Are You Engineering a Secure Financial Future?

Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World
October 2007
A Class Act in
Tomato Harvesting
PE Licensure
Celebrates
100 Years
PUBLISHED BY ASABE – AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS
EVENTS CALENDAR
READER FORUM
ASABE
Conferences and International Meetings
To receive more information about ASABE conferences and meetings,
contact ASABE at 800-371-2723 or mcknight@asabe.org.
2007
Oct. 20-24
Eleventh National Symposium on Individual and
Small Community Sewage Systems. Warwick, Rhode
Island, USA.
2008
Feb. 10-13
Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference.
Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
March 29April 3
21st Century Watershed Technology: Improving
Water Quality and the Environment.
Concepción, Chile.
June 29July 2
ASABE Annual International Meeting.
Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Sept. 1-5
International Livestock Environment Symposium
(VIII). Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
Fall 2008
Food Processing Automation and Packaging
Systems Technology Conference. TBA.
2009
June 28July 1
ASABE Annual International Meeting.
Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, Nevada, USA.
ASABE Section and Community Events
Adding another to the challenges already
mentioned
I just read “Challenges for the 21st Century” in my May
issue of Resource.
I noted water and energy were a common theme with
emphasis on improved efficiency in purifying sea and polluted water. There is certainly a need to meet this type of
challenge, especially in areas of the planet where precipitation is insufficient to sustain humanity and agriculture;
but ...
I was surprised not to see mention of climate management as a challenge to be worked on during the next 100
years. There is already talk about global warming and suggestions to limit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to control temperature. I think there will also be efforts to
manage precipitation. Members of ASABE have long been
involved with drainage, hydrology, irrigation, and climate
records, so they logically will be involved with and work
toward climates management, especially working toward
managing precipitation.
Whether it is climate management or the challenge
items mentioned in Resource, there will be difficulty bringing the challenges into fruition without the citizens of the
world forcing their governments and politicians to provide
stable governments in all countries.
John E. Dixon, Ph.D, P.E.
Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho
jedixon@uidaho.edu
2007
Oct. 10-11
Texas Section Annual Meeting. YO Ranch Resort,
Kerrville, Texas, USA. Contact Will Pinson,
William.Pinson@tx.usda.gov.
Oct. 12-13
2007 Red River Valley/CSBE, CSBE/ASABE North
Central Intersectional Conference. North Dakota State
University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA. Contact Dean Steele,
Dean.Steele@ndsu.edu or Paul Aakre,
PAakre@mail.crk.umn.edu.
Oct. 12
Nebraska Annual Fall Section Meeting. Misty’s
Steakhouse, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Contact Roger
Eigenberg, Roger.Eigenberg@ars.usda.gov.
Oct. 30
Quad City Section Fall Meeting. Bettendorf Family
Museum, Bettendorf, Iowa, USA. Contact Eric Windeknecht,
WindeknechtEricD@JohnDeere.com.
ASABE Endorsed Events
Wanted: Organic Farming Innovators
I enjoyed Ann Wilke's feature, “Eco-engineering a
Sustainable Society” in the August 2007 Resource. It's a
great article, and it fits closely with the goal of an online
working group I have just started: www.bioagengineering
.net.
This is an “under construction” Web site where
researchers working on an innovative type of organic farming are listed, and they may contribute to its content through
a “wiki” system (like wikipedia.org). It also includes a
forum, where — I am hoping — members of the group will
brainstorm. Perhaps there are interested ASABE members
as well?
Hala Chaoui, Ph.D, EIT
Postdoc, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department
Penn State University
www.halachaoui.net
2007
Oct. 28Nov. 2
Second International Symposium on Soil Water
Measurement Using Capacitance, Impedance and
Time Domain Transmission (TDT). USDA-ARS Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Paltin
International Inc. in cooperation with the USDA-ARS Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center. Contact Ioan Caton Paltineanu,
icpaltin@msn.com, www.paltin.com.
Fountain Wars Correction
The August 2007 issue of Resource listed the top three
winners of the Fountain Wars competition held at the
annual meeting in Minneapolis. The third place winner
should have been listed as the University of Florida team.
INSIDE ASABE
13 PE Licensure Celebrates
Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World
October 2007
100 Years
In order to protect the public
health, safety, and welfare, the
first engineering licensure law
was enacted in 1907.
