Transcript Liquid Organic Fertilizers

Tim Stemwedel, President/Founder
CALIFORNIA ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, INC.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
 What can they be made from?

LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
 What can they be made from?
 How high of an analysis can be achieved?

LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
 What can they be made from?
 How high of an analysis can be achieved?
 How can you tell if a product is legitimate?

LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
YES! ;)
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
YES! ;)

Do I believe they always meet the NOP Rules?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Can a Liquid Organic Fertilizer meet the NOP
Rules?
YES! ;)

Do I believe they always meet the NOP Rules?
No :(
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

What are the NOP Rules for Fertilizer?
Allowed Materials:
Plant or animal materials that have not been chemically extracted,
processed or treated. (protein, kelp, etc.)
Mined Minerals with a few exceptions.
Mixtures or Blends that create a chemical reaction are not allowed.
Example: Citric Acid mixed with rock phosphate.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

What can they be Made From?
 Fish
 Animal
Proteins
 Plant Proteins
 Manure, compost
 Guano
 Minerals
 By-Products
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
Answer: Depends upon the Technology and
the Raw Materials
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
Protein Based Fertilizers
Fish Meal, Fish Solubles, Plant Proteins, Feather Meal, Blood Meal, etc.
Maximum: 9% Nitrogen
Economic Range: 4-7% Nitrogen
Technical Information:
Enzyme hydrolysis of proteins creates soluble peptides, amino acids, amines
and ammonia. The total percent of Nitrogen depends upon the degree of
hydrolysis AND the purity of the base product. Higher analysis generally requires
the separation of the soluble fraction from the insoluble (via filter,
centrifuge,etc.) and subsequent concentration.
Ammonia (NH3) creation from Amine (NH2) Hydrolysis results in an elevated pH
product (base). Products with high ammonia levels and a neutral pH, need to
explain how the neutral pH exists without the addition of an acid. (A Base and
an Acid create a chemical reaction which is not allowed under NOP Rule).
(Fish emulsions are exempt by NOP Rule)
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Hydrolysis of Proteins (fish, feather, meat, etc.)
Poly-Peptide Chains
Peptide Molecule
Molecular weights:
Hydrogen – 1
Carbon – 12
Oxygen - 16
Nitrogen – 14
Zinc - 65
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Hydrolysis of Proteins (fish, feather, meat, etc.)
Peptide Molecule
Amino Acid Molecule
Molecular weights:
Hydrogen – 1
Carbon – 12
Oxygen - 16
Nitrogen – 14
Zinc - 65
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Hydrolysis of Proteins (fish, feather, meat, etc.)
Amino Acid
NH2
Molecular weights:
Hydrogen – 1
Carbon – 12
Oxygen - 16
Nitrogen – 14
Zinc - 65
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Hydrolysis of Proteins (fish, feather, meat, etc.)
Amino Acid
Ammonium
NH2
NH3
Molecular weights:
Hydrogen – 1
Carbon – 12
Oxygen - 16
Nitrogen – 14
Zinc - 65
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Hydrolysis of Proteins (fish, feather, meat, etc.)
Test Results from Feather Meal & Meat & Bone Meal
WALLACE LABS
FERTILIZER REPORT
365 Coral Circle
El Segundo, CA 90245
(310) 615-0116
Location
California Organic Fertilizers,
Inc.
Requester
Tim Stemwedel
Your Sample ID
Our Sample ID Total Nitrogen
Soluble
Nitrogen
FMextract
MBextract
07-192F-04
07-192F-05
7.327%
9.713%
7.701%
9.842%
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
Manure or Compost Based Fertilizers
Leaching, Liquid Composting, etc.
Maximum: 5% Nitrogen
Economic Range: 2-3% Nitrogen
Technical Information:
High Temperature Composting (thermophilic & mesophilic) uses microbes that
produce enzymes to create methane from the carbon compounds. This process
also reduces proteins in the manure into ammonia. Ammonia Nitrogen is toxic
to the microbes at a concentration over One-Half Percent Nitrogen. In order to
produce a high Nitrogen liquid Fertilizer from this process, it is necessary to
remove the Nitrogen from the process tanks and concentrate it by evaporation.
Leached Liquid Products contain some urea but mostly ammonia. Urea is
unstable and converts to ammonia quickly.
Ammonia increases the pH, so any product made in this manner needs an
explanation if the pH is Neutral or Acid.
Soluble salts contained in the liquid limit the potential Nitrogen concentration of
this group of products
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
Guano Based Fertilizers
Seabird and Bat Guano
Maximum: 10% Nitrogen
Economic Range: 6-7% Nitrogen
Technical Information:
Guano varies greatly depending upon the source. Bat Guano rarely has much
soluble Nitrogen. A high analysis Bat Guano would require enzyme hydrolysis
and subsequent concentration.
Seabird Guano contains high levels of soluble Nitrogen. Other soluble
compounds in Seabird Guano (carbon, salts, etc.) limit the maximum
concentration of Nitrogen. Seabird Guano contains phosphates which keep the
pH close to neutral.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
Mineral Based Fertilizers
Sodium Nitrate, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride
Maximum: 8% Nitrogen
Economic Range: 5-7% Nitrogen
Technical Information:
These products are limited by the solubility of the mineral and are very
temperature sensitive relative to crystallization.
Sodium and Potassium Nitrate begin to make crystals above 6% Nitrogen and
have a very high salt index.
Potassium Sulfate begins to crystallize at 7% P205.
Potassium Chloride begins to crystallize at 8% P2O5.
When other elements are present, these levels are drastically reduced. You can
only dissolve so much!
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How high of an analysis can be achieved?
By-Product Based Fertilizers
Molasses, Raffinate, Vinasses, Fermentation Wastes, etc.
Maximum: 9% Nitrogen
Economic Range: 5-7% Nitrogen
Technical Information:
These Products are waste streams from various manufacturing production
processes such as Molasses Sugar Depletion, MSG, Lysine, Soy Sauce, Alcohol,
Pharmaceuticals, Pesticides, etc.
Almost all of these processes require the addition of Chemicals, GMOs, Cation
Exchange Resins, Nitrogen, Phosphate, or other non-NOP compliant materials.
Standard Molasses (sugar containing) contains approximately 0.5% Nitrogen.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

