Project to bring high-tech agriculture jobs to Eastern Kentucky gets boost from the Netherlands government

A start-up that aims to bring more high-tech agriculture jobs—and fresh produce—to Eastern Kentucky, has announced agreements with more than a dozen partners to help make the project a reality, Bill Estep reports for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

AppHarvest founder Jonathan Webb announced last summer that ground had been broken on a 60-acre greenhouse near Morehead, set to open this fall, that he hopes will be the first of many.

The new partners include the government of The Netherlands, several Dutch companies, the University of Kentucky, Morehead State University, Eastern Kentucky University, the University of Pikeville and Berea College, Estep reports.

"The Dutch government would put a trade office in Kentucky to boost Dutch investment in the state as part of the plan. The Netherlands is a leader in indoor agricultural production, making it the second-largest exporter of agricultural products behind the U.S. despite its tiny land area," Estep reports. "The technology AppHarvest will use was developed in the Netherlands."

Report: Extracting and burning fossil fuels from federal lands accounts for nearly 1/4 of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions

The climate-change report released last Friday has made headlines all week, but government scientists released a second report that day with significant findings. That report, issued by the U.S. Geological Survey, found that the extracting and burning of oil, gas, and coal on federally owned lands (onshore and offshore) accounted for 23.7 percent of all U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions and 7.3 percent of methane emissions between 2005 and 2014.

The survey also found that CO2 emissions from such extraction and use fell 6.1 percent from 2005 to 2014. That's because coal, the fuel that leads to the highest CO2 emissions, is losing ground to natural gas. 

The report is the first to examine greenhouse-gas emissions from fossil fuels extracted on federal lands. The Environmental Protection Agency publishes nationwide greenhouse-gas emissions figures but does not report emissions from federal lands specifically. Researchers relied on state-level data and did not include tribal lands in their analysis.

Climate change will hurt farmers, cost hundreds of billions by 2100, federal government scientists warn

"The U.S. government's climate scientists issued a blunt warning on Friday, writing that global warming is a growing threat to human life, property and ecosystems across the country, and that the economic damage—from worsening heat waves, extreme weather, sea level rise, droughts and wildfires—will spiral in the coming decades," Bob Berwyn reports for Inside Climate News. In the worst-case scenario, global warming costs could total 10 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product by the end of the century.

The Fourth National Climate Assessment, written by a scientific panel representing 13 federal agencies, said that those effects can be mitigated if the United States and other countries cut greenhouse-gas emissions, especially from burning fossil fuels. Limiting global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit would save hundreds of billions of dollars in future damages, the panel reports.

Midwest farmers are already seeing the effects of climate change; drought accounted for about a third of all crop insurance payouts from 2000 to 2016. And there's more to come: "Climate change will hit the Corn Belt particularly hard. Under a high-emissions scenario, the Midwest will see greater increases in warm-season temperatures than anywhere else in the country, with the frost-free season projected to increase by an average of 10 days from 2016 to 2045," Berwyn reports.

Though some parts of the U.S. economy may improve in the short term because of a slightly warmer world, lack of mitigation in the long run will hurt regional economies and industries, increase electricity costs, and affect U.S. export and import prices, the report says.

"For example, heat waves and droughts can cut energy production if there is not enough water to cool power plants, which can limit manufacturing and even affect health care in hospitals," Berwyn reports. "Hurricane Harvey's damage to power infrastructure affected water-treatment plants and refineries, shutting down 11 percent of U.S. oil refining capacities and causing a temporary spike in gas prices."

Smithfield announces plans to cover most hog lagoons, other measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Smithfield Foods, the world's largest hog producer, announced several measures last week to reduce the company's greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2025. 

"Under the plans, Smithfield says it will install manure lagoon covers and anaerobic digesters on 90 percent of its finishing hog farms in North Carolina, Missouri and Utah within 10 years. Smithfield also plans to capture 85,000 tons of methane each year to generate renewable natural gas," Greg Barnes reports for North Carolina Health News. Covering the lagoons will also help keep the pits from overflowing during heavy rains (as happened last month during Hurricane Florence in North Carolina). The release didn't say whether farmers will have to pay for the lagoon covers or whether Smithfield will cover the costs. 

Smithfield also said it is introducing new technologies to reduce truck traffic and miles traveled by more than 85 percent on some routes, will adopt low-trajectory sprayers to spread hog waste from the lagoons onto contract farmers' fields, and will plant more vegetation as buffers between farms and neighbors, Barnes reports.

The announcement "comes after people living next to Smithfield’s contract farms were awarded more than half a billion dollars this year in three nuisance lawsuits filed in North Carolina," Barnes reports. "Neighbors complained in part that the farms smelled so bad and drew so many flies that they couldn’t go outside at times. The awards will be reduced to a fraction of that amount due to a 1995 law capping damages that companies have to pay. Smithfield plans to appeal the verdicts.