FEATURES
UPDATE
2
The Future of Intelligent Agriculture
Yunseop (James) Kim, Robert G. Evans, and William M. Iverson
Wireless site-specific irrigation saves time and money in crop water
management; best of all, it allows a farmer time to put his feet up.
24 “Sweet” Biofuels Research
Goes Down on the Farm
24 Peanuts Studied as Biodiesel
Fuel Source
4
25 Process Converts Poultry Litter
The Map vs. the Compass
Steven J. Kerno
Where’s your compass? The standard map, linking knowledge
acquired in school to tasks traditionally associated with the profession, isn’t as accurate or as useful any more, says author Kerno.
into Bio-oil
25 African GM Crop Resistant to
Maize Streak Virus
26 Soy-based Foam to be Used in
2008 Ford Mustang
26 JETS Competition Taps into
Excitement of 2008 Olympics
27 Visible Food Packaging Can
Reduce Shelf Life
27 Charcoal Technology Holds
Promise for Developing
Countries
DEPARTMENTS
C O V E R S T O RY
6
The Mechanizing Miracle of Tomato Harvesting
Bruce Hartsough
Any way you say it, the mechanization history of the to-may-to (or
to-mah-to) harvest reveals the complicated “nuts and bolts” of how
a fragile crop came to be picked by machine.
8
2nd cover
Events Calendar
Reader Forum
Centennial Spotlights
11 Birdseye View
12 Rural Electrification
Realizing a Prosperous Energy Future
22 Personnel Service
James R. Fischer, Janine A. Finnell, and Neena A. Jacob
In the final installment of our energy-focused series, co-authors
Fischer, Finnell, and Jacob champion the unchanging, future goal:
clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone.
28 Professional Listings
LAST WORD
29 Who me? A PEV?
Don Slack
RESOURCE: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World
Vol. 14 Number 7
Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World (ISSN 1076-3333) (USPS 009-560) is published
eight times per year by American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), 2950 Niles Road,
St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659, USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Resource, 2950 Niles Road,
St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659, USA. Periodical postage is paid at St. Joseph, MI, USA, and additional post
offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Contact ASABE order department, 269-428-6325. COPYRIGHT 2007 by American Society of
Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Permission to reprint articles available on request. Reprints can be ordered in large
quantities for a fee. Contact Donna Hull, 269-428-6326. Statements in this publication represent individual opinions. Resource:
Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World and ASABE assume no responsibility for statements and opinions expressed
by contributors. Views advanced in the editorials are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official
position of ASABE.
Magazine staff: Donna Hull, Publisher, hull@asabe.org; Suzanne Howard, Inside ASABE and Update Editor, howard@asabe.org;
Sue Mitrovich, Features Editor, mitro@asabe.org; Pam Bakken, Advertising Sales Manager and Production Editor,
bakken@asabe.org. Editorial Board: Chair Suranjan Panigrahi, North Dakota State University; Secretary/Vice Chair Rafael Garcia,
USDA-ARS; Past Chair Edward Martin, University of Arizona; Wayne Coates, University of Arizona; Jeremiah Davis,
Mississippi State University; Donald Edwards, Retired; Mark Riley, University of Arizona; Brian Steward, Iowa State University;
Alan Van Nahmen, Farm Buddy; and Joseph Zulovich, University of Missouri.
ON THE COVER
The Pik Rite HC 290 harvests up to 30 tons of
tomatoes per hour in varying soil and field
conditions, gracing the latest pages in the
tomato harvester mechanization history.
(Photo Credit: Pik Rite Inc., Lewisburg, Penn.)
American Society of
Agricultural and Biological Engineers
2950 Niles Road
St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659, USA
269.429.0300, fax 269.429.3852
hq@asabe.org, www.asabe.org
The Future of
Intelligent Agriculture
Wireless Site-specific Irrigation
Yunseop (James) Kim, Robert G. Evans, and William M. Iversen
H
aving a cup of green tea, a farmer watches a
computer monitor at home checking his irrigation
system. He is taking stock of soil moisture conditions across his field and keeping a watchful eye on
his irrigation machine. The monitor displays the location of
the machine, as it moves across the field, on an irrigation map
that shows how much water is applied to each of several different zones. An hour later, a rain shower passes over the field,
and the software automatically adjusts the amount of irrigation water being applied.
