the dreaded psyllids. They become disoriented and can’t find the host plant they seek.

At the same time, the reflective film solution accelerates tree growth (in some cases 21%).

Phil Stansly, an entomology professor based at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, and graduate assistant, Scott Croxton, had previous experience with reflective mulch in combating whiteflies and thrips in vegetable fields. They wondered it might work with psyllids, so they designed a study to find out and invited some Florida citrus growers to participate.

The research proved their hunch correct and also revealed that the reflective mulch helped control weeds and increase moisture and fertilizer retention. The scientists stress, however, that the mulch doesn’t work 100 percent of the time. For example, the reflectivity may be lower or zero on cloudy days. To overcome this drawback, growers are finding other ways to keep the psyllids away during those times. Also, as the trees leaf out to maturity, the film becomes shaded and cannot do its job. Again growers reported using other means of pest management.

The study compared groups of trees surrounded by bare ground, ones with sticky cards on bare ground, white-faced mulch and the reflective mulch. The test plants were not treated with any systemic pesticides.

More than three times as many psyllids were captured by sticky cards between trees on bare ground, compared to those on reflective mulch; twice as many psyllids were repelled by the reflective mulch, as compared to the white mulch.

In one test, the incidence of HLB was four times greater in trees growing on bare ground and white-faced mulch than on ground covered by the metalized mulch. And it was found that a thin clear coating of film over the reflective sheets made it more durable.

The growers that have been cooperating with U of F on the reflective mulch trials have been

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Mulch Producer NEWS

Sell Your Used Equipment with a Classified Ad in

providing valuable feedback on what works and what doesn’t. It’s not an inexpensive solution, either. The mulch itself costs about $300 per acre, depending on what kind of spacing is used.

Six-foot-wide rolls of the thicker, stronger 3-mil, clear coated film seem to work the best. Also, some changes in irrigation (drip) and then freeze protection are required. That’s about another $200.

“We feel that the first two or three years are critical. If we can bring it into production a year earlier than otherwise, it would be well worth it, Stansly says.”

Soil & Mulch Producer News.

For More Information, Call 440-257-6453.

The Amadas

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Soil Products • Bark Mulch • Wood Chips • Compost The Amadas Soils & Bark Bagger is the bagger of choice for serious bark, soil and compost bagging operations.

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Info Request #142 July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 19

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Mulch Producer NEWS

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State Fines Delaware Food Waste Composter $25K for Violations

Canadian Biochar Consortium Needs Field Trial Participants

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O

ilmington, DE—According to D e l a w a re O n l i n e . c o m , s t a t e regulators have cited Peninsula Compost Company LLC for odor complaints, exceeding its waste storage permit terms and accepting prohibited wastes at its Wilmington Organic Recycling Center (WORC). The composter also was found to have inadequate financial reserves for meeting its environmental obligations, as well as record-keeping inconsistencies.

On July 26, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control levied a $25,000 fine on the company and ordered it to make operational changes to WORC. Peninsula Compost has 35 days to respond.

The Wilmington Organic Recycling Center is a $20 million, 27-acre industrial-scale facility located at the Port of Wilmington. The hightech, rapid-composting operation is capable of turning 160,000 tons of residential and institutional food and yard waste, hatchery waste, animal bedding and spoiled fruit from the Port of Wilmington into compost. The facility was recognized for diverting some 100,000 tons of waste from landfills last year. Waste originates throughout Delaware, as well as Maryland, New Jersey and New York City.

Despite using the latest technology to rapidly break down the wastes and an effective product, the operation has drawn complaints from area residents, as well as local official who consider it an eyesore.

