Earlier in January, Biofuels Center staff and partners participated in the annual Soil Science Society of North Carolina meeting. More than 100 soil scientists were in attendance at the event in Raleigh. Sam Brake, the Center’s director of farming, provided an overview of the Center’s mission to develop the biofuels sector in North Carolina. His presentation also included information on the Center’s sprayfield project, which is intended to develop proper agronomic rates for the growing and management of energy grasses on swine sprayfield lands.

Dr. Ron Gehl, a soil science professor at N.C. State University who is leading the research on the Center’s sprayfield project, also presented at the conference. Dr. Gehl’s presentation included information on some of the energy grasses included in the project, such as Switchgrass and Giant Miscanthus. The five-year project includes trial plots in Sampson, Duplin, and Wayne counties.