The farmer is using a wireless site-specific irrigation system with a distributed wireless sensor network. The system
allows growers to remotely access field conditions and an irrigation operation at the home or office via wireless radio communication, directing individual sprinklers on how much
water to apply and where.
Water management
Water is a major factor for plant growth. Traditional uniform water applications ignore field variations that cause
varying crop yield and quality across most fields. Excessive
application leads to drainage and disease problems, whereas
under application reduces yields. The development of an efficient water management system, therefore, is a major concern
around the globe to improve water-use efficiency and support
a sustainable environment. The challenge is to develop a system that accurately and inexpensively senses field variability
and controls variable-rate irrigation according to the spatial
variability. To meet the challenge, researchers at the USDAARS research laboratory in Sidney, Montana have been working since 2004 on developing a wireless in-field sensor-based
irrigation system supporting site-specific irrigation management using low cost wireless radios.
Researchers developed an automated closed-loop irrigation system that requires three major components: machine
conversion, navigation, and mission planning. A linear-move
irrigation machine was converted from a conventional
mechanical and hydraulic system to an electronically-controllable system for individual sprinkler control. The navigation
of the irrigation machine was continuously reported every
second by a differential global positioning system (GPS)
2
October 2007
RESOURCE
receiver mounted on the main cart. Mission planning was
updated according to information of the cart location and field
conditions monitored by sensors distributed across the field.
The system consisted of in-field sensor stations distributed across the field, an irrigation control station, and a base
station (Fig. 1). The in-field sensor stations monitor the field
conditions of soil moisture, soil temperature, and air temperature, whereas a nearby weather station monitors micrometeorological information on the field, i.e., air temperature,
relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction,
and solar radiation. All in-field sensory data are wirelessly
transmitted to the base station. The base station processes the
in-field sensory data through a user-friendly decision-making
program and sends control commands to the irrigation control
station. The irrigation control station updates and sends the
location of the irrigation machine from a differential GPS to
the base station for real-time monitoring and control. Based
on sprinkler head GPS locations, the base station feeds control signals back to the irrigation control station to site-specifically operate each individual sprinkler group to apply a
specified depth of water.
The experimental field was located 700 m (0.4 mile)
from the base station at Sidney, Mont., and the data transfer
rate required less than 1 KB per cycle in both transmitting and
receiving due to a short text string of sensory data.
Figure 1. Conceptual layout of wireless site-specific irrigation
system using distributed in-field wireless sensor network.
spaced every 3 m (10 ft)
and positioned at approximately 1 m (3 ft) above the
ground, and low energy
precision
application
(LEPA) spaced every
1.2 m (4 ft) and positioned
at about 15 cm (4 in.)
above the soil surface. A
programmable logic controller (PLC) mounted on
the main cart activated
electric over air solenoids
Figure 2. In-field wireless sensor network based on field configuration: (left) soil electrical conductivity (ECa) map and (right) in-field sensor station.
to control 30 banks of
sprinklers with 15 banks
of side-by-side MESA and LEPA treatments, covering the same
Wireless data communication
areas. The electric solenoids activated a pneumatic system to
A hard-wired system from in-field sensors to a controller
close normally-open plastic globe valves that were grouped into
takes extensive time and cost to install and maintain. It may be
six clusters of valves (3 MESA and 3 LEPA per span) and
infeasible to hardwire the system for long distances and unacplaced on each tower leg. A differential GPS mounted at the top
ceptable to growers because of interference with normal farmof the main cart tracked machine position as it moved across the
ing operations. A wireless data communication system provides
field. The GPS readings were wirelessly sent to the base station
dynamic mobility and cost-free relocation. Radio frequency
through the PLC for the real-time update of decision making.
technology has been widely adopted in consumer wireless communication products, and it provides numerous opportunities to
Decision making
use wireless signal communication in agricultural systems.
Field information gathered from the in-field wireless senWireless radio modules are selected for cost-effective,
sor network comes into a decision-making process at the base
plug-and-play compatibility to accommodate existing data logstation to determine how much to water, where, and when.
gers and sensors. Bluetooth wireless technology offers features
Then, the base station sends control signals to the PLC to actiof robustness, low power, and low cost. The Bluetooth radio
vate individual sprinklers on and off in response to real-time
transmission uses a slotted protocol with a Frequency Hopping
GPS readings of the irrigation cart.
