Apr–Jun, 2007

We live value-added agriculture at AURI. Whether it’s a new shelf-stable meat product or biodegradable corn-stalk hog mat, or energy powered by crop residue, our goal is to help develop…

Minnesota farmers will be harvesting more green power, thanks to AURI’s Center for Producer-Owned Energy. In its first two years, CPOE helped develop ethanol, biodiesel, biomass gasification, manure digestion, community…

  BIODIESEL Turbine power Identify oils that meet the performance, storage and economic requirements for turbine fuel. Opportunity and idea: Large supplies of low-value, unrefined vegetable oils are available. Industry…

Fergus Falls, Minn. — In just eight days, Otter Tail Ag Enterprises, LLC raised $42.2 million in capital and attracted 877 investors from rural Minnesota — 59 percent of them…

By Cindy Green Don’t blame it all on biodiesel . In the fall 2005, soon after a Minnesota mandate kicked in requiring a 2-percent biodiesel blend, truckers and bus drivers…

Biodiesel is nontoxic, biodegradable and reduces emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulates. Unlike other alternative fuels, it can be used in unmodified engines, even in its pure form. Biodiesel…

Sugar makes corn-based ethanol sweeter still. Demonstration tests at Corn Plus in Winnebago, Minn. showed that by adding 1.5 percent beet sugar to corn silage shortened fermentation time by nearly…

St. Paul, Minn. — Minnesota is home to more than 5,000 dairy farms, and most have fewer than 100 cows. Many of these herds are housed in older facilities that…

Waseca, Minn. — High oil prices are fueling more than the development of alternative energy sources. As the demand for alternatives like ethanol rises, so does the price of corn,…

Three agricultural leaders were named to AURI’s board of directors in January. The new members include:   State Senator Jim Vickerman, chair of the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Budget and…

State Senate Dallas Sams, former AURI board member, died on March 5 at age 54 from brain cancer. He served on AURI’s board for almost 13 years, through 2006. “We…

Editor’s note: As a service to our readers, we provide news from around the globe on new uses for agricultural products. Please note that ARS is the research arm of…

1. What does the presence of a thin grey line in a diesel storage tank mean? A. Fuel is aging B. Too much glycerin C. Live microbes are present 2.…