“Through Smithfield Renewables, we are aggressively pursuing opportunities to reduce our environmental footprint while creating value,” said Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables. “Along with projects that transform biogas into renewable natural gas, this is another example of how we are tackling this goal on our hog farms.”
The fertilizer project reuses organic matter found in hog manure at Smithfield hog farms to create a “commercial-grade fertilizer that is higher in nutrient concentration than the original organic materials,” according to Smithfield. Farmers can use less fertilizer by applying the precise amount they need for optimal plant growth. “Because Anuvia’s products contain organic matter, nutrient release is more controlled, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller environmental footprint,” Smithfield said.
Smithfield-owned and contract hog farms in North Carolina will participate in this project. Smithfield will begin the process by collecting and de-watering the waste solids before providing the remnants to Anuvia. The remnant solids accumulate over time at the bottom of the anaerobic lagoons, which are basins designed and certified to treat and store the manure on hog farms. Once acquired, Anuvia will pick up and transport the material to its processing plant to create the fertilizer. Anuvia, which specializes in the transformation of organic materials into enhanced efficiency fertilizer products, will manufacture and sell these commercial-grade fertilizer products to farmers nationwide.
“This is the beginning of a partnership based on a shared vision that will positively impact livestock and crop production,” said Amy Yoder, Anuvia Plant Nutrients CEO. “Our proprietary manufacturing process, which converts organic waste into novel bio-based plant nutrients, is both environmentally friendly and sustainable. Our products reduce leaching and put organic matter back in the soil. Our process is a prototype for a circular economy, as we reclaim organic waste, convert it and reuse it on cropland. This relationship provides a new sustainable way for Smithfield to return its remnant solids back to the land for use on the crops grown to feed the hogs. The impact of this is extremely significant for hog production and the livestock industry. We look forward to helping achieve both Smithfield’s and Anuvia’s environmental goals.”
