May 03, 2012 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Clean Seed Capital Group (“Clean Seed” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: CSX) is pleased to announce it has received the results of the soil disturbance analysis conducted by the UBC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (UBC Farm). The overall assessment of the Company’s patented Smallholder/ Developing Nations No-Till seeding equipment was exceptional.
This trial was conducted by Dr. Andrew Riseman, Associate Professor and Academic Director of the UBC Farm to independently assess the impact of this technology on soil disturbance based on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service guidelines. The objectives of the analysis were to determine:
- Whether the Company’s patented in-ground opener blade technology meets or exceeds the conservation tillage standard as outlined in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) National Handbook of Conservation Practice.
- Whether the Company’s Smallholder/Developing Nations equipment carrying the patented opener blades are in conformance with the standards outlined in the 2006/2009 NRCS Handbook of Conservation Practices and CCX Offset Project Protocol, namely through the verification of 30% or less soil disturbance.
Three locations within the UBC Farm were selected, each representing different soil compaction and/or cover conditions. Each site pass consisted of a straight run with the blades engaged to 1.5”-2” soil depth. Two tractor speeds were used on all three sites and the equipment performed equally well across speeds and degree of soil compaction. During all in-ground passes, blades maintained the set depth and ports remained free and open.
Video recording and photo data was made of the equipment to document physical soil throw as the blades passed through the soil and to visually record cover disturbance. Cover disturbance was measured both visually and by line-transect method (i.e. random transects were plotted with ten locations assessed for either cover present or bare soil) after the trials were completed.
The results concluded the Company’s technology performed exceptionally well across all soil and cover crop conditions used in this trial and produced an exceptionally low percentage row disturbance value of 0.21%, a value below other no-till planters in the RUSLE2 soil tillage intensity assessment program (http://fargo.nserl.purdue.edu/rusle2_dataweb/RUSLE2_Index.htm). It also is in conformance with CCX Offset Project Protocols leaving an average undisturbed cover of 98% after planting.
CEO, Graeme Lempriere states, “The positive result of the soil disturbance analysis conducted by Dr. Andrew Riseman marks the completion of a milestone for Clean Seed Capital and validates our compliance with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) National Handbook of Conservation Practice. We are delighted with a 98% undisturbed soil surface result and look forward to working with UBC in the coming months on our large scale commercial equipment. We are proud to be in collaboration with the UBC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (UBC Farm) and look forward to the next phase of our development.”
For further information please contact Mark Tommasi (mtommasi@cleanseedcapital.com) or Ward Jensen (wjensen@cleanseedcapital.com) at 604-566-9895 and visit our website at www.cleanseedcapital.com.
On Behalf of the Board,
Clean Seed Capital Group
“Graeme Lempriere”
Graeme Lempriere
Chief Executive Officer, President and Director
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