Spread Spectrum technique in the globally available unliA Bluetooth radio receiver was mounted beneath the roof
censed 2.4-GHz band. A plug-and-play type of Bluetooth modof the base station building. The receiver wirelessly received
ule reaches a range of up to 1200 m (0.8 mile) with a power
data from all sensing stations and sent the data to the base
output of 63 mW (power class 1). The total cost of Bluetooth
computer via TCP/IP Ethernet. User-friendly software was
wireless radio modules (7 transmitters and 1 receiver) used in
developed for remote access to field condition from wireless
this research was approximately $1,000 U.S.
sensor network and real-time monitoring and control of sitespecific irrigation. The software also offers both automatic
Wireless sensor network
and manual control options that help growers make on-the-go
Field conditions were monitored site-specifically by six
decisions about irrigation.
in-field sensor stations distributed across the field based on a
soil property map (Fig. 2). Each of the five sensor stations
Master applications
measured soil moisture, soil temperature, and air temperature,
Sensor-based irrigation boosts irrigation efficiency while
whereas one weather station recorded microclimatic informabenefiting the environment. There is much more potential for
tion. In-field data were sampled every 10 seconds and transsaving farmers’ time and cost in crop water management by
mitted to the base station every 15 minutes via Bluetooth
using wireless access to field conditions and an irrigation
radio communication. Each station was portable and selfoperation. Applications can be extended to wireless site-specific
powered by a solar panel that recharged a battery.
chemigation such as fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides.
Variable rate application
ASABE members Yunseop (James) Kim is a research associate,
A 295-m (0.2-mile) long self-propelled linear-move irriga406-433-9477, james.kim@ars.usda.gov. and Robert G. Evans, a
research leader; William M. Iversen is a physical scientist, USDAtion system was used for variable rate irrigation. It had five
ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory, Sidney,
spans with the capability to apply water using two different irriMont., USA.
gation techniques: mid-elevation spray application (MESA)
RESOURCE
October 2007
3
The Map vs. the Compass
Navigating Modern Career Uncertainty
Steven J. Kerno, Jr.
M
ore so than many other
engineering specialties,
the agricultural engineer
is familiar with the land.
From soil and water conservation
efforts to the design and manufacture of
the implements necessary to harvest
crops, agricultural engineers may be
regarded as the stewards of the land
upon which we all depend. Careers,
much like the land, require careful management and equally diligent stewardship, as the maps used by many
engineers in the past to chart a successful course become less certain, more
ambiguous, and fraught with unfamiliar
terrain. Increasingly, an engineer will
need to use a compass to navigate
career terrain that can shift as quickly
and as unpredictably as the sands of the
Sahara. While the compass is more traditionally associated with organizations
such as the Boy Scouts or sports such as
orienteering, a working knowledge of it
can be the difference between being
“lost” when familiar career terrain
changes, and of developing a “sense”
for where you’re at, where you’ve been,
and, perhaps most importantly, for how
to move forward in your career, regardless of circumstances.
This is not your father’s
engineering career
In the past, the terms “engineering
career” and “uncertainty” were rarely
encountered in the same sentence.
Engineers, after all, have been among
the primary drivers of industrial
progress, the critical link between perceived social needs and the commercial
applications that satisfy those needs.
4
October 2007
RESOURCE
Although the knowledge, skills, abilities, and talents that many engineers
possess are not likely to diminish in
importance anytime soon, how those
attributes map to contemporary careers
is undergoing a fundamental change.
Ever since J.B. Davidson founded
the first agricultural engineering program at Iowa State University in 1905,
many fundamental components of the
curriculum remain. Classroom instruction, laboratory experiences, and
internships have formed a solid foundation upon which to carry the knowledge
and skills acquired in school forward to
the world of work. In essence, an engineer, upon graduation, has developed a
fairly standard “map” of what, at the
time, is considered necessary to be a
successful practitioner of the craft. The
greater the breadth or depth of the
“map” (either spanning more territory
or providing greater detail and clarity of
the various specialties one might expect
to encounter, or both), the more successful the engineer might expect to
become. Or so he or she thought.