Company officials said that the plant began correcting violations and working to eliminate odors before DNREC’s issued violation notices for the problems.

ttawa, Ontario—An article on Farms. com reports that Canadian farmers and landowners now have an opportunity to participate in large-scale field trials to determine the viability of different types of biochars for agriculture use Biochar is a type of granulated charcoal which can be used as a soil amendment. It is currently under examination as an approach to carbon sequestration, the process of carbon capture and storage. The researchers want to explore biochar as a possible tool to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The trials will be conducted by the Canadian Biochar Consortium. For more information about biochar and the field trials - contact Lloyd Helferty at lhelferty@sympatico.ca.

The Canadian Biochar Consortium (CBC), a non-profit organization, consisting of leading biochar experts and professionals in Canada.

Members of the CBC include Lloyd Helferty, an engineering technologist who is the founder and President of Biochar-Ontario; Dr. Joseph Kimetu, a soil scientist working on biochar production and applications both in agro-ecosystems and in oil sands remediation work; Dr. Gerald Kutney, a business executive with experience in the commercialization of a novel technology to produce Biochar; Dr. Julie Major, a soil scientist whose PhD work concentrated on the effects of biochar applications to field soil fertility, hydrology and carbon biogeochemistry; and Dr. Lloyd Strachan, an agricultural economist who has worked on agricultural planning, evaluation and rural development in Canada and in over 40 other countries around the world.

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20 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

New Jersey Mulch Facility Ordered to Shut Down After Multiple Fires

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est Milford, NJ—Following a tremendous blaze, which occurred on July 18th, a New Jersey mulch facility has been ordered to shut down, an article on WestMilfordMessenger. com reports.

Fire trucks were called to Triple T Construction/Organic Waste Solutions on at least five occasions in June and July. The July 18 fire took nearly 14 hours to control and some 1.2 million gallons of water. Besides the local companies, firefighters came from more than a dozen surrounding towns and worked to battle the flames on one of the hottest days of summer. The township’s fire marshal said the blazes were likely caused by spontaneous combustion. Local police and the state arson squad are investigating.

Triple T Owner, Scott Ridings was cited by the state Department of Environmental Protection for operating on a Class C permit that does not allow non-storm wood materials, only organic materials from the township and residents. The state requires a Class B permit for accepting wood materials.

The DEP cited Ridings on May 15 and again on July 12 after inspectors saw the wood materials in April and June. The notice of violations (NOVs) ordered him to remove any on-site materials to permitted/approved facilities. The township’s recycling coordinator believes the site was accepting too much material -- about 56,000 cubic yards combined.

At the time of the fires, the lease between the township and Triple T/Organic Waste Solutions had expired and was under negotiation. A temporary compost pile for residents’ yard debris has been set up on municipal property.

Soil

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Mulch Producer NEWS

Enzyme from Wood-Eating Gribble Could Help Turn Waste into Biofuel

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ccording to a report on sciencedaily.com, Scientists have discovered a new enzyme that could prove an important step in the quest to turn waste (such as paper, scrap wood and straw) into liquid fuel. To do this they turned to the destructive power of tiny marine wood-borers called ‘gribble’, which have been known to destroy seaside piers.

Using advanced biochemical analysis and X-ray imaging techniques, researchers from the University of York, University of Portsmouth and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the USA have determined the structure and function of a key enzyme used by gribble to break down wood. The findings, published in PNAS, will help the researchers to reproduce the enzymes effects on an industrial scale in a bid to create sustainable liquid biofuels.

To create liquid fuel from woody biomass, such as wood and straw, the polysaccharides (sugar polymers) that make up the bulk of these materials have to be broken down into simple sugars. These are then fermented to produce liquid biofuels. This is a difficult process and making biofuels in this way is currently too expensive.

To find more effective and cheaper ways of converting wood to liquid fuel, scientists are studying organisms that can break down wood in hope of developing industrial processes to do the same.

Gribble are of interest as they are voracious consumers of wood and have all the enzymes needed for its digestion. The enzymes attach to a long chain of complex sugars and chop off small soluble molecules that can be easily digested or fermented. The researchers identified a cellulase (an enzyme that converts cellulose into glucose) from gribble that has some unusual properties and used the latest imaging technology to understand more about it.

