Ernie Marx

Soil scientist, carbon offset skeptic.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@simonmaechling @Ryan_Cupo @simonmaechling I agree with you re: glyphosate. But I would stay away from paraquat. Can cause lung damage. Nasty stuff. Not sure about residue toxicity, but for the applicator it is bad news and I would avoid it.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@Yeagerofmars @simonmaechling They aren't giving up on the glyphosate market. They are only ending sales to residential consumers because that is the source of frivolous lawsuits. They will continue to produce glyphosate for the ag market.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@TerryDaynard Several reasons. Winter wheat would replace generally more profitable crops (corn and soy). Summer rains in Iowa would cause problems with WW dry down before harvest (Iowa is rain fed ag, not irrigated).

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@agronomistag @atrembath @hausfath ...and sometimes getting rid of that pesky "outlier" data helps to make the findings a little more dramatic.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@TerryDaynard @UofGuelphOAC @UoGAgMet @OMAFRA In the right context/environment/soil, cover crops can provide benefits to soil quality. But reducing N2O emissions probably isn't one of those benefits. Which is one of many reasons why soil GHG offsets are nothing more than green washing and those programs should end.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@TamarHaspel Is there a reason why nutrition labels don't list "absorbed calories"? Wouldn't that be more useful information? Something similar to NDF or ADF for livestock feeds. This could help encourage more whole grain, high fiber foods for calorie counters.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@USDA_ERS It would be interesting to see a similar map showing share of acres, as compared to farms, growing specialty crops.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@TamarHaspel Also, you didn't mention pastured beef takes longer to reach market weight than feedlot beef. That means the animals live longer and emit methane for a longer period. Your final point remains the same...beef has a big environmental impact and there's no good way to greenwash it.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@TamarHaspel @ADowling34 The most sustainable food production is usually growing plants where they grow best. This reduces inputs and increases production. Is this the kind of efficiency Tamar is referring to? Transportation of product gets too much attention and efficiency of production gets too little.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

https://t.co/88yqOlvQ4N

[Andrew McGuire @agronomistag]

Science: an attempt at neutral disinterest in the results with the goal of finding the truth.

Activist science: a motivated effort to prove something is so.

Nitpicking? Not really. It's a problem with any issue that people are passionate about: soil health, biodiversity...

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@PowlsonDavid This has become all too common in research. Investigators begin with a conclusion, then look for supporting evidence. Conflicting data are too often dismissed as "outliers". In the end, science works and will prevail. But a lot of time and money get wasted along the way.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@agronomistag I'm wondering if they put the diquat in there for a rapid appearance of burned/dead leaves. But I agree with the others: diquat does not belong in these products. I thought it was restricted use.

[Steffen Schweizer @GeoSchweizer]

Interesting article about how to define #carbon sequestration in soils and climate change mitigation by Axel Don et al. @Thuenen_SOM @JensLeifeld @ClaireChenu2 and others https://t.co/sIx0wwpg10

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@EBrennanScience @ASA_CSSA_SSSA Your video highlights good sampling issues. Also important that quadrat is placed Y inches from end of the plot and X inches from the side of the plot. X and Y are generated randomly before sampling. This addresses potential bias in placing the quadrat where plants look good/bad.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@samdknowlton Weight (tons of pesticide) is not a useful metric. Some newer, safer pesticides are applied at higher rates but are less toxic. Unfortunately, the graph you shared doesn't tell us anything about environmental or food safety.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

@RemiCardinael @NatureGeosci @JLehmannCornell I think most people agree that maintaining or restoring SOC has many benefits. But maintaining or restoring SOC should not be used as an excuse for continued GHG emissions via dubious carbon offset markets. When that happens, the net environmental benefit of SOC is erased.

[Ernie Marx @ScottAdd5]

Despite extensive research indicating soil carbon sequestration potential has been greatly exaggerated, USDA continues to march towards carbon markets. Lots of $$ changing hands.Lots of corporate & gov't greenwashing. Not much solid science. Disappointing.
https://t.co/pGHOCltrgw

[Terry Daynard @TerryDaynard]

"Cover crops do not increase soil organic carbon stocks as much as has been claimed: What is the way forward?"
https://t.co/px0ggLSmzH

[Jonathan Chase @Jon_Chase03]

This is absolutely and completely 100% unsurprising. I think we all secretly know how true this is. But damn, the quantification of it. Showing us just how much analytical decisions influence our conclusions. 😱 😱