Energy hogs: China targets farm waste as a ‘clean’ power source.
By Hallie Gu and Josephine Mason BEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) – China will pay farmers to turn animal poo into fertiliser and power, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Wednesday, as Beijing cracks down on agricultural pollution that has for years leaked into rivers and lakes, angering Chinese residents.
China will give farmers subsidies to build animal waste processing facilities to make fertilisers or to treat manure so it’s safe for disposal, and to install biogas plants that use methane to generate electricity, according a government plan announced on Aug. 1.
The plan includes setting up recycling programmes by 2020 in 200 major counties that have livestock farms.
That’s less than half the 586 major counties the government says have hog and poultry farms.
"We will help the farmers fully understand how organic fertiliser can improve energy efficiency and the environment," said Zhong Luqing, director of the fertiliser department at the ministry, at a briefing on Wednesday.
Those researching and using organic fertiliser will also get preferential treatment on loans, taxes, power use and land rent, Zhong said.
"We will strengthen policy support and increase subsidies to support farmers to use organic fertiliser … especially large-scale farmers, family farms and cooperatives," Zhong said.
The plan is part of Beijing’s effort to limit chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which have contaminated soil and water.
Beijing has said it was targeting zero growth of chemical fertiliser and pesticide by 2020.