Ky. native says he has cash to bring high-tech greenhouse jobs to Central Appalachia, will break ground in a few weeks

Jonathan Webb of AppHarvest

Solar-power professional Jonathan Webb says he will bring about 600 jobs to Central Appalachia with high-tech mountaintop greenhouses where workers will grow produce to sell all over the U.S., Salena Zito reports for the New York Post.

Webb, 33, left his hometown of Lexington, Ky., to work in New York City in 2010, and was hired in 2014 by the Army to help President Obama increase use of renewable energy. After Donald Trump's election, Webb said he wasn't surprised that Trump's message had resonated in Appalachia, an area reeling from unemployment, the opioid epidemic and general disillusionment, Zito reports. 

Shortly afterward, he founded AppHarvest, and says he has has raised $60 million in capital from such investors as Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance and AOL co-founder Steve Case. He said he's tried to convince the executives at some of the nation's largest environmental organization to invest. "I have told them . . . they have a poor strategy in some cases," Webb told Zito. "Instead of campaigning against coal for green-collar jobs in coal country, they need to facilitate investment into the region to build projects." Criticizing the coal industry is cheap and easy, he said, but jobs are the best way to get Appalachians to support environmental initiatives.

Webb told Zito that AppHarvest expects to break ground in the next few weeks on the first greenhouses in Pikeville, Ky.

$50 million greenhouse on reclaimed mining land in Ky. could help boost Appalachia economy

Efforts have been made in Appalachian to revitalize local economies through means other than coal. One such project is a planned $50 million high-tech greenhouse on 70 acres of reclaimed mining land in Eastern Kentucky that could provide up to 130 full-time jobs, Jere Downs reports for The Courier-Journal in Louisville. The greenhouse would be located in Pikeville, Ky. (Best Places map) which has an unemployment rate of 8.7 percent, well above the state average of 4.5 percent.

The greenhouse "would grow tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables under glass," said AppHarvet CEO Jonathan Webb, who said he is raising funding from angel investors and expects to break ground in June, Downs writes. The project would include a 45-acre hydroponic greenhouse. "Covering two million square feet, the greenhouse can produce 2.6 million pounds of vegetables annually."

AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb scouts
land for the greenhouse (AppHarvest photo)

The greenhouse has gotten the support of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who said, "This project presents a fantastic opportunity to help our Appalachian region continue its rejuvenation," Downs writes. The project also has received "preliminary approval for $2.5 million in state tax incentives from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority."

Federal officials announce voluntary programs to reduce carbon emissions from agricultural sources

Today federal agricultural officials presented voluntary programs for farmers, ranchers and foresters to reduce agricultural carbon emissions as part of President Barack Obama's efforts to fight global warming, Jeff Karoub reports for The Associated Press.

Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed the plans at Michigan State University, where Obama signed the Farm Bill last year. "The efforts, many of which have their roots in that law, aim to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions, boost carbon capture and storage and come with various enticements, including grants, low-interest loans and technical assistance," Karoub writes.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, left, and President Obama toured the biomass
conversion area at Michigan State University last year. (Associated Press photo)

The agriculture industry is responsible for approximately 9 percent of U.S. emissions, and while that compares favorably with the rest of the world, it could still improve, Vilsack said. "American farmers and ranchers are leaders when it comes to reducing carbon emissions and improving efficiency in their operations," he said. He also noted that officials want to both help the environment and improve agricultural productivity.

Some of the actions outlined in the plan include "reducing the unnecessary use of fertilizer and methane emissions from cattle and swine, reforesting areas damaged by wildfire and disease and encouraging tree planting in urban areas," Karoub reports.

Following the plans would reduce emissions and enhance carbon sequestration by about 120 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, Vilsack's department estimated. That would be like taking 25 million cars off the road per year. (Read more)

Champions of Change in agriculture to be honored by USDA Tuesday morning

The White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will honor 15 Champions of Change in agriculture for their extraordinary work in bringing about change at the local level. The event will be broadcast live at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday. To view it click here. Some of this year's winners include:

Quint Pottinger, New Haven, Ky.: Pottinger owns a mixed row-crop and herb farm called Affinity Farms. The University of Kentucky graduate serves on the Kentucky Soybean Association board, serving in a leadership education capacity and has just started a year of service with the Corn Farmers Coalition.

Jake Carter, McDonough, Ga.: Carter operates Southern Belle Farm, 30 miles outside of Atlanta. This farm has you-pick strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and peaches, as well as a fall corn maze and educational school tours. Jake was recently elected as chair of the American Farm Bureau's Young Farmer and Rancher Committee. (Southern Belle photo: picking berries)

Pierre Sleiman, Encinitas, Calif.; Sleiman is the founder and CEO of Go Green Agriculture, which grows produce inside climate-controlled greenhouses using hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil. He is a director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau and will graduate this year from the California Farm Bureau leadership program. 