How do you determine if a product is legitimate?
1. What are the raw materials?
2. Does the raw material have enough N to support the product?
3. Does the manufacturer have inventories of the raw materials?
4. Is there publicly available technology to support the claims?
5. How secretive is the manufacturer regarding how and where it is made?
6. Is the process under patent protection?
7. Is there a production facility to support the production?
8. Where is the production facility?
9. Is the product Imported? Why?
10. Is the value consistent with competitive products?
11. Has the product been evaluated by your certifier, OMRI or WSDA?
12. Is it a By-Product? Of what?
13. Is the basic chemistry or bio-chemistry sound?
14. What does a third-party lab test divulge?
15. What else is in the product? Salt content?
16. Are Liquid Organic Fertilizers Safe and free of bad beasties?
17. What if WSDA or OMRI says it is ok?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
What are the Raw Materials and Does the
Manufacturer have the Raw Materials in Stock?
Referenced by
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Technology?
Abstract
A method of producing organic fertilizer by using fish as raw
material. The method comprises the steps of boiling the fish to
prepare a stock, removing solids and oil contents from the stock to
obtain a stock solution, thereafter treating the stock solution in a
decomposition tank for enzyme decomposition, and filtering an
enzyme-decomposed stock solution to form a clarified liquid. The
clarified liquid can be used as a fertilizer as is or further
condensed or dried into organic fertilizer without unnecessary
components.
Patent number: 5393318
Filing date: Apr 26, 1993
Issue date: Feb 28, 1995
Inventors: Mitsuo Iizuka, Shigeki Konishi
Assignee: Yaizu Meal Kyogyo Kumiai
References Sited:
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
Comment:
Technology is behind almost everything. New Technology is preceded by prior
Technology. Visit www.google.com/patents for easy searches.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Patent Protection?
If the Product is a “Silver Bullet” and sounds too good to be true, then why is
there no Patent or Patent Pending?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Manufacturing Facility?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Process Equipment?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Where is the Production Facility?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Is the Product Imported and Why?
Why is the product not sold in the country of origin?
Why do we need to import it?
How can the product be Price competitive with USA made products?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Third Party Evaluation?
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Is it a By-Product?
From the production of what?
Fish Meal Production? Probably OK
Lysine Production? Probably not OK
Betaine Production? Probably not OK
Sugar Depletion of Molasses? Probably not ok
In General:
By-Products are the result of the production of another product that is
most likely not organic. Therefore, little concern is placed upon limiting the
