Recycling our newspapers, soda cans, water and soda bottles is second nature; composting is also trending, providing a productive use for coffee grounds, fruit cores, leaves, grass, etc. But did you know that farmers across Virginia are land applying the ultimate product in recycling? Highly treated biosolids (think – wastewater that has undergone additional treatment to kill pathogens and stabilize the material for recycling) are processed into a simpler, harmless organic matter, rich in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. It provides a fabulous soil amendment and fertilizer which is recycled on farms and forests in all 50 states, and in most developed countries around the world.

New wastewater-treatment tech is cutting carbon emissions by converting our waste into garden-safe fertilizer — despite the ick factor.

Let’s talk about gardening technology. Not some fancy gadget for monitoring water or sunlight, but technology that feeds the dirt itself.

At Annie’s Ace Hardware in Washington, D.C., among the potting soil and ceramic planters and lawn care items, there’s a relatively new entrant into the fertilizer market. It’s called Bloom and it costs about 50 cents a pound, but it took about $450 million worth of tech and investment to get it there. Annie’s Hardware is one of the few stores in the city that sells it.

The Annual Virginia Ag Expo returns to Corbin Hall Farm Thursday August 5, 2021. Situated on nearly 2,000 acres in Middlesex County, Corbin Hall Farm is a wealth of history and an innovator of field days. From those early days it has now evolved into the annual Virginia Ag Expo. With an eye on soil health, nutrients, environmental stewardship, productivity and yield, this historical user of biosolids, Corbin Hall Farm is known for its award-winning corn yields and commitment to this beautiful tract of land which nourishes crops from corn to soybeans, wheat and barley, and beef cattle too. “I understand my responsibility to the productivity of this farm, its legacy and the role this farm plays in protecting the rivers and land that surround us,” he said. “Using a variety of conservation practices, such as nutrient management plans, no-till soil conservation, and improved crop management have only benefited our crop yields.”

The water and biosolids communities have been looking forward to integrate organizational culture and water resource recovery to become a leader in sustainability.  Specifically, wastewater treatment plants are transforming into water resource recovery facilities as a part of the Utilities of the Future program. Biosolids recycling contributes to the utilities’ greater goals. Beneficial biosolids reuse is one important pillar to energy sustainability, soil health and nutrient reuse.

Top-ranked Virginia Tech Soil Judging team lead by PhD student and soil scientist Jacqlyn Fiola was looking for a challenge this year with the normal competition paused by COVID-19.  Active

Today is Earth Day.  It is a time for all citizens to evaluate our connection with the Earth. It’s a very special day for people like me, whose job is centered on protecting and enhancing our natural environment.  This year’s theme is “Restore Our Earth”, a perspective of optimism following a challenging year impacted by a global pandemic and climate change.

The Virginia Biosolids Council Code of Good Practice has been providing guiding principles to its members for more than a decade. Like anything else, the Code requires constant review and, if appropriate, updating. Our Code received a thorough evaluation in 2020, and that work resulted in what we consider to be valuable and significant amendments.

The Weatherly family has a long history in the farming industry. The Weatherly farm was started in the 1930s by Scott Weatherly’s grandfather. After being passed down to Scott’s father, Scott joined his father in farming in 1986 and then took over the farm in 2012.  The farm, spanning over 130 acres in the City of Chesapeake, has seen great harvests of cotton, corn, soybeans, and wheat — rotating with spikes in price, demand, and the weather.

Technology has been a major factor in their recent success, allowing Weatherly to take advantage of many resources to increase their yields. In fact, he has managed record-breaking yields, while also serving as stewards to the environment in utilizing nutrient management plans, satellite, and steering technology.

Creamfield Farms is about 4,000 acres of row crops, primarily corn, soybeans, and wheat, with rape, canola seed, grain sorghum and hay. Creamfield’s land extends across state lines into North Carolina.

Like many of today’s farmers, Grayson Kirby, manager of Creamfield Farms, focuses his attention on research and technology to guide the management direction of his work – and that includes the use of biosolids as an important component of his farm management.

Recently, in a memo from David P. Ross, Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), clarification was provided to the land application of Exceptional Quality (Class A) biosolids.

According to the memo, its purpose is “to provide EPA’s interpretation of 40 CFR § 503.10, specifically §§ 503.10(e), (f), and (g), regarding whether certain land application requirements apply to entities, including a treatment works or a soil blender, that derive material from Class A EQ sewage sludge.”