This information will help researchers to design more robust enzymes for industrial applications.

Water-Stressed Regions Most Vulnerable to Fracking

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oston, MA—Using freely available data and high-resolution maps, researchers have been able to conclude that almost half of the more than 25,000 oil and gas wells in the United States are located in water basins with either high or extremely high water stress, according to an article on Insights.Wri.org.

The report comes from Ceres, a corporate and community sustainability advocacy organization, based in Boston, MA. Entitled, “Hydraulic Fracturing & Water Stress: Growing Competitive Pressures for Water,” the report combines Aqueduct’s high-resolution water stress maps with FracFocus.org data on the location and water use of U.S. shale oil and gas wells.

Ceres works with leading companies, investors, public interest groups, policymakers and other economic stakeholders. They review sustainable solutions that will reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants, protect vital natural resources, such as water supplies and advocate for safe and just working conditions. Their goal is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels while transitioning to a clean energy economy.

“By combining new geospatial data on issues like water, agriculture, and urban development with Aqueduct’s global water risk maps, researchers gain new insights into how water risk influences complicated, global challenges,” Ceres says in its news release. The group is currently working on analyses that will examine shale oil and gas deposits in water-stressed areas all around the world.

“It is critically important that we continue to do research to better understand the risks – especially the water risks – developing these resources can create,” the group notes.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that shale oil production will more than double between 2011 and 2020.

Ceres mobilizes investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy.

www.WasteConversionConference.com July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 21

Soil

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Mulch Producer NEWS

ADVERTISER NEWS Komptech USA Announces New Dealer, Along With Expansion of Its Central Parts Warehouse

K

omptech USA, Inc recently announced its newest dealer Powerscreen Texas. Powerscreen Texas Inc was established in July of 1978 in La Grange Texas and is centrally located between Houston and Austin. Powerscreen Texas is the authorized dealer for Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma for both Powerscreen and Komptech.

According to Todd Dunderdale, Komptech USA Sales and Marketing Director, “Powerscreen Texas is a great fit for Komptech in a fast growing market. We now can offer our customers service, parts and support that is up to the Komptech standard. We have been very successful with our other Powerscreen Partners in other parts of the country and fully expect to duplicate this success with Powerscreen Texas.”

Komptech also recently announced the expansion of its central parts warehouse in Denver, thereby doubling the space. According to the company, the existing space was getting crowded, especially since last year when Komptech had doubled its parts stock.

Vecoplan Midwest Sponsors Car at NASCAR Nationwide “STP 300”

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ecoplan Midwest, a provider of turnkey pellet production systems, sponsored car #23 at the NASCAR Nationwide “STP 300”, held on July 21 at Chicagoland Speedway. The #23 Vecoplan Midwest Ford Mustang was driven by Harrison Rhodes and fielded by Rick Ware Racing.

Vecoplan Midwest is the source for complete pellet production systems. From processing the raw material to bagging the finished pellets, Vecoplan Midwest designs, builds, and installs complete pellet production systems. Equipment in a typical line includes size reduction, conveyance, metering, pelletizing, cooling, screening, packaging, and customized system controls.

Terra Select, Inc. and Peterson Pacific Sign Dealer Agreement

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erra Select Inc. (TSI), a manufacturer of screening equipment, recently announced the signing of Peterson Pacific, an Astec Company, as their new dealer for Washington, Oregon, northern California, western Montana, and Idaho.

Headquartered in Sassenberg, Germany, TSI has been actively growing their dealer network over the last 3 years. TSI’s North American headquarters are based in Orem, Utah. “We recognize that product support is as critical to a sale as the sale itself so the opportunity to work with a company like Peterson is very exciting” said Doug Sites, Director of TSI. “Peterson’s sales force has sold other trommel screens in the past, but is looking forward to selling a product that is manufactured and supported by a company that believes that the customer deserves the best product. We look forward to this opportunity and are already seeing success with this partnership” said Sites.

