The National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources Has Passed Expert Evaluation.

At the behest of the National Development and Reform Commission, the China International Consulting Company convened a panel of experts to conduct an on-site evaluation of our university’s application for the National Engineering Laboratory on the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources on May 15. The expert panel commended the project proposal in high regard.

　　Miao Zhonghua, Secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Agricultural University; Wen Fujiang, President; Dong Shuting, Vice President; Zhang Xiaoqing, Director of the High-Tech Division of the Shandong Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Chen Chao, Deputy Director; and representatives from the project’s co‑constructing institutions—Shenyang Agricultural University, Hunan Agricultural University, Shandong Jinzhengda Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shandong Baoyuan Biological Co., Ltd., and Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Co., Ltd.—attended the evaluation meeting. Prior to the meeting, the expert panel, accompanied by Miao Zhonghua, conducted on-site visits to the Huanghuaihai Corn Innovation Center, the pilot-scale test station for controlled‑release fertilizers, the State Key Discipline of Crop Cultivation, and the State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, and heard briefings from researchers on technological innovation and the dissemination of research outcomes.

　　In his address, Miao Zhonghua expressed gratitude to the National Development and Reform Commission, the Shandong Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the expert panel for their care and support of Shandong Agricultural University. He provided a brief overview of the university’s educational mission and urged Shandong Agricultural University, along with all other entities entrusted with the project, to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the successful construction of the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, ensuring that it meets the national standards and requirements.

　　The expert panel heard presentations by Professor Zhang Min of the College of Resources and Environment and Engineer Zhang Yong of the Shandong Provincial Engineering Consulting Institute on the proposed plan for establishing the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, and subsequently engaged in a thorough Q&A session. The experts offered high praise for the proposal, noting that Shandong Agricultural University, in collaboration with relevant universities and enterprises, possesses distinct advantages and strong capabilities in applying to establish this laboratory. They highlighted its clear distinguishing features and expressed confidence that, with dedicated effort, the laboratory could be developed into a comprehensive platform for theoretical innovation, technological R&D, the engineering application and dissemination of research outcomes, and open‑access services—thus becoming a key hub for original technological breakthroughs, new product development, industrial application, and the cultivation of high‑level talent in the field of efficient soil and fertilizer resource utilization in China. In addition, the experts provided constructive feedback on various aspects of the plan, including management and operational mechanisms, the formulation of specific objectives, and budget preparation.

　　At the meeting, Wen Fujiang delivered a speech, expressing his gratitude for the experts’ candid and constructive comments. He stated that the project’s construction plan would be further refined and improved in accordance with the experts’ recommendations, and that preparatory work would be vigorously advanced. All participating institutions will devote themselves to ensuring robust organizational support, adequate funding, cutting-edge technology, and comprehensive logistical arrangements, thereby guaranteeing the smooth establishment and efficient operation of the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources.

　　Zhang Xiaoqing, speaking on behalf of the project‑supervising authority, stated at the meeting that Shandong Province attaches great importance to the development of high‑tech agricultural platforms. In response to the National Development and Reform Commission’s special initiative to enhance innovation capacity for increasing grain production and incomes, Shandong Province has actively mobilized relevant universities, research institutions, and enterprises to submit applications for national engineering laboratory projects. The National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, jointly proposed by Shandong Agricultural University together with partner universities and enterprises, holds significant importance for building high‑yield, stable‑yield grain fields and upgrading medium‑ and low‑productivity farmland. She expressed the hope that the universities and enterprises entrusted with the construction task will carefully heed expert advice, revise and refine their plans in accordance with expert recommendations to make them more scientific, meticulous, and robust, while also diligently fulfilling all aspects of the laboratory’s construction, ensuring that the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources plays its due role in advancing agricultural production.

　　National engineering laboratories are research and development entities established through close collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutes. They are founded primarily by leading enterprises and scientific research institutions, with the aim of addressing critical technological and equipment bottlenecks that hinder major industrial restructuring and the development of key sectors, all in response to the needs of industrial growth. To ensure the achievement of the 2020 target of increasing grain production capacity by 50 million tons, the National Development and Reform Commission decided, starting in 2009, to launch a special program to enhance innovation capabilities for boosting both grain output and farmers’ incomes. Under this initiative, several national engineering laboratories are planned in relevant fields, including: the National Engineering Laboratory for Corn, the National Engineering Laboratory for Wheat, the National Engineering Laboratory for Rice, the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, the National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Water Use in Crop Production, the National Engineering Laboratory for Agricultural Machinery and Equipment, the National Engineering Laboratory for Grain Storage and Transportation, the National Engineering Laboratory for Deep Processing of Grains, and the National Engineering Laboratory for Grain Processing Machinery and Equipment. Based on its disciplinary strengths and advantages, our university has decided to jointly submit an application with Shenyang Agricultural University, Hunan Agricultural University, Shandong Jinzhengda Ecological Engineering Co., Ltd., Shandong Baoyuan Bio‑Technology Co., Ltd., and Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Industry Co., Ltd. to establish the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources. Relevant departments and colleges have actively organized the preparation of supporting materials to ensure a successful project submission. In November 2009, our university stood out among numerous competitors and successfully passed the defense review conducted by the National Development and Reform Commission.

　　According to the introduction, the National Engineering Laboratory for the Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources will complete the construction of four research platforms within three years. These platforms are: a platform for the development of novel fertilizers, along with related process and equipment research; a platform for soil organic fertility enhancement and soil quality assessment and management; a platform for the R&D of precision nutrient management technologies and equipment; and a platform for engineering research on the remediation of degraded soils and ecological restoration. In parallel with the establishment of these platforms, the laboratory will also comprehensively establish a technology‑transfer and service system for the efficient utilization of soil and fertilizer resources, fully leveraging its functions in strategic scientific and technological research, technical consulting and talent training, information exchange, integration of expert resources, and international cooperation. Grounded in China’s three major grain‑producing regions—the Huanghuaihai Plain, Northeast China, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River—the laboratory will address key agricultural constraints such as soil nutrient imbalances, low fertilizer use efficiency, and declining soil fertility. Centered on the creation of innovative fertilizers and soil fertility improvement, it will conduct R&D on common core technologies—including the development of new fertilizers, soil organic enrichment, precision nutrient management, and the treatment of degraded soils—achieving breakthroughs in both technological innovation and engineering application. The goal is to industrialize these new fertilizers, provide technical support for building high‑yield, stable‑production grain fields and upgrading medium‑ and low‑yield farmlands, and ensure the realization of the nation’s targets for increasing grain production.