Compostable net wrap developed in Central Alberta

Good-bye plastic! Nature’s Net Wrap, developed on a ranch east of Edmonton, will provide ranchers with a sustainable alternative, eliminating plastic waste.

Compostable bale wrap is available for beef producers through CNH Industrial dealers starting May 2024.
Nature’s Net Wrap is made from 100 per cent plant-based, renewable resources. Cofounded by Alberta ranchers Austin Ruud and his father Larry Ruud, the innovative product is the first of its kind on the market globally.

“In 2015 we were out cutting net wrap and twine off bales in our pasture, and we thought: there’s got to be an alternative to all this plastic waste,” explains Austin Ruud, CEO and President of Nature’s Net Wrap. “We go through a few thousand bales a year, so you can imagine how much plastic is in our bale yard.”

Since then, Austin has focused on developing a compostable net wrap alternative. “Through our research,
we determined that biopolymers would be the best solution to provide the most strength and longevity on the bales,” Ruud says.

They tested several biopolymer blends in the field and determined which could be manufactured, and then came up with a prototype, which started running through balers in 2022, and later went through rigorous testing to ensure it is non-toxic.

Ruud explains, “We’ve now done two years of field testing in different locations across North America, from southern Florida to northern Alberta. We’ve also done more product refinement during that process, such as making rolls longer and changing the size of the squares of the netting.”

Nature’s Net Wrap maintains structural integrity for at least 12 months in storage, and naturally breaks down in the soil. The bales made in the Ruuds’ bale yard in 2022 are still intact, suggesting the longevity of the wrap depends on the environmental conditions where bales are stored.

“We recommend that producers use the same number of wraps as they do with plastic wrap, and store bales for up to 12 months,” says Ruud.

“Plastic net wrap is a significant challenge to manage on operations due to the lack of end-of-life options and soil contamination,” explains Larry Ruud.

He also notes operational challenges, such as entanglement on manure spreaders and time involved collecting and removing it, along with the possibility of animal ingestion.

The Ruud family, who ranch near Vermilion, have shown significant entrepreneurial spirit in the past. Larry
and Austin’s brother, Braeden, developed the Raised Right pet food brand and brought it to market prior to developing Nature’s Net Wrap.

Austin Ruud says, “I think the range of available sustainable products is going to grow exponentially over
the next five to 10 years, addressing the growing demand to support the earth by trying to leave it better than we found it.”

Nature’s Net Wrap is manufactured in the U.S. and is now available for purchase through Case and New Holland dealerships throughout North America. It is available in 48, 51, 64, and 67-inch widths, standard widths for plasticnet wrap. Rolls are 4,000 feet in length and priced at about $1 per bale higher than plastic wrap. Learn more at naturesnetwrap.com

The development of products such as Nature’s Net Wrap is just one example of how ABP supports research and innovation through check-off funded research investments, alongside our colleagues at BCRC.

This article was first published in Volume 4 Issue 2 of ABP Magazine (June 2024). Watch for more digital content from the magazine on ABP Daily.