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The U.S. crop feed industry uses more than 100,000 tons of pesticides annually. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture Public Domain Mark 1.0 U.S. Department of Agriculture Public Domain Mark 1.0

The hidden cost of U.S. meat? 107K tons of pesticides, says The Independent

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Negli Stati Uniti l’industria dei mangimi continua a fare ampio uso di pesticidi nelle colture di soia e grano per l’alimentazione animale. Nel mirino, rileva il quotidiano britannico, l’atrazina e il glifosato. Sostanze pericolose per l’uomo, gli animali e il suolo
The presence of hazardous chemicals in beef suggests previous soil contamination. Photo: Lance Cheung, U.S. Department of Agriculture Public Domain Mark 1.0Photo: Lance Cheung, U.S. Department of Agriculture Public Domain Mark 1.0

Chemicals in meat and soil raise concern in US, The Guardian writes

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A contamination event in Michigan raises some alarm about dangerous chemicals infiltrating the soil and harming the food chain. US authorities' policy remains controversial, the British newspaper says.
A soil sampling operation. The survey, which also involves Colorado State University, is focused on the interactions between grazing, soil and the carbon cycle. Photo: courtesy of Francesca Cotrufocourtesy of Francesca Cotrufo

Grazing land, hidden treasure: “Adaptive grazing management helps climate and soil”

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A research on the interactions between livestock, soil and the carbon cycle was just launched in the US. Francesca Cotrufo (Colorado State University): "We are already working at global scale, market participants have realized the importance of the issue". Carbon is crucial, "but accurate calculation methodologies are needed".
Vegetated buffer strips are an efficient barrier against waterway pollution. Photo: Bengt Oberger Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)Bengt Oberger Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Riparian buffer strips reduce water pollution while protecting soil health, study says

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Riparian buffer strips pose no real danger to soil stability and banks, US research shows. A finding that suggests a wider use of this natural remedy against water contamination
Mushrooms are able to absorb and break down many toxic substances, thus restoring soil health. Photo: Raffael Herrmann cc0.photo public domainPhoto: Raffael Herrmann cc0.photo public domain

Oil-eating mushrooms bring contaminated soil back to life

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U.S. researchers test the ability of mushrooms to absorb and break down soil contaminants. A strategy to restore land by reducing the weight of waste
For years, U.S. and Canadian scientists have been studying microbes of some farmland in Ontario to identify links between some particular crops and soil balance. Photo: Pixabay License Free for commercial use Attribution not requiredPixabay License Free for commercial use Attribution not required

Microbes tell us how the soil is doing. And they help save on fertilizer

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It' s not just about organic matter: microbes are crucial in guaranteeing a proper soil balance. Canadian and Amercan scientists have developed a new test to capture soil biological activity
Deforestation in a nutshell. Between 2002 and 2018, the Brazilian Amazon lost more than 20 million hectares of tropical forest. Photo: Amazônia Real from Manaus AM, Brasil Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)Amazônia Real from Manaus AM, Brasil Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

FAO, NASA and Google join forces to beat deforestation through data power

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FAO announces the launch of a Data Partnership to tackle deforestation. The initiative is based on geospatial information, which is being increasingly used in recent years to monitor soil and risk areas.
With proper grazing management, cows can contribute to the health of the soil by increasing its ability to sequester carbon. Photo: pxhere CC0 1.0 Universalpxhere CC0 1.0 Universal

Cowboys for future. Here’s how cows and ranchers are fighting against climate change

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NY Times investigation: in U.S. grasslands, new grazing strategies enable cows to preserve soil health.Carbon sequestration increases, scientists and activists approve
Basalt rock in Iceland. When used as amendment, this mineral is reportedly proving effective in increasing soil fertility and carbon capture. Photo: Hippopx License to use Creative Commons Zero - CC0Hippopx License to use Creative Commons Zero - CC0

Rock dust pushes crop yields higher and CO2 emissions down

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Basalt rock dust could be a significant driver of carbon sequestration in soils and a powerful fertilizer. US researchers are trying to assess this circular solution
The spread of wildfires in the US poses a serious threat to the corporations that have invested in forest protection to offset their emissions. Photo: CALFIRE_Official Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)CALFIRE_Official Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Wildfires are putting corporations and carbon market in trouble

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Prompted by climate change, wildfires are devastating larger portions of the forests that generate the emission credits sold to the corporations