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 …
Propane Heat Remediation Ideal for Organic Farmers
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 …
Pest Control with Propane
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 …
Interview with BASF Ag Products President
BASF Agricultural Products division president Michael Heinz is in a good mood because prices for farm products are higher and farmers are spending more money on their input costs to increase production. “It makes us very excited because when the farmer is in a good mood, in general, we are in a good mood,” Heinz says. This optimism was the …
Global Press Conference
I have been an ag journalist for 25 years and never participated in an event quite like the global press conference for BASF here in Germany. Michael Heinz, President of BASF’s Agricultural Products Division, and Dr. Klaus Welsch, head of the European Crop Protection business, were the headliners at the event and the main news was how BASF sees the …
Propane Heat Sanitizes
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 …
Propane Technology in Austin, TX
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, …
Ethanol God-Father Hits the Airwaves
The man known as the “Ethanol God-Father” is set to tackle the “myths” about ethanol in Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin and California. Blume will be giving speeches at various Renewable Energy Conferences and Seminars. The “Bio-expert” will also be featured on XM radio and T.V. The International Institute for Sustainable Agriculture has announced that its founder and current Executive Director, David …
Scholarship Contest Honors National Rice Month
The U.S. Rice Federation hopes a grand prize of $3,500 will entice high school students to join the campaign to promote rice for National Rice Month. The contest will dole out a total of $10,000 in scholarship money. Scholarship opportunities await high school students in rice-growing communities as they head back to school. September is National Rice Month, and the …
Harvest Labor Weekend
This is what I saw a lot of coming home from the Farm Progress Show and then again today when I was out in the field. It’s perfect weather to be out in the field so I’m sure this is going to be a busy weekend of harvesting. While I was out today there was a kind of infrequent breeze …