“The map is not the terrain”
Despite the fact that maps have
existed for centuries, they also suffer
from a few inherent flaws that are difficult to correct. Once printed, they
quickly become obsolete as the terrain
they attempt to describe changes. They
also suffer from distortion, as our
planet is spherical, not flat. Without
careful stewardship, many of the deficiencies from which maps suffer can
impair and limit the career prospects of
the modern engineer. “The map is not
the terrain,” attributed to Eric Von
Clauswitz, a 19th century military
strategist, rings true today. Reality has a
nasty way of rendering even the best
map, and the associated career terrain
an engineer might reasonably expect to
encounter, obsolete in a hurry.
Why are career maps developed
in college becoming obsolete
more quickly?
The very nature of what constitutes
employment in modern society has,
within a generation, undergone a rather
dramatic (and for many, unsettling)
shift. Despite the indispensable nature
of their work, engineers have not been
exempt from the turbulence and uncertainty accompanying the modern career
environment. To better understand
what’s going on, consider the relationship between an engineer and the engineer’s employer. Prior to the 1970s, in
what amounted to a social contract, an
employer generally provided benefits
such as lifetime (or at least long-term)
employment, generous pension plans,
and fully paid health care to employees.
The arrangement assumed that both
parties, through economic peaks and
valleys alike, would stick together. An
engineer could look forward to mapping career progress against personal
and organizational benchmarks that
were time-tested, reliable, and fairly
static. The following decades, and the
economic tumult that have accompanied them, have transformed the relationship of engineer and employer into
a more transaction-oriented contract
based upon an exchange of benefits
between the two. The net effect of this
is that job security and its trappings will
fade in importance and be replaced
with
marketability
of
skills.
Additionally, navigation of foreign
career terrain will necessitate more frequent replotting of an engineer’s career
map. In short, the agricultural engineer will simultaneously need to update his
or her career map while
navigating unfamiliar terrain with an instrument that has traditionally found less use – the compass.
rigid organizational hierarchy. And having the courage, when necessary, to
state, “I don’t know the answer,” will
agricultural engineering with other disciplines (marketing, finance, operations, sales, different engineering
ENGINEERS HAVE NOT BEEN EXEMPT
FROM THE TURBULENCE ACCOMPANYING
THE MODERN CAREER ENVIRONMENT.
How does an engineer proceed?
Think of the activities that prepare
an agricultural engineer to do the job –
and do it well. In the past, with a more
static and predictable economy, and
correspondingly stable organizational
environment, a map was quite sufficient. That is, a map was very useful
when parameters such as measuring
individual progress and results, within a
well-defined position in an organizational hierarchy, were fairly constant.
When agricultural engineers were able
to rely more upon established practices,
and incrementally improve upon them,
charting a course with a compass was
not really necessary. However, in our
current economy, with daily occurrences of downsizings, layoffs, and offshorings, using a map to navigate such
events can be as dated as using a slide
rule to make calculations. The current
employment
environment
often
requires improvisation or the ability to
flexibly treat rules many take for
granted as immutable. Policies and procedures developed years ago won’t do
an engineer much good if he or she isn’t
willing to question one’s validity and
applicability in the modern world – to
use previous experience and knowledge
to demonstrate why a certain assumption may no longer be true. The need to
constantly update one’s personal “tool
kit” of experience and knowledge will
increase as an engineer will be valued
more on the basis of expertise and less
upon rank, position, or tenure within a
enable the engineer to learn from others, to encourage dialogue for the purpose of problem solving (as opposed to
defending a position, which may be fallacious), to better experience a problem
from the vantage point of others, and to
facilitate movement towards the most
appropriate solution. Using a compass
is more appropriate for sensemaking
amid uncertainty as it serves to guide
our actions when maps, and their presumed certainty, fail to deliver.