Dave Girard, western sales manager for Peterson Pacific echoed Site’s comments: “The addition of TSI’s trommel and star screens to our diverse product line of grinding, and chipping equipment, as well as our blower truck lines really allows us to offer a complete package to our customers who want to be able to size materials after it has been processed through our equipment.”

22 Soil & Mulch Producer News July / August 2013

ALLU Welcomes Technology Expert Charles Wilk

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LLU Group Inc., recently announced the addition of Charles Wilk as Manager of Mass Stabilization and Remediation Applications.

An Environmental Scientist with more than 25 years’ experience in soil mixing and Solidification/Stabilization (S/S) treatment for civil and environmental applications, Wilk will provide technical assistance to ALLU customers in North and Central America on the ALLU Soil Stabilization System for mass-stabilizing land and remediating contaminated soil.

Wilk has an extensive international track record in S/S and soil mixing for waste management, contaminated site remediation, and civil applications. Also, an author of 30 papers and publications on S/S and soil mixing technology.

James P. Hallock Promoted to VP AgriCoatings Div. of American Colors

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merican Colors is proud to announce that James P. Hallock has been promoted to Vice-President of AgriCoatings a newly formed Agriculture and Landscape Division. Jim rose from production employee to production supervisor then Assistant Plant Manager of American Colors, Orlando. After a period with CCP, as Manager of the Oxnard CA. plant, Jim returned to American Colors as Director of Operations for the Murfreesboro, TN plant then expanded and moved the operation to Lebanon, TN. He then joined the sales department and spearheaded the growth in the Agriculture and Landscape Industry, naming it: AgriCoatings.

Vecoplan Commissions Feedstock Preparation System as Part of Waste-to-Biofuels Project

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ecoplan LLC recently announced the commissioning of a multi-million dollar, state-of-the art Alternative Fuel Feedstock Preparation System for the City of Edmonton. An integral component in one of the world’s first industrial scale municipal wasteto-biofuels facilities, the mechanical feedstock preparation system will produce 100,000 dry tonnes (metric tons) of RDF per year. All feedstock will be waste that cannot be recycled or composted and has traditionally been sent to a landfill.

Vecoplan, under contract by the City of Edmonton, was responsible for all construction of the RDF/waste processing facility. The facility will supply processed feedstock to an adjacent waste-to-biofuels facility.

Morbark Honors Top Dealers

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orbark, Inc. recently recognized four of its top dealers.

Columbus Equipment Company was named Industrial Dealer of the Year for the second straight year, while Alexander Equipment Company, Nortrax Northeast, and Schmidt Equipment, Inc., earned Gold Tier Dealer status for their tree care products divisions.

Morbark dealers are reviewed and scored annually on their customer service, business plan, equipment and parts sales, service and warranty process, marketing efforts, and much more. As a result of the 2012 review process, Alexander Equipment and Nortrax Northeast retained Tree Care Product Gold Dealer status while Schmidt Equipment earned its first Gold Tier ranking.

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Info Request #170 July / August 2013 Soil & Mulch Producer News 23

6075 Hopkins Road • Mentor, OH 44060 Ph: 440-257-6453 • Fax: 440-257-6459 Email: downassoc2@oh.rr.com VOL. VII NO. 4

JUL /AUG 2013

Inside This Issue ‘Plant Recognition Program’ Set for Bulk Mulch, Soil Suppliers Page 1

Biochar – An Ancient Agricultural Method Revisited Improves Soil by Capturing Carbon Page 4 USDA and EPA Launch National ‘Food Waste’ Challenge Page 8 Canada’s Boreal Forest at Great Risk, Panel Warns Page 12 Huanglongbing Devastates Florida Citrus Crop Page 19 Enzyme from Wood-Eating Gribble Could Help Turn Waste into Biofuel Page 21

www.westsalem.com info@westsalem.com

Info Request #151

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Mentor, OH Permit No. 2