A new nutrient-rich biofertiliser was launched on 1 October by ReFood, a leading food waste recycler in the UK. Known as ReGrow, the fertiliser is said to have high levels of the trace elements required for soil fertility and crop productivity.
The firm claims ReGrow can typically double yields if applied as part as a comprehensive crop strategy. It is produced by recycling food waste via anaerobic digestion – where food waste rots naturally in the absence of oxygen.
The fertiliser this process produces is rich in the valuable nutrients contained within food and is entirely natural. The closed loop process – which sees recycled food waste used to help grow new crops – is a highly sustainable alternative to manufactured fertilisers, and eliminates the need for mining minerals.
Since ReFood opened its first AD plant in Doncaster in 2011, the company has been developing its ReGrow product and working with leading agronomists, Anna Becvar from Earthcare Technical and Matthew Taylor from ADAS. The first phase of product development was to secure PAS 110 certification for the AD digestate, which establishes a waste material as a product suitable for use on arable land. Moving forward, the ReGrow team will be working closely with leading agronomists to help develop advice for farmers to gain the best results from using the fertiliser.
Yorkshire farmer, Jonathan Metcalfe, has been using ReGrow for the last two years as part of initial product trials. Finding it simple
to store and spread he would strongly recommend it to other farmers. He says: “The ReGrow Biofertiliser has already made us significant cost savings in comparison with chemical fertilisers. The digestate itself is of a consistently high standard which explains the speed at which ReFood Doncaster achieved its PAS 110 accreditation. The nutrients are in a very available state for crops to use and as a result they are taken up quickly. I would strongly recommend ReGrow to other farmers.”