Career navigation with the compass is rarely easy or mundane
The uncharted terrain can be
downright hostile and foreboding as it
undoubtedly was for those explorers
hoping to find a more direct route to the
Far East in centuries past. Lewis and
Clark took great personal risks some
200 years ago to better chart a vast,
untamed wilderness – a wilderness,
nevertheless, with great promise – a
wilderness many proudly call the
United States. Each of these individuals
courageously charted a bold new path
yet didn’t forget the “lessons learned”
from their experiences. It was their
knowledge that allowed others to gradually settle the previously uncharted
terrain, to incorporate its features, landmarks, topography, and climate into the
appropriate map. The engineer who
pushes forward with a compass can
realize rewards far exceeding those who
continue to rely on the familiarity of a
map and can also help others settle similarly uncharted and unfamiliar career
terrain. Unique and unusual career
opportunities, combining elements of
domains, etc.) while perhaps unorthodox to those who prefer maps, are possible for those who are prepared for the
potential challenges. Projects incorporating previously overlooked specialties and
knowledge can enable a company to
develop a new product, offer an innovative
service, or uncover a previously unknown
competency – all making the employer
and engineer (and the engineering profession) more valuable as a direct result.
Don’t think for an instant ...
... that the profession of engineering in general, and agricultural engineering in particular, is taking on the
character of a dated map. Engineers are
simply too valuable in terms of the
knowledge, skills, abilities, and talents
they “bring to the table,” and the occupation is likely to increase in importance
as the challenges confronting society
grow more complex. However, the standard map, linking the knowledge
acquired in school to the tasks traditionally associated with the profession, isn’t
as accurate or as useful as in years gone
by. The successful engineer will more
and more frequently be the one capable
of navigating, when appropriate with a
compass, and able to accurately convey
the new terrain, in all of its detail, to
both current and subsequent employers
and other engineers as well.
After all, it’s your career – make
the most of it.
Steven J. Kerno, Jr., adheres to
“Run Smart, Run Fast, Run Lean” at Deere
& Co. as a Parts Cross-Reference
Analyst, Milan, Ill., USA, KernoStevenJ
@JohnDeere.com.
RESOURCE
RESOURCE October
January 2007
5
The Mechanizing Miracle of
Tomato Harvesting
Bruce Hartsough
The operator in the patent drawing
for a tomato harvester (top)
appears to be nodding off, as well
he might. In contrast to the many
activities carried out in manual
harvesting, the harvester operator’s
primary duty appears to be steering. In reality, life was somewhat
more complicated for the operator,
and much other human assistance
was required for sorting good ripe
fruit from other material, as shown
in the photo (middle) of the first
UC-Blackwelder prototype. The
machine was complex and multifunctional, as attested to by the
11 sheets of drawings and
47 claims in the patent description.
As with most “new” equipment, the
harvester borrowed many concepts
from other devices: in this case,
harvesters for crops that could
withstand more violent treatment
than could the genteel tomato.
David Slaughter (bottom) captures
California’s lush harvest on film as
a Button-Johnson harvester
equipped with electronic sorters
collects processing tomatoes in
California’s Sacramento Valley.
When the trailer-mounted bulk bins
are full, a truck tractor will deliver
them to a processing plant.
The UC-Blackwelder tomato
harvester is the 45th in the
prestigious lineup of ASABE’s
historic landmarks. Dedicated in
2005, the harvester is on display
with an ASABE commemorative
plague at the Western Center for
Agricultural Equipment on the
UC Davis campus.
6
October 2007
RESOURCE
T
ake a valuable, hand-harvested crop, add a legislated labor shortage, throw in a bit of engineering
ingenuity and – voilà! – you get an instant solution.
In the case of processing tomatoes, it might appear
that way at first glance. In 1964, Congress ended the Bracero
program that had brought laborers from Mexico to the United
States since 1942. Prior to 1964, tomatoes destined for
processing had been picked by hand. Five years later, essentially all were harvested by machine. But the quick adoption
doesn’t reveal the true story – one that involved 20 years of
effort by plant breeders and more than a decade of
engineering. And development of the tomato harvester
demonstrated the need for collaboration between biologists
and engineers to solve problems related to biological systems.
Careful, careful ...
Tomato harvesting was one of the first cases of picking a
relatively fragile crop by machine, in contrast to those such as
grain or cotton. Agricultural engineer and ASABE member
Bill Stout and horticulturist Stan Ries at Michigan State
University explains: “For many years, mechanical harvesting
of tomatoes was considered impossible because of the wide
variation in the date of maturity of fruit on the plant and the
random location of ripe fruit. The fact that ripe tomatoes are
soft and easily broken makes the problem more complex.”
