Fire in the fields: Let’s talk about sugarcane burning
7 June 2021
This is my first blog post. Yes, I realize I’m late to the party. This represents results from my 10+ years of studying this phenomenon and also some arguments as to how to move forward. Further, recently I completed an external work-for-hire contract with Sierra Club analyzing an air quality report based on one sensor only for the Everglades Agricultural Area. That report (all data and text copyright to the Sierra Club) can be found here.
Burning of excess leaves prior to mechanical (and manual) harvesting is still a common practice in many sugarcane production areas, negatively impacting air quality and potentially reducing soil carbon. However, the ‘trash’ leaves are also a valuable resource that can be used in the production of biofuel, hydrocarbons for cosmetics, textiles, and even bioplastics. Like all biofuels, this can fuel (no pun intended) a perverse incentive to expand the area of sugarcane production (as is the case in Brazil, where fire-free sugarcane production has led to increased deforestation and forest fires in Amazonia to expand sugar cultivation - but it doesn’t have to be that way).
Why is pre-harvest burning of sugarcane still a practice in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) of Florida? Basically, the economic incentives still exist for the growers and the sugar mills. For the mills, cane-only processing (i.e., leaves burned off) fits into their current processing schemes, machinery, etc. For the growers, they sell their cane to the mills - but also have not been incentivized to switch to fire-free, or at least reduced burning, green harvesting. Given the current focus of the U.S. federal administration on environmental justice - particularly for communities of color like the EAA - here is an opportunity to assist farmers and sugar mills in transitioning to climate- and air quality-smart harvesting practices. In a world that needs fewer petroleum-based single use plastics, sugarcane-based bioplastics could make Florida a global leader in solving microplastics, while also improving air quality for rural communities in south Florida. This could be a good neighbor approach for economic development. As a researcher, this sounds promising. As a mom, this shift towards reduced to no-burn harvesting would mean healthier kids and more time on the playground for EAA kids - and that makes me smile. I hope it makes you smile, too.
I wrote a Twitter thread about this that goes into more detail. You can find it here.
Disclaimer: The text below in this blog or any blog is not affiliated with my current academic position, employer, and is a part of my contribution to open and transparent science communication with the public. The research in the linked Sierra Club report is a result of a contract as a result of work for hire with the Sierra Club. All text and data copyright are owned by the Sierra Club. If you want to share or translate, please cite me before distribution.