The cost of fertilizer today is expensive in large part because of Russia's unprovoked and ill advised war in Ukraine. So does that mean less pounding it with fossil fuel based fertilizers? Well, we're looking at a variety of ways in which we can look at alternatives and substitutes. Some acres of ground that are currently being fertilized don't really require fertilizer at all or require a significantly reduced amount.
Agriculture is responsible for around 11% of U.S. carbon emissions. And yet soil holds the potential for massive carbon sequestration. Conventional agriculture focuses more on crop productivity than soil health, relying on pesticides, fertilizer, and other practices that contribute to climate-changing emissions rather than reduce them. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack advocates for a federal initiative focused on supporting “climate smart” agriculture for commodity crops that comprise the bulk of what’s grown on American farms: corn, soybeans, wheat. Meanwhile, the restaurateur behind Zero Foodprint is working to create change from table to farm, by crowdsourcing funds from customers to support regenerative farming practices directly.
Guests:
Tom Vilsack, Secretary, US Department of Agriculture
Jeremy Martin, Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Anthony Myint, Executive Director, Zero Foodprint
For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts
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