In 1942, Jack Hanna, Vegetable Crops at the University of
California (UC), Davis, began
to search for and then breed
tomato varieties that could be
harvested in one pass and
withstand mechanical handling. He tested 2,000 lines
before releasing the VF-145 in
1962; this variety dominated
the industry for more than a
decade.
In 1949, Hanna began collaborating with Coby Lorenzen
in agricultural engineering at UC Davis to develop a harvester
on a shoestring budget. When the labor shortage appeared
imminent, industry increased their support in California and
elsewhere. Stout and Ries initiated an effort in the late 1950s
and tested three iterations of harvesters. By 1962, several
different machines were being tested and/or introduced. New
tomato varieties were developed as well. The high level of
cooperation between the various breeders and engineers was
remarkable.
centrifugal force. They demonstrated an experimental
harvester to growers in 1955 but elicited little interest. Steven
Sluka, an engineer who escaped from Hungary after the
Communist takeover, joined the project in the late 1950s and
designed an effective separator that employed a set of “straw
walkers” somewhat similar to those on a grain combine. The
harvester was tested in 1959 on the Heringer farm near
Clarksburg, Calif. The Heringers were so impressed that they
convinced Blackwelder Manufacturing in Rio Vista, Calif. to
commercialize the design. Patents were granted to Lorenzen,
Sluka, and Fred Hill, an engineer at Blackwelder. Although
several harvester manufacturers eventually captured big
shares of the market, UC-Blackwelder machines dominated in
the early years.
Designs kept improving, and productivity increased by an
order of magnitude. Key innovations included bulk handling
and transportation of tomatoes, an oscillating rotary shaker to
separate fruit from the vine, and electronic sorting to cull out
green fruit.
You say “to-may-to,” I say “to-mah-to”
Training of growers by UC Cooperative Extension personnel was critical to the acceptance of mechanical harvesting
because the transition required new varieties, higher planting
densities, and different irrigation and fertilization techniques
to obtain uniform maturity and high yields.
HARVESTING INVOLVES MANY FUNCTIONS,
SUCH AS CUTTING AND LIFTING THE
VINES, BUT SEPARATING THE FRUIT IS
THE MOST CRUCIAL.
A complicated harvest
Harvesting involves many functions, such as cutting and
lifting the vines, but separating the fruit is the most crucial.
Lorenzen and Hanna experimented with 15 separation
approaches over a decade: shaking, combing, clawing, and
Mechanical harvesting was controversial because it
seemingly displaced human labor; but by reducing harvesting
costs by close to half, it eliminated an economic constraint on
the U.S. processing tomato industry. This resulted in large
increases in both tomato acreage and tonnage. These
increases provided additional employment in planting,
irrigating, and tending the vines, as well as in transporting and
processing the crop – jobs which offset the harvesting stooplabor displaced.
California was the initial beneficiary due to early
development and adoption of the new varieties and the state’s
dry summers that coincided with harvest. Mechanical
harvesting is now common in most regions of the world where
processing tomatoes are grown.
ASABE member Bruce Hartsough is a professor, Biological and
Agricultural Engineering Department, University of California, Davis,
USA, brhartsough@ucdavis.edu.
RESOURCE
October 2007
7
Realizing a Prosperous
Energy Future
James R. Fischer, Janine A. Finnell, and Neena A. Jacob
T
his article completes a 10-part series on energy. The
first installment examined energy challenges and
opportunities facing the United States. Follow-up
articles investigated energy efficiency and renewable
technologies in key areas – including buildings, industry, transportation, and a number of renewable energy technologies –
biomass and biorefineries, wind, solar, geothermal, and
hydrogen.
Great strides have been made in the advancement of
many of these technologies. Some – such as compact fluorescent lighting, wind power, and hybrid vehicles – are now commercially viable. Others, like photovoltaics, although seen as
socially and environmentally attractive, are still often limited
by costs and technological barriers to niche markets. And
some – hydrogen, for example – offer potential in the future.
Yet many challenges remain in providing clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable energy. The United States is still
dependent on traditional energy sources, including oil, gas,
and coal. Reserves are not unlimited, and the demand for
energy is growing steadily. New energy technologies will be
needed to stave off the mounting threat of climate change.
