The post New Study Finds Preharvest Sugarcane Burns Are Not Harming Air Quality appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Sugarcane field at sunset. getty Prescribed burns used in farming and forestry management have long been vilified by environmental advocacy groups and some politicians. A new report released this week by researchers at Florida A&M and Tuskegee University, however, challenges the narrative spun by those who seek to prohibit prescribed burns, at least when it comes to their use by sugarcane growers. The Tuskegee-Florida A&M study, whose findings were presented at a community event held in Belle Glade, Fla., on April 29, specifically examined “the potential environmental impacts of preharvest sugarcane burning on air quality in the Florida Everglades.” Speaking to an audience of more than 100 residents of Belle Glade and the surrounding communities, report authors explained that during the five month period in 2024 when the study was conducted, “the overall air quality remained within established acceptable limits and were comparable to some of the best air quality observed within the state.” Dr. Olga Bolden-Tiller, Dean of the Tuskegee University’s College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, one of the featured speakers at the April 29 event in Belle Glade, explained that this research was conducted to provide a better understanding of the tradeoffs associated with preharvest burning of sugarcane crops. The benefits of preharvest burning, which the report details, include “improved soil health, pest deterrence, and a reduction in the weight of the harvested crop, leading to lower transport costs.” The documented benefits of preharvest burns, however, have not quelled opposition from environmental advocacy groups like the Sierra Club, which seeks to prohibit the practice. Dr. Bolden-Tiller explained how community engagement was a significant component of the Tuskegee-Florida A&M study. Dr. Bolden-Tiller and her colleagues did due diligence to incorporate all viewpoints and key stakeholders. She noted that critics of preharvest burning, like the Sierra Club, were…

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Filed under: News - @ May 1, 2025 5:22 am