Climate Change

Quantifying Synergies Among Soil-Based Carbon-Drawdown Approaches

Very large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) will need to be removed from the atmosphere over the course of the next century or two to stabilize Earth’s climate at a safe temperature. A handful of C-drawdown approaches are available to perform this task, three of which involve soils: increasing stocks of soil organic matter (SOM), […]

Developing Elementary-Level Curriculum in Soil (Health) Appreciation

It’s our Future that’s at stake” was the rallying cry of tens of thousands of students in cities nationwide just a few days ago as they coordinated a global climate strike. The youth of the world are worried, and rightly so, regarding the future of our planet.  This is why targeting elementary-age students with a […]

Impact of Process Emissions on Climate Offsets by Different Biochar Production Methods

Agricultural use of biochar is generally considered a sustainable and climate-friendly way to increase farm productivity. These benefits, however, depend on how biochar is produced. I have performed some preliminary calculations for a range of biochar production technologies using published data for methane emission and biochar carbon efficiency that suggest that most biochar production approaches […]

Stabilizing the OFoot Decision Support Tool for Interdisciplinary Research

The online agricultural carbon calculator, OFoot, provides a user-friendly interface suitable for not just researchers, but also producers and students, to estimate whole farm carbon footprints. OFoot continues to be a key component to many research, extension, and educational efforts. New planned projects require the tool to be stable, easily maintained, and have good performance. […]

Eating our way to a healthy planet: Can how we eat help reduce climate change?

Agriculture and livestock production are often named as major contributors to climate change and other environmental problems such as poor air quality, polluted water supplies and degraded land. There is some truth in these accusations, but the blame needs to be focused on the way that the food is being produced, not the food itself. […]

Dryland Summer Tour (REACCH)

Join us for an optional gathering of all REACCH team members and stakeholders on the REACCH Summer Tour! On June 19 2012 the tour will leave Moscow at 11:30 am for St. John, WA, where Dave Huggins, USDA-ARS and– Dan Harwood, Palouse-Rock Lake Conservation District and PNDSA board member, will highlight direct seeding and alternative […]

Use of oxidized bio-chars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and attenuate the transport of Escherichia coli in soils

This project addresses one Priority of the BioAg program: Integration of Livestock-Crop Integration and two topics covered by the Climate Friendly Farming program: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Sequestration, Anaerobic Digestion (Biogas) and Biochar (pyrolysis). This project will generate preliminary data on the effect oxidized bio-chars will have on greenhouse gases (GHG)s emissions specifically (CO2) […]

Developing research information to evaluate camelina and canola in a livestock feeding system

Our project will conduct a nutritional analysis of the biodiesel byproduct, and complete an economic analysis using the camelina biodiesel byproduct as ruminant feed. The studies contained in this proposal address the 2012 BioAg priority areas: provide information that is critical in utilization of canola and camelina meals in ruminant diets and thereby promoting livestock […]

The effect of tillage on oxidation of soil organic carbon in organically-managed soil

Organic agriculture uses tillage for several purposes including incorporation of organic inputs. Tillage also speeds oxidation of inputs and soil organic carbon (SOC). In order to understand and model the potential of organic inputs to change total SOC, we need to better characterize the effect of tillage on the simultaneous mineralization and oxidation of inputs […]

Development of Economic and Environmental Life Cycle Analysis Tool for the Assessment of Nitrogen Fertilizers in Apple-Tree Fruit Industry

The project developed an environmental and economic assessment tool for the tree fruit industry. Moreover, an assessment study of fertilizer types was performed contributing to the sustainability of apple production. A simplified and interactive life cycle analysis (LCA) tool was programmed in excel. The LCA tool analyzes operations throughout the establishment, training and production phases […]