Vena A-dae Romero, Pueblo, N.M.: Romero, who is Cochiti Puebloan and Kiowa Indian, consults for First Nations Development Institute, a leading Native American nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen American Indian economies. (Read more)

Rural communities in West Virginia, New Mexico awarded for creating a culture of health

A pair of rural communities were among the six winners of the 2014 Culture of Health prizes given by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to areas that most exemplified innovative efforts to build healthier communities, says the foundation. Williamson, West Virginia, in Appalachian coal country, and Taos Pueblo, a Native American community in northern New Mexico, received the $25,000 award, along with Durham County, North Carolina; Buncombe County, North Carolina; Brownsville, Texas; and Spokane County, Washington. More than 250 communities entered the contest.

Sustainable Williamson

Williamson, which leads the state in obesity, hypertension and diabetes, has created initiatives to get residents involved in fitness and eating healthy. That includes running and walking groups like Tuesday Night Track, which allows people of different fitness levels to compete in races for fun, Lydia Nuzum reports for the Charleston Gazette. Williamson also began a farmers market three years ago, has plans for a food hub for locally grown food, and created Sustainable Williamson, which has already identified 22 farmers within a 70-mile radius who are willing to work with the community on its goals.

The local high school, which teaches agriculture, greenhouse and horticulture classes, sells plants they grow at the farmers market, Nuzum writes. The school, which recently completed work on its high tunnel and has even installed chicken coops, received a grant to participate in the Farm-to-School program next year.

Another program, Prescription Vegetables, "partners local physicians, farmers and diabetes patients," Nusum writes. "Doctors participating in the program actually prescribe vegetables to their patients as a treatment for managing their diabetes and give them vegetable vouchers, which can be exchanged for produce at the Williamson farmers’ market. The more health goals a patient meets, the more vouchers they earn." The town's next step is to create a community kitchen that can incubate healthy restaurants and other initiatives. (Read more)

Robert Wood Foundation photo/
Taos Red Willow Farm

In Taos Pueblo in 2010 the Red Willow Community Growers Cooperative’s mission was created "to revitalize the community’s agricultural-based heritage, which includes food production in fields, gardens, raised beds and greenhouses, as well as grassroots economic development through the Red Willow Farmers Market," says the foundation. "The goal of the Farmers Market and Co-op is to produce fresh and organic fruits and vegetables for families in the community, as well as the schools and senior programs. The Market also employs a number of high school students, reconnecting a younger generation with the cycles of planning, preparing the fields and the art of growing crops to supply markets with produce."

The pueblo has also made an effort to get the community involved in exercise through a fitness program, says the foundation. In a state where 30 percent of kidnergarten students are obese, 37 percent of those Native American, Taos Pueblo has sought to teach children about health, including using an indoor organic garden room, where students, parents and staff grow fresh produce, says the foundation.

Another key has been improving medical services, says the foundation. "Up until the last several years, if there was a medical emergency, Taos Pueblo residents had to wait 24 minutes or longer for first responders from the Town of Taos to arrive at the Pueblo to transport them to the nearest hospital. Three years ago, however, the Pueblo Health and Community Services created the Public Health Nursing Department in Taos Pueblo to address immediate community health needs. Now, the Pueblo’s public health nurse or two lay health workers provide first responder services when emergencies arise." (Read more)

Study says biofuel from corn stover would boost greenhouse gas; industry, EPA dismiss methodology

Assistant Professor Adam Liska led a University of Nebraska research team that conducted a study with a supercomputer model that predicted the effect of removing stover on 128 million acres across 12 Corn Belt states for biofuel production. "The team said it found that removing crop residue from cornfields can result in up to 7 percent greater greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) than gasoline," reports Agri-Pulse.

The Renewable Fuels Association says the study is both contradictory to current science and "shows a complete lack of understanding of current farming practices." The association's CEO and president, Bob Dineen, called the methodology "fundamentally flawed" and said the results are based on "sweeping generalizations, questionable assumptions and an opaque methodology."

Industry leaders point to other research by the University of Illinois and the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory that "showed removing 30 percent of the reside results in no additional carbon emissions," Agri-Pulse reports. Also, the research revealed that removing corn stalks and leaves will help soil organic carbon stay at more reasonable levels.

The disparity in results could be a result of the Nebraska study assuming a 75-percent stover removal rate post-harvest, which biofuel advocates assert is significantly higher than that is "recognized through current farming and land management practices as needed to maintain the soil's ability to retain carbon and produce a feedstock that can significantly reduce emissions, when compared to is gasoline equivalent," Agri-Pulse reports.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a statement saying the study "is based on a hypothetical assumption that 100 percent of corn stover in a field is harvested; an extremely unlikely scenario that is inconsistent with recommended agricultural practices." Agri-Pulse is subscrption-only, but offers a free trial.