Increasing public scrutiny has questioned whether the use of peat is environmentally sustainable. A new review According to Dr. James Altland, research director of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, and Dr. Bruce Bugbee of Utah State University, they present a more nuanced picture than much of the current evidence portrays.

“Much of the debate in the popular press suggests that the use of peat in horticulture is unsustainable because it causes global warming and other environmental impacts,” shares James. “We have seen that agriculture is much more sustainable than some parties in the media want us to believe.”

© USDA

Differences between regions matter
The review states that assessments of peatland sustainability should differentiate between regions. While European peatlands have been heavily impacted by centuries of drainage and peat extraction, most Canadian peatlands remain undisturbed, with only a small proportion used for horticulture. According to the authors, this distinction is important when assessing the environmental impact of peat production.

“Currently, Canadian peatlands are sequestering carbon faster than the rate of extraction from container crop production. At current rates of extraction and with appropriate restoration, peatland use in North America is environmentally sustainable.”

The authors note that horticultural peat extraction in Canada accounts for only a small fraction of the total peatland area and that harvested sites are routinely restored after production.

© USDA

Restoration supports long-term recovery
The paper highlights the role of restoration practices, particularly the Moss Layer Transfer Technique (MLTT), in restoring peat-forming ecosystems.

“Restoration techniques, such as the moss layer transfer technique, can turn harvested peatlands into carbon sinks over decades,” he added. The review found that restored peatlands can restore vegetation, biodiversity and carbon sequestration functions over time, while improvements in water storage and hydrological performance are also documented.

© USDA

Alternatives also have environmental impacts
The researchers also looked at published life cycle assessments comparing them to substrates such as peat, korea, wood fiber, perlite and rock wool. “Life cycle assessments show that alternative substrates often have environmental impacts comparable to or greater than peat, especially when considering water use, transport and fertilizer inputs.”

The review concludes that comparisons depend on system limitations and assumptions, and that broad claims that alternatives are inherently more sustainable than peat are not consistently supported by published analyses.

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Figure A: Global carbon storage in natural systems (Gt, gigatons)
(Hirschler and Osterburg, 2022; Cleary et al, 2005; IPCC, 2023)

Performance remains an important consideration
Beyond sustainability, the paper reviews the functional characteristics that have made peat the reference substrate for container production.

“Soil’s high cation exchange capacity, water retention and stability support optimal plant growth and nutrient uptake,” shares James. The authors point out that these properties contribute to efficient irrigation and fertilizer management, maintaining good root zone conditions.

Although wood fibers, coir, and other materials can reduce peat use in mixes, each introduces its own management considerations, such as nutrient immobilization, water use, or processing requirements.

© USDA
Figure B: Annual carbon flux from human activities and sequestration through natural processes (Gt CO2-eq per year)
(Hirschler and Osterburg, 2022; Cleary et al, 2005; IPCC, 2023)

Managing future demand
As the global demand for soilless growth media is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades, the authors believe that a variety of substrate materials will be required.

“At current rates of extraction and with appropriate restoration, peat use in North America is environmentally sustainable and remains essential for horticulture and urban greening.”

For more information:
US Department of Agriculture
James Altland, Head of Research
Application Technologies Research Unit
(email protected)
www.usda.gov

“This sends a strong message to the public that this drug has an approved medical use and is relatively low risk.”

Andrea Tinker, Alabama Reflector author

A group of conservative activists signed up on Wednesday Marijuana objections to realignment with Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).

ADPH held a public hearing following the Trump administration’s decision in April to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug, which has the highest abuse potential and least legal use, to Schedule III.

Former President Joe Biden planned to reschedule it in 2024, but hearings on the issue were canceled in early 2025.

In May, ADPH’s governing body voted against federal rescheduling of marijuana to give the agency more time to determine how to implement it. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris, head of ADPH, said at the meeting that the department is “fully committed” to implementing the change.

Activists who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting cited several concerns.

Eagle Forum Executive Director Becky Gerritson said the change “will not only harm children, but we believe it will worsen Alabama’s mental health crisis.”

“Moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III puts Tylenol on the same level as codeine. This sends a strong message to the public that this drug has an approved medical use and is relatively low risk,” Gerritson said. “ADPH policy should follow evidence, not public opinion or commercial pressure.”

Greg Davis, CEO of the Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP), a conservative organization representing churches across the state, also spoke out against the reorganization.

