[Terrapreta] USDA organic certification standards

[Tom Miles]

If there is a special value of charcoal for the organic farmer then we need
to start the process to make sure that the door is not closed to charcoal in
this high value market.  Organic farmers may be more disposed to using
charcoal than others. 

 

In the last week I have been thinking about the application of charcoal as I
have driven from the Canadian border to San Francisco. This covers a strip
of agriculture about 30 miles (50 km)wide and 1000 miles (1500 km) long.  I
am reminded of the crops and soils as I travel. And I try to identify the
most suitable  values charcoal has to offer to a Western farmer in this
region. Cation exchange capacity may be one. Water holding may be less
important.  Richard’s use of charcoal for rehabilitation of depleted soil.
Or, special purposes like providing a media for inoculation or root
development may be useful. We need to find those values that are important
to the growers or we will not see terra preta in use.

 

Tom

 

 

From: Sean K. Barry [mailto:sean.barry at juno.com] 
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 7:08 PM
To: 'David Yarrow'; terrapreta at bioenergylists.org; Tom Miles
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] USDA organic certification standards

 

Hi Tom,

 

Sand maybe (to help with drainage)?  Gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate),
clay, vermiculite, and perlite are all minerals with low solubility and help
soil hold water.  Gypsum releases nutrients and improves soil structure.
Vermiculite has high cation exchange capacity.  I believe charcoal is
insoluble.  

 

SKB

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Tom Miles <mailto:tmiles at trmiles.com>  

To: 'David Yarrow' <mailto:dyarrow at nycap.rr.com>  ;
terrapreta at bioenergylists.org 

Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 8:31 PM

Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] USDA organic certification standards

 

What's the intent of (6)? Does it allow coal with low volatile matter?

 

Tom Miles

 

 

From: terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
[mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of David Yarrow
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 12:57 PM
To: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] USDA organic certification standards

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Douglas <mailto:dnclayton at wildblue.net>  Clayton 

Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 6:49 PM

Subject: USDA organic certification standards

 

David,

Ran across this last night:
§205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient management practice standard.
1. Standards require organic producers to select tools (e.g., tillers,
plows) and practices that maintain
improve soil quality and minimize soil erosion.
2. Producers are required to utilize crop rotations, cover crops and plant
and animal materials
maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not
contribute to contamination
of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, or
residues of prohibited substances.
3. Prohibits the use of raw manure unless it is incorporated into the soil
more than 120 days prior
harvest for crops for human consumption whose edible portion is in direct
contact with the soil
particles; or 90 days prior to harvest for crops whose edible portion does
not contact soil or soil
4. Defines compost as material that has an initial C:N ratio of between 25:1
and 40:1. Requires
to reach specific temperature parameters for specific time periods. If
produced according to requirements,
compost can be applied at any time.
5. Allows use of uncomposted plant materials.
6. Allows mined substances of low solubility.
7. Allows the use of fertility inputs on the National List. Prohibits the
use of synthetic fertilizers
National List.
8. Prohibits the burning of crop residues, except to prevent disease or to
stimulate seed germination.
9. Ash from the burning of plant or animal material is allowed, but manure
ash is prohibited.
10. Micronutrient trace minerals may be used when soil deficiency is
documented by testing.
Micronutrients must not be used as defoliants, herbicides, or desiccants.
Nitrate and chloride
prohibited.

Douglas Clayton
50 Bullard Road
Jaffrey, NH 03452
H. 603-532-7321
W. 603-532-1120
Fax. 603-532-4581 

so then, by an initial reading of the USDA NOP statute, pyrolysis charcoal
is not defined within the language of the law.  so charcoal may not be
automatically approved for use by certified organic farms.

 

we ran into a similar issue in inquiring about the NOP status of sea
minerals, since they are not a "mined substance of low solubility."  sea
minerals are mined minerals of high (total) solunbility.  fortunately, no
one challenged sea minerals on the basis of solubility, and we are
recommending only low levels of application, so the sea minerals are
accepted as a natural mined mineral that is non-synthetic.

 

gaining approval for pyrolysis charcoal under the USDA NOP may involve some
careful crafting of language.  

 

for one, the charcoal must be from organic wastes, where "organic" must be
clearly worded for precise definition   what sorts oif organic materials are
acceptable; which are not?  certainly not highly synthetic paper and
cardboard, or sewerage.

 

for two, the definition must specify the process used to create the
charcoal.  we should be careful to use lanfuage that includes high tech,
controlled combustion and emission steel tanks, without excluding more
traditional methods to create charcoal in earthen kilns, heaps and
smouldering piles.

 

for three, the definition should specify "low temperature" pyrolysis, since
this preserves the microscopic pore structure of the biological-created
carbon-based molecules.  in contrast, high temperatue pyrolysis destroys and
"melts" this micro-pore organic structure, degrading its value as a soil
condiioner favorable to micro-organisms, plus soil aeration, water retention
and nutrient conservation.

 

just a few preliminary thoughts.

 

David Yarrow
"If yer not forest, yer against us."
Turtle EyeLand Sanctuary
44 Gilligan Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061
518-330-2587
dyarrow at nycap.rr.com
www.championtrees.org
www.OnondagaLakePeaceFestival.org
www.citizenre.com/dyarrow/
www.SeaAgri.com
 
"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, 
if one only remembers to turn on the light."  
-Albus Dumbledore

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