use of processes which disqualify the by-product as suitable for Organic
Fertilizer use.
Molasses
Product A
4.82
< 0.13
11.74
< 0.13
barium
3.15
0.92
boron
1.75
7.74
cadmium
0.19
0.06
4,238.68
1,439.21
chromium
0.34
0.81
cobalt
2.63
1.53
copper
2.10
0.29
iron
234.81
182.39
lead
1.78
0.79
lithium
4.37
1.95
magnesium
2,695.87
659.16
manganese
mercury
molybdenu
m
36.70
< 0.04
35.72
< 0.04
0.14
0.28
2.16
4.70
316.94
2,127.92
23,943.07
2,477.49
elements
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
aluminum
arsenic
calcium
Third party lab Tests? Any Howlers?
Molasses
Product A
Total Nitrogen
Total Carbon
0.767%
20.863%
8.329%
26.971%
Carbon:nitrogen
Soluble Nitrogen
Soluble Carbon
27.18
0.540%
21.481%
3.24
7.756%
25.728%
Soluble carbon:nitrogen
Insoluble organic nitrogen
Soluble organic nitrogen
39.75
0.227%
0.510%
3.32
0.573%
2.711%
nickel
Ammonium as nitrogen
nitrate as nitrogen
Total P2O5
Total K2O
pH
percent solids
0.018%
0.013%
0.073%
2.873%
4.74
48.31%
4.912%
0.133%
0.487%
0.297%
6.26
65.31%
selenium
< 0.13
1.56
silicon
silver
99.68
< 0.03
30.24
< 0.03
2,832.10
11,158.69
10.85
4.55
1,695.45
9,747.18
tin
3.24
3.29
titanium
3.67
0.84
vanadium
1.46
1.56
17.30
65.92
10,550.66
6,774.65
phosphorus
potassium
sodium
strontium
sulfur
zinc
chloride
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Basic Chemistry ?
Product B Label Claim: Molasses, Fish and Potassium Sulfate
Product Raffinate
B
(sugar depleted molasses)
Total nitrogen
Total carbon
Total C:N
Soluble nitrogen
Soluble carbon
Soluble C:N
Insoluble nitrogen
Ammonium as nitrogen
nitrate as nitrogen
Total P2O5
Total K2O
pH
Percent solids
potassium
sulfur
25,500
2.039%
17.303%
8.49
1.961%
16.422%
8.38
0.078%
0.024%
0.204%
0.038%
7.472%
8.82
55.93%
2.156%
17.440%
8.09
2.109%
16.857%
7.99
0.048%
0.019%
0.264%
0.893%
11.275%
6.35
50.15%
62,270.83
93,960.55
7,371.13
14,234.66
Potassium Sulfate : Potassium / Sulfur Ratio = 2.44
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
What else is in the Product?
Product
Raffinate
B
(sugar depleted molasses)
Total nitrogen
Total carbon
Total C:N
Soluble nitrogen
Soluble carbon
Soluble C:N
Insoluble nitrogen
Ammonium as nitrogen
nitrate as nitrogen
Total P2O5
Total K2O
pH
Percent solids
2.039%
17.303%
8.49
1.961%
16.422%
8.38
0.078%
0.024%
0.204%
0.038%
7.472%
8.82
55.93%
2.156%
17.440%
8.09
2.109%
16.857%
7.99
0.048%
0.019%
0.264%
0.893%
11.275%
6.35
50.15%
sulfur
7,371.13
14,234.66
potassium
62,270.83
93,960.55
Sodium Chloride
73,473.52
77,978.33
Equals Approximately .73 Pounds per Gallon Table Salt
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
Are Liquid Organic Fertilizers Safe?
Are they free of bad beasties such as E.coli?
Usually
Products which are processed using heat for concentrating or pasteurization
can be considered free of pathogens.
Request information regarding the Pathogen Control Program used by the
manufacturer.
Ask for Pathogen test results on all of your fertilizer purchases.
There is a very, very low risk of crop contamination from liquid organic fertilizers.
LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
What if OMRI or WSDA says the Product is OK?
Is their approval “good enough”?
Can you lose your Organic Certification?
Who will incur the potential Loss?