Poultry farms produce 10 million tons of waste per year in the United States. This waste has value as a fertilizer and as a potential alternative energy source. Researchers at West Virginia State University (WVU) are investigating how to use anaerobic digestion to treat and use organic wastes from animal farms, agriculture and industry. Anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities use naturally occurring microorganisms to turn biodegradable materials into energy or fertilizer. The research has led to increased bioenergy production from anaerobic digestion, the development of new AD technology, and reduced farm pollution draining into the Potomac River.
NIFA supports the research project through Evans-Allen and 1890 Capacity Building grant funds.
Read more on WVU’s research. Want to read about more impacts like this? Check out Fresh from the Field, a weekly bulletin showcasing transformative impacts made by grantees funded by NIFA.
