Guiyang improves green development through repurposing straw

In recent years, Guiyang has promoted repurposing crop straw as fertilizer. Wudang Xinbao Ecological Agriculture Development Co, a Guiyang company established in 2021, found another use for straw: cattle feed.

The company learned that local townships had an abundant straw supply. They then started to implement their idea of using crop straw as beef cattle feed. "Straw repurposing and the beef cattle breeding industry complement each other. The cows are fed and we reduce the air pollution caused by straw burning. This also drives the development of the local industry," said Lin Mao, the head of the company.

Lin added that this year, the straw recycled by the company involved more than 60 households, and each household gained more than 100 yuan ($14) per mu (0.07 hectares) of land.

This company is not a stand-alone example. Other companies, farmers, cooperatives, and agriculture entities have also promoted straw repurposing.

In the first three quarters of this year, the area of straw feed utilization in Guiyang reached 386,900 mu. The comprehensive utilization rate of straw in the city increased from 84 percent in 2018 to 87.3 percent in 2021, and the target of 89 percent is expected to be achieved by the end of 2022.