Monsanto Mobile Greenhouse at Farm Science Review

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Chuck

Monsanto Mobile Greenhouse Monsanto has their traveling mobile greenhouse on location here at the Farm Science Review. It’s filled with plants at various stages of growth and has been receiving a lot of traffic.

The unit is 28 feet long and showcases Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans. The mobile green house is a unique way to show the benefits of the new technology. Farmers also have a chance to get entered into a contest to win a family dream vacation worth $8,000. There’s also a short video illustrating the science behind the seed. I walked through the display yesterday and you can see it here.

Farm Science Review Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Farm Science Review is being sponsored by Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council.

Day Two of Farm Science Review

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Chuck

Touchstone Energy Balloon Day two of the Farm Science Review is underway and I’ve got a lot of items to post during the day. I’m kind of playing catch up on the whole jet lag thing but a second cup of coffee is helping.

Pam Fretwell, Conklin Company, is sitting next to me in the media building, typing away. We’ve been talking about blogging. I think there’s a blogger inside her that’s just waiting to get out.

I don’t know how many shows the Touchstone Energy balloon flies over but it caught your attention as we waited in the very short lines of traffic. The weather is beautiful so come on out.

Farm Science Review Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Farm Science Review is being sponsored by Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council.

ABN Radio To Relocate to WOSU Facility

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Chuck

Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill It seemed like the ABN Show midday here at the Farm Science Review. The BARN has a nice barn. Here’s Andy and Lindsay just before their big announcement today.

Basically, ABN is partnering with WOSU Radio and will be relocating their studios to WOSU facilities in Columbus in early 2009.

It seems like WOSU grew so much that they had to move into new studios opening up this opportunity for ABN. WOSU is the University of Ohio radio station.

You can hear Andy’s comments at their press conference here:

You can hear Lindsay’s comments here:

Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill with Dr. E. Gordon Gee Also on hand to commemorate the announcement was University of Ohio President, Dr. E. Gordon Gee. He said this was an exciting day for him since ABN Radio founder (deceased), Ed Johnson, was his friend and he knows that Ed would be proud of this announcement and to see Andy and Lindsay carry on his legacy.

You can hear Dr. Gee’s comments here:

Farm Science Review Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Farm Science Review is being sponsored by Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council.

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Farm Science Review Media Center

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Chuck

FSR Media Center Well here I am at the Farm Science Review. It’s a beautiful day after what apparently was some bad weather from Hurricane Ike earlier this week. A hurricane hitting Ohio. That’s different.

It has caused some challenges though like me not having a room since the hotel I was supposed to stay in is closed due to no electricity. I did get another one though.

I’ll be here doing interviews with my sponsors from Monsanto and the Propane Research and Education Council. I’ve already got a photo album started too. This picture is of the show’s media center.

Farm Science Review Photo Album

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Heading to Farm Science Review

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Chuck

Another day, off to another farm show. After Cindy and I got in to St. Louis last night we re-grouped and re-packed. She’s going to be attending an event for Agrotain in St. Louis today while I’m on my way to Columbus, OH and the Farm Science Review.

This will be my first time at the show and you’ll be seeing interviews with coverage sponsors, Monsanto and the Propane Education and Research Council.

I’ll get in early this afternoon and probably start posting later today.

2008 Features at a Glance

* This is the 46th Farm Science Review, the 26th at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.
* Hundreds of demonstration plots and several million dollars worth of machinery.
* Nineteenth-year inductions into the Farm Science Review Hall of Fame.
* Ohio Farmer Conservation Awards; Thursday at 11:30.
* OSU Central, featuring demonstrations and displays from OSU colleges and departments.
* Lots of farm safety, home safety and health information.
* Global Positioning Systems (GPS) hands-on demonstrations in the demonstration fields.
* Expanded programs on conservation practices in the Gwynne Conservation Area.
* An arts and crafts exhibit tent.
* Permanent washroom facilities with diaper changing stations.

Field Demonstrations

Harvesting, strip-tilling, global positioning, and tillage demonstrations will take place every day. Check the schedule for demonstration times.

We expect to completely fill the commercial exhibit area this year, with about 600 exhibitors from all over North America in the Central Exhibit Area.

PERC Makes Progress

Posted on August 31, 2008 by Chuck

At this summer’s farm shows you’ll see the folks at the Propane Education and Research Council providing support to various state groups. Here at the Farm Progress Show, Mark Leitman stopped by the AgWired table in the media tent.

He says that PERC is supporting the Iowa Propane Gas Association.

Mark says that farmers are stopping by their exhibit and have been talking about propane powered tractors they’ve had or still have. He’s heard a lot of fond memories.

Iowa Propane Gas Association At the Iowa state exhibit they had a Roush F-150, powered by propane, on display. Mark says they’re promoting energy efficiency across the board. He says it’s a good time to look at becoming more energy efficient and deciding to do either more maintenance on grain dryers and heaters or perhaps replacing them.

PERC will be sponsoring AgWired coverage of some upcoming shows that include the Farm Science Review in Columbus, OH and the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA. I think you can count on learning more about what’s going on in the propane business.

You can listen to my interview with Mark here:

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: and

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Propane Running All Around My Brain

Posted on July 29, 2008 by Cindy

PERC Brandon Robinson From propane-powered irrigation systems to tankless water heaters and pickup trucks, today’s propane innovations are helping farmers save money and the environment.

Here at the Ag Media Summit, the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) was talking about the green benefits of propane and some of their upcoming events where they will be showcasing new propane innovations for agriculture. PERC will be sponsoring AgWired’s coverage of two big farm shows in the next few months – Farm Progress show and the Sunbelt Ag Expo.

You can listen to my interview with Brandon here:

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

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Growing Propane

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

I didn’t have any flight delays unlike Chuck and Cindy, however, my posts on the 2007 Propane Technology Forum were delayed due the strict security of the internet I was accessing at the conference. I am back at my hotel now, online now with full access. Here’s the first of many posts to come…

Cutting-edge innovation and environmentally friendly applications are the two major themes experts at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum are focusing on during their presentations on liquid petroleum gas. Roy Willis, President of the Propane Education & Research Council, gave the keynote address this morning, saying propane is “the mechanism for the things consumers need.” Roy stressed the importance of using the latest research and innovation in propane application to spur the growth of the propane industry. He says as propane use continues to become more efficient, it is vital to create new markets and develop new customers. In a separate in interview, I talked with Roy about where the propane industry has room to grow.

You can listen to my interview with Roy here:

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Multi-Use Propane

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

For Robert Jacobs, it’s about maximum output. Robert is the Chairman for the Propane Education & Research Council Agriculture Advisory Committee. He headed a panel at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum that demonstrated the different ways propane application can be applied to agriculture, including heat remediation, heat defoliation of crops, heat sanitation and pest control. I spoke to Robert about which agriculture applications excite him most. We also discussed the ‘tri-generation’ project that was introduced in my interview in the previous post with Steve Jaeger.

You can listen to my interview with Robert here:

For more information on propane research and innovations for agriculture, visit www.agpropane.com.

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Pairing Propane and Power

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Some of the latest propane technology pairs propane with solar power to offer hybrid electricity generation systems. Stuart Weidie, Chairman of the PERC Research and Development Advisory Committee, says experts are looking at coupling propane with more than just solar energy though. I spoke with Stuart about the various opportunities his panel has been researching in combined heat and power systems along with the long-term storage potential of liquid petroleum gas.

You can listen to my interview with Stuart here:

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Texas Railroad Commission Highlights Propane Technology

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

The Railroad Commission of Texas is the organization hosting the 2007 Propane Technology Forum here in Austin, TX. Propane is a key interest of the commission’s Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division. I spoke to Director Dan Kelly about some of the highlights of today’s featured speakers.

You can listen to my interview with Dan here:

Dan expanded on our discussion in the interview over the safety of propane fuel and pointed out the fuel tank is not only made of steel but is also a quarter-inch thick. He referenced a school bus accident in Alvin, TX where a pick-up truck ran a red light and struck a school bus running on propane fuel, hitting the propane tank dead on. University of Guelph He said the pick-up burned to the ground while there was no escape of gas from the bus. He added that all the children riding the bus exited safely without any instance of injury or death. Dan said industry leaders joke about the safest place to put a propane gas tank in a motor vehicle: “make it the bumper.” He said 12,000 vehicles run on propane fuel in Texas.

I also spoke with Steve Jaeger with the Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division. We discussed why the Railroad Commission of Texas feels it’s important to host the Propane Technology Forum and what he thought were some of the key presentations. We also touched on a new project that just got off the ground last month: “tri-generation” use of propane – a new propane-powered energy efficiency project that focuses on researching the capability of propane to recover waste heat to both heat water and sanitize dairy shed and equipment, and to operate an adsorption chiller.

You can listen to my interview with Steve here:

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Roush F-150 Burns Propane Fuel

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Tom Arnold with Roush Manufacturing Chuck has already posted information on the innovative use of propane as motor fuel from Roush Manufacturing, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to interview Roush representative Tom Arnold myself. Not to mention the application of propane as motor fuel is certainly interesting enough to cover more than once.

You can listen to my interview with Tom here:

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Putting the Heat on Cotton

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Paul Funk with the USDA-Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory Paul Funk is one of the experts at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum who has taken all the talk about innovative propane research a step further. Paul is a scientist with the USDA-Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory. He is among the first to put heat defoliation of cotton with propane into practice. Paul and I discussed what he’s encountered out in the field.

You can listen to my interview with Paul here:

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Propane Heat Remediation Ideal for Organic Farmers

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Scientists Raj Hulasare with Temp-Air Paul Funk’s heat defoliation of cotton isn’t the only way propane-generated heat is being used. Temp-Air scientist Raj Hulasare says propane heat remediation is an ideal solution for treating bins, silos, and other storage vessels for pests. He adds that propane heat remediation is a particularly viable option for certified organic farms, which are restricted from using many chemicals to treat their stored crops.

You can listen to my interview with Raj about the advantages of thermal remediation here:

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Pest Control with Propane

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Several experts in the propane industry mentioned the innovative use of propane as an insecticide at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum, but Robert McGee with Texas A&M Agriculture Research is the expert whose presentation focused solely on propane’s capability to eliminate pests. In a brief interview, Robert and I reviewed the main idea of his presentation.

You can listen to my interview with Robert here:

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Propane Heat Sanitizes

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

Raj Hulasare with Temp-Air introduced the application of propane heat remediation at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum and Scientist Terry Smith with Mississippi State University has applied that concept to his research in dairy sanitation. Terry and I discussed how propane heat sanitation offers dairy producers a chemical-free option when maintaining the health of their dairy cows.

You can listen to my interview with Terry here:

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Talking Propane

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Laura

The Propane Technology Forum is underway here in Austin, TX. About 100 propane industry experts are on hand sharing ideas about the future of liquid petroleum gas. Industry leaders from across the U.S. are collaborating with other international experts from Mexico and France, focusing on the future of propane growth, marketing and innovation. It’s early in the day, but the morning’s presentations have already touched on an array of uses for propane gas including propane as a fuel source for dehumidifiers and motor vehicles and as an application tool for emissions control and pollution prevention.

I’ll be interviewing several of these industry leaders one-on-one during our breaks to get a better understanding of where the use of propane gas is headed.

Propane Technology in Austin, TX

Posted on September 11, 2007 by Laura

Everything you wanted to know about propane will be available here on Agwired.com throughout the day tomorrow. I flew into Austin, TX today to cover tomorrow’s Propane Technology Forum being held at the Railroad Commission of Texas headquarters. The conference will focus on propane innovations for agriculture.

The one-day forum will feature presentations from propane industry leaders, researchers, and manufacturers, as well as equipment displays. A special session on agricultural uses of propane will discuss the use of propane for heat to sanitize grain storage structures, sanitation in poultry and dairy production, and cotton defoliation. Additional sponsors include the World LP Gas Association, ASOCIMEX (Mexican LP Gas Association), and Southwest Research Institute. The forum will include presentations on the following topics.

Agriculture Innovations
* Propane heat sanitation for grain storage
* Cotton defoliation with propane heat
* Flame sanitation in dairy and poultry operations

Additional Propane Innovations
* Propane-powered F-150 Roush truck
* Propane Vision school bus
* Solar/propane hybrid electricity generation systems
* PERC fuel quality studies
* Underground propane tanks

A Salute To The Capitol

Posted on June 13, 2007 by Chuck

Capitol Building Here’s a comforting sight to anyone who’s spent much time in Washington. I’m done here for this trip but just know I’ll be back. I had the chance to get out on the Mall for a while in between rain storms this afternoon (jogging). I didn’t make it as far as I have in the past but I did get in a few miles.

It’s very cool to look one way and see the U. S. Capitol and the Washington Monument the other way. I don’t know how many times I’ve been on the Mall but it’s been long enough to appreciate the little carousel that Cindy and I used to take our daughters on when we lived just north of here near Baltimore. It’s still there and was crowded with kids this afternoon.

Hopefully you’ve learned a little bit more about propane and PERC this week as I’ve covered Propane Days. I’d like to thank PERC for the opportunity and hope to be able to do it again soon.

Propane Projects Focused on Agriculture

Posted on June 13, 2007 by Chuck

One of the people I spent some time talking with here at Propane Days is Mark Leitman, Director of Agriculture Programs for the Propane Education & Research Council. Mark is the go to guy when it come to ag and propane.

Because of the way the law was written that created PERC, 5% of the organization’s funds have to go to projects to benefit agriculture. He really wants to make sure the word gets out about all the exciting things they’re doing in this area. Some of those including poultry house sanitizing, and using steam to kill weeds. I found a project they’re working on to fumigate buildings and structures with propane created heat to be fascinating. PERC is also working to develop a cotton defoliating process which would reduce the amount of chemicals being used.

Basically he says PERC’s mission is to make farmers more productive. He also wants people to know that they’re looking for projects to fund in this area since PERC is a grant making institution. He would be the guy to contact if you’re interested.

You can listen to my interview with Mark here:

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