Innovation news

Pumping gold

By Dan Lemke
Amboy, Minn. -- In August, Watonwan Farm Services' Amboy facility became the first Minnesota service station to offer biodiesel at the pumps. Then in September, the Lyon County Co-op in Marshall announced that it, too, would pump Soygold. The soy-based diesel fuel blend is two percent soy oil and 98 percent petroleum diesel.

Research shows biodiesel has increased lubrication over standard diesel fuel, which is a primary factor in reducing engine wear. Burning biodiesel also reduces particulate, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions compared to standard diesel.

A recent report by the USDA estimates that because of new market demands up to 50 million gallons of soy oil could be used annually for products like biodiesel.

In addition to offering SoyGold at the pump, Watonwan Farm Services and the Lyon County Co-op provide bulk delivery directly to farms where producers can use it in combines, tractors and other farm equipment. The fuel costs just one cent more per gallon than diesel without the soy additive.

"For years, AURI has been supporting soy diesel market development and technology," says Max Norris, AURI oils scientist. "We're excited to see soy diesel introduced into the Minnesota markets."

Safe meat science

By Andrea Frazeur
Marshall, Minn. -- Food safety is again making national headlines and AURI is stepping up efforts to help meat and poultry processors with food safety technology.

AURI is offering meat and poultry processors hands-on training in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems. Darrell Bartholomew, AURI animal products scientist, is helping processors determine which food safety techniques are best suited to their operations.

With the recall of 25 million pounds of ground beef made at the Hudson Foods Company's Nebraska plant, meat processors were alerted to the importance of up-to-date sanitation monitoring. E. coli 0157:H7 contamination was found in some of the plant's frozen hamburger patties. "HACCP and food safety are major issues facing meat processors," Batholomew says. "We want processors to know AURI is a good resource for information and assistance."

Ag site spreads its Web

Crookston, Minn. -- The nation's premier value-added agriculture web site -- Industrial Agriculture USA -- will soon be on-line.

Developed jointly by AURI and Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, the new web site is a comprehensive information source for businesses developing and commercializing industrial and nonfood consumer products from ag commodities.

The site is a virtual road map to state and national experts, funding sources, technology information and business trends to speed the development of new ag-based products. It will also give businesses an opportunity to distribute information on their ag-based products over the Internet.