Natural Selection Farms
A view over the fields in Yakima Valley. This project in the Yakima Valley includes farmers who are using biosolids to enhance soil fertility and to improve tilth and moisture retention. More than 35,000 acres of land, including irrigated hops, corn, and orchards, as well as managed pasture and canola for biofuel production, are available. The amount of land in cultivation give the Yakima Valley the capacity to recycle more than 50,000 tons of biosolids annually -- nearly half of King County's annual output. Natural Selection Farms, Inc. is the local land application company and was formed by local farmers. In 1991, the farm began working with King County to recycle biosolids. Since then, Natural Selection Farms expanded the project to include biosolids from other cities such as Sunnyside and Yakima, and began composting biosolids and other farm residuals. Natural Selection Farms believes holistic farm management practices should be used to promote crop production and maintain harmony with nature. Biosolids recycling supports this approach to farming. Project overview
 
Natural Selection's composting facility in Yakima Valley (left), and a truck spreading biosolids compost onto one of their fields (right).
Natural Selection land applies biosolids from King County and from a number of other municipalities, which both fertilize and condition the soil, providing critical nutrients to growing plants and improving soil properties. Natural Selection also produces its own compost from biosolids and crop residues at its own facilities. Their compost is used similarly to condition soils and provide valuable nutrients to crops. Canola and biodiesel
Canola in bloom. Canola is a plant related to mustard and is grown for its oil-rich seeds, yielding more oil per acre than most other oil crops. Canola seeds are crushed to extract the oil, which is then further processed into biodiesel -- similar to regular diesel fuel, but with lower sulfur emissions and potentially lower net greenhouse gas emissions. Canola byproducts left over after oil extraction can be further used as cattle feed, and the glycerine byproduct of the biodiesel manufacturing process can be used to make soaps and other cosmetics. In 2003, Dr. Sally Brown and Dr. Chuck Henry of the University of Washington partnered with Ted Durfey of Natural Selection Farms, in growing a test crop of canola fertilized with King County biosolids. Their findings indicated the feasibility of using King County biosolids to fertilize canola as a biofuel crop. They found that canola fertilized with biosolids and grown without irrigation produced the highest yield of oil per acre -- demonstrating the benefits of biosolids as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Washington state currently gets most of its biodiesel from soy oil shipped in from out of state. Using biosolids to help grow canola for biodiesel in-state could help create new jobs and industries to benefit the regional economy and provide for greater energy security in the future. Test plots of canola grown under different conditions (left) were examined by Drs. Chuck Henry and Sally Brown and Ted Durfey (center) in a pilot project. The oil-rich seeds (right) can be crushed and used to make biodiesel.
Environmental stewardship
First 'vintage' biodiesel from Natural Selection Farms canola.
The farm has demonstrated leadership in its local community by championing environmental stewardship, addressing soil quality issues and reducing the use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides. Organic biosolids can meet the crop nutrient needs without damaging the environment. Environmental monitoring near application areas has been conducted on many local area wells, irrigation ditches and the Yakima River. Soil nutrient and metals levels have also been tracked during this time. Biosolids have had no detrimental affect on the local environment. Several benefits have been observed, including the return of earthworms, increased productivity of formerly alkaline soils, more vigorous plant growth, improved moisture retention and subsequent reduction in irrigation requirements.  Green Globe Award 2001 Natural Selection Farms received the Green Globe award in 2001 for its biosolids recycling achievements.
Other beneficial uses of King County biosolids: |
