Groundbreaking Nutrient Recovery Technology Unveiled to Support a Sustainable Agricultural Circular Economy
HAVANA, Fla. (June 14, 2022) — Today, Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) and the US EPA, in partnership with AECOM, UF/IFAS and May Nursery, demonstrated the progress and technology of an EPA 2021 Farmer to Farmer grant awarded project. The NWFWMD was awarded $959,754 for an Algae Harvesting and Biomass Reuse project where unused nutrients from agricultural practices are captured and transformed into a biofertilizer to support sustainable nutrient reduction in agricultural runoff.
The objective of this project is to demonstrate how nutrients that are discharged within the Gulf of Mexico watersheds from farming operations can be captured and reused on-site.
“EPA believes in the power of collaboration and communication to help engage the right people in the conversation,” said Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “We look forward to seeing the transformative partnerships and projects that will work to advance protection and restoration of this vital watershed.”
“Nutrient management is important to creating thriving waterbodies for commercial and recreation uses,” said Marc Wyatt, Director, EPA-Gulf of Mexico Division. Northwest Florida Water Management District and its partners are innovatively exploring benefits of nutrient reuse as biofertilizer and are stimulating interest among producers to learn this method. The environmental benefits of nutrient reuse, as a biofertilizer, will improve the health of ecosystems for generations to come.”
“The Farmer-to-Farmer program is an ideal fit – and May Nursery is an ideal location – for this type of project,” said Anna Upton, a Governing Board member for the Northwest Florida Water Management District. “We applaud the creative energy by all participants involved who brought this project forward and we look forward to seeing how this algae-harvesting unit performs in an agricultural setting.”
“The use of innovative technology to help address water quality issues is something we need to continue exploring in northwest Florida,” said Kellie Ralston, a Governing Board member for the Northwest Florida Water Management District. “We are eager to learn more about this technology and see if it can be used in other areas within our district.”
The project demonstrates an innovative approach to harvesting nutrient-enriched, algae-dominated water within an agricultural setting, harvesting the algae for reuse and nutrient reapplication on the originating nursery operation, and then releasing highly treated water, in accordance with local, state, and federal permits, back into the natural environment. The outcomes include the following:
– Reduced export of nutrients from the participating agricultural operation. When applied broadly, this would reduce nutrient enrichment and the potential for cultural eutrophication within the receiving watershed and downstream coastal waters.
– Reduced release of toxic algae to the environment, with reduced public and environmental exposure to toxins such as microcystin.
– Demonstration of the potential for reuse of extracted nutrients, in the form of treated algae slurry, within the originating agricultural operation, with further demonstration of economic benefits from reduced needs for introduction of commercial fertilizers.
– Improved water use efficiency, through reapplication and reuse of water, reducing demands on regional water resources.
– Public outreach, to educate producers about this emerging technology, as well as obtaining the benefit of the expertise of the agricultural community to further advance and improve the methods.
– Demonstration of the applicability and effectiveness of this approach and technology regionally and through the Gulf of Mexico drainage, as well as beyond.
Background
The Farmer-to-Farmer grant funding is available to develop innovative practices within farming communities, measure the results of those practices, and identify how the practices will be incorporated into farming operations. Under this grant program, proposals will carry out project activities using one or more of the following methods: surveys, studies, research, investigation, experimentation, education, training, and/or demonstrations.
Historically, EPA has awarded a total of $20 million to support projects to improve water quality, habitat and environmental education through farmer-led or farm focused organizations in the Gulf of Mexico watershed, including the upper and lower Mississippi River Basins.
The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain, and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.
For more information visit: https://www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico .