John Deere Scholarship Rewards NAMA Student Leadership

Laura McNamara

NAMA student chapters that excel at offering students the tools they need to develop their leadership and academic skills have a chance to get some fiscal help from John Deere. Outstanding chapters that apply for The John Deere Signature Award could win up to $3,000. The John Deere Signature Award is designed to create a new level of recognition within …

Education, John Deere, NAMA

“Straight From the Horse’s Mouth”

Laura McNamara

That title comes straight from Farm Safety USA. The organization is releasing a new children’s farm safety program available on audio CD. The program will feature animals in its kid-friendly campaign. Animals teach farm safety in a one-of-a-kind, highly entertaining, audio CD series — created to educate children on farm dangers. “As farmers approach fall harvesting, safety is of high …

Education, Farming

Multi-Use Propane

Laura McNamara

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 …

Agribusiness, Audio, Education, Farming, Propane, Technology

Pairing Propane and Power

Laura McNamara

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 …

Agribusiness, Education, Environment, Farming, Propane, Research, Technology

Texas Railroad Commission Highlights Propane Technology

Laura McNamara

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: Kelly_Dan.mp3 Dan expanded on …

Audio, Education, Farming, Propane, Research, Technology

Roush F-150 Burns Propane Fuel

Laura McNamara

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: Roush_Tom.mp3

Education, Environment, Farming, Propane, Research, Technology

Putting the Heat on Cotton

Laura McNamara

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 …

Audio, Cotton, Education, Environment, Farming, Propane, Research, Technology

Propane Heat Remediation Ideal for Organic Farmers

Laura McNamara

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 …

Audio, Education, Environment, Farming, Propane, Research, Technology

New FFA Middle School Website

Chuck Zimmerman

Garfield the cat is now an FFA spokesperson or rather cat. Find him on Garfield’s Middle School Discovery. The National FFA Organization launched a new Middle School Discovery website dedicated to middle school FFA members and their teachers. And Garfield the cat serves as FFA’s Spokescat, revealing his “catitude” about the wonders of agriculture and FFA. Garfield and friends also …

Ag Groups, Education

AEM Announces Winners of Student Ag Engineering Awards

Laura McNamara

Dozens of agricultural engineering students have received awards from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers this year. The awards are meant to honor those students particularly involved in their field. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) honored the latest winners of AEM’s annual Student Engineering and Mechanization Awards during special ceremonies at the recent American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ …

Ag Groups, Education