Animal waste fertilizer conversion program debuts

The N.C. Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation has announced the launch of a new Fertilizer Conversion Cost Share Program funded by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Resources. This program will provide cost share funds for eligible North Carolina individuals who own and operate anaerobic lagoons or other liquid waste management systems to turn on-farm sludge suitable for conversion into fertilizer products, including intermediaries and soil additives.

This program will cover up to 50 percent cost share for site engineering, permitting, acquisition, design, or installation of equipment, facilities, and associated structures installed by an applicant for production, collection, and transportation of fertilizer products from the on-farm generated sludge. Actual grant amounts will be determined by the Foundation and applicants will be required to provide a match in cash or in-kind equal to $1 dollar of match for every $1 distributed in grant funds.

There will be an application process for grantees and Phase 1 of the application period is scheduled to start on Aug. 1, 2024 and close on Sept. 2, 2024, where applications will go through an eligibility screening. Once Phase 1 applications have been received, all applications will be reviewed by committee. Phase 2 applications are set to start on October 2, 2024 and end on Oct. 31, 2024, where eligible applicants will be invited to submit a more thorough application, outlining the full scope of their proposed project. Awardee notifications and agreements are scheduled to be finalized by December 16, 2024. This proposed timeline is an initial draft and may be subject to change.

For program questions, interested parties may contact Dewitt Hardee 919-202-6342 dhardee@ncgrange.com Agricultural Programs Coordinator or Amanda Sand 919-510-4599 asand@ncsoilwater.org Executive Director, NC Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation. For technical questions, contact Dr. Mahmoud Sharara 919-515-8242 msharar@ncsu.edu Waste Management Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor.

To visit the program website to learn more about it and see a detailed program summary, the expanded timeline, eligibility requirements, program agreement, or program flyer, please feel free to visit: www.ncsoilwater.org/programs/innovative-fertilizer-production.