“Medical as we call it or want it to be, or any way someone gets it, no matter how it happens, whether it’s on the street on the corner or in a doctor’s office or a dispensary, it doesn’t really matter. The consequences can be the same, and so I would ask everyone, on behalf of our churches across the state, to stand up against this scourge often. Alabama,” he said.

Community member Susan Short said she opposed the rescheduling because of its effects on teenagers.

“Teenagers don’t know that marijuana can make you psychotic at 19 for the rest of your life,” he said. “We are losing an entire generation of young people because we have normalized, commercialized and glorified this addictive and harmful substance.”

Under the Mercy Act passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2021, a minor under the age of 19 cannot obtain medical marijuana without the consent of a parent or guardian and without medical conditions. If approved, the minor may receive medical marijuana that contains no more than 3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Callie’s Apothecary, Montgomery Dispensary, He sold the first medical cannabis in the state last month.

Joey Robertson, CEO and president of Wagon Trail Med-Serv, the sole proponent of the reorganization at the meeting, said not following what’s happening at the federal level could create mistrust between patients and doctors and the state.

“This is a controlled program of the state of Alabama, and it has nothing to do with children outside of children who are eligible for these drugs,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the illegal market, no matter how it grows, and it has nothing to do with the federal government or Alabama moving from Schedule I to Schedule III.

ADPH’s general counsel said that after the hearing, the decision should be taken after August 5.

This story was first published by the Alabama Reflector.

Dalgety Ltd has entered into a partnership with Curaleaf Laboratories to supply pharmaceutical grade cannabis medicines to the UK cannabis market. The arrangement combines Dalgety’s cultivation operations, which are certified to EU-GMP standards, with Curaleaf Laboratories’ pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution capabilities. According to the companies, this creates a UK-based supply route that does not rely on imported cannabis flowers, as Dalgety cultivates its product in-house. Dalgety claims it was the first company in the UK to grow, manufacture and supply EU-GMP medical cannabis from a single site.

© Curaleaf Laboratories

The growing facility, which is more than 30,000 square feet, is located indoors and uses hydroponic growing methods along with automated lighting, irrigation, humidity and temperature control systems. The company reports that it uses AI-assisted environmental monitoring, which extends the traceability of batches to the final product and compares them to operating standards for air filtration systems. Post-harvest processing is said to follow EU-GMP protocols, including microbial and cannabinoid testing.

The stated goal of this approach is to reduce between-harvest variation in terms of THC and CBD content, terpene profiles, and microbial safety. Dalgety says his cultivation is overseen by staff with experience in horticulture and biochemistry, some of whom have worked on cannabis cultivation projects internationally.

Through a partnership with Curaleaf Laboratories, Dalgety’s UK-grown cannabis is processed and distributed through a UK-based supply chain, rather than imported from overseas. Companies suggest that this arrangement can shorten the time it takes to get products to market compared to importing, and reduce the likelihood of supply disruptions. Because Dalgety and Curaleaf Laboratories are involved in cultivation, manufacturing and distribution, the companies say this oversees the product at every stage, making it clearer for prescribers to see where and how the product was made.

© Curaleaf Laboratories

Dalgety operates to EU-GMP standards and has been subject to regulatory review by the MHRA and the Home Office. Its operations include environmental monitoring, microbial testing, stability testing, controlled drying and curing procedures and quality assurance processes, along with controlled and secure facilities.

The company describes its work as controlled environment farming, hydroponic systems, environmental control technology, and efforts to stabilize cannabis genetics and phenotypes for batch-to-batch consistency.

© Curaleaf Laboratories

Dalgety has also opened its cultivation facilities for visits to healthcare professionals, clinicians, pharmacists, researchers and other industry stakeholders. The company says this is in response to the fact that much of the cannabis historically supplied to UK patients has been grown overseas, which has limited opportunities for UK clinicians to see first-hand the cultivation and quality control processes. These tours aim to provide visitors with information on cultivation standards, EU-GMP compliance procedures, environmental control systems, testing processes and the regulatory framework governing cannabis manufacturing in the UK.

Dalgety and Curaleaf Laboratories describe their partnership as expanding access to UK-grown medical cannabis, improving supply chain reliability and helping to meet sector regulations, placing it in the wider context of growing demand for cannabis-based treatments from UK patients.