It is widely accepted that technological progress accounts
for up to one-half of the nation’s economic growth. Clean generation and efficiency technologies will yield benefits to our
quality of life, our national security, and our prosperity. Yet
with our current mature energy infrastructure, how can new
technologies be developed and mobilized? In order for new
energy products, processes, and services to take root and
flourish, a combination of visionary public policies, partnerships, and education will be needed.
Public policy
The speed at which energy efficiency and renewable
energy technologies will develop and make large contributions will depend on the kinds of policies that are used to
encourage their deployment. Policies can range from those
aimed at commercialization, subsidizing the production of
renewable energy through mechanisms like the production tax
credit for wind and biomass, to those targeting brand-new
ideas, helping to fund research and development for nascent
technologies.
Energy legislation has been enacted over the past decade
to increase the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy.
8
October 2007
RESOURCE
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 includes tax incentives and
loan guarantees for energy production of various types. A
major provision in the Act is a Renewable Fuel Standard to
increase the amount of biofuel (28.4 billion L/7.5 billion gal
by 2012). The Biomass Research and Development Act of
2000 focused research efforts on bioenergy. Agricultural legislation such as the Title IX of the 2002 Farm Bill (Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002) has also been
used to encourage the use of renewable energy systems on
farms and ranches. In addition, environmental legislation has
recognized that there is a significant opportunity to reduce
pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by reducing
and replacing fossil energy with energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 encouraged the use of alternative fuels such as ethanol to help reduce
carbon monoxide and ozone problems.
The Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) was announced by
the Bush Administration in early 2006. It increased funding
Total Section 9006 funding over the period FY 2003-2006 was approximately
$122 million (including $88 million on grants and $34 million in loans).
Source: Rural Development, United States Department of Agriculture, 2007.
Funding for various energy technologies as part of Section
9006 of the Farm Bill.
for clean-energy technology research at
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The AEI included a Biofuels Initiative
to foster breakthrough technologies
needed to make cellulosic ethanol costcompetitive with corn-based ethanol by
2012 and a Solar America Initiative to
reduce the cost of solar photovoltaic
technologies so that they become costcompetitive by 2015.
President Bush’s 2007 State of the
Union Address included a proposal for
the United States to use 132.5 billion
liters (35 billion gallons) of renewable
and alternative fuels by 2017. The
President called for greater use of wind
and solar energy, expanded use of clean
diesel vehicles, and accelerated
research on the batteries needed for
plug-in hybrid vehicles. He also issued
an Executive Order instituting new
guidance for energy efficiency, use of
renewable energy, and reduction of
environmental impact throughout the
federal government.
The federal government and a
number of state governments are developing and adopting government procurement preference requirements
which can help “pull” technologies and
products into the market. One example
is the Federal Biobased Products
Preferred Procurement Program, which
requires all federal agencies to preferentially purchase biobased products.
In addition to the federal government, many states have enacted policies
to reduce energy use and move towards
reliance on renewable energy and fuel
technologies. Some states have policies
to make it easier for renewable energy
providers to connect to the energy grid
by adopting far-reaching interconnection and net metering standards. Others
are increasing investment in the construction of “green buildings” and
energy efficient homes and offices
through innovative financing and
incentives, and passing appliance efficiency standards that go beyond federal
government requirements. Some states
have passed measures to improve transportation infrastructure by investing in
cleaner state government fleets, better
public transit systems, and innovative
new technologies like plug-in hybrids.
While past efforts have been
invaluable, more intensive policy
efforts could further accelerate the use
of efficiency and renewable energy. For
example, energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements are difficult
to monetize but some consumers are
willing to pay more for “green” energy
in recognition of its benefits. Green
pricing is currently an optional service
or tariff offered by utilities to customers
in regulated electricity markets.
Implementing programs such as these
more expansively across the country
could help to increase the use of these
technologies. Similarly, a number of
states have Renewable Portfolio
Standards (RPS) that ensure that a minimum amount of renewable energy is
included in electricity resources. Some
states have substantial percentage RPS
goals of 20 percent or more. Policies
like these enacted in more states and/or
nationwide could help to accelerate the
use of these technologies. On the horizon, policies to curb carbon emissions
promise to further accelerate the use of
cleaner technologies such as efficiency
and renewable energy.
Partnerships
Bringing a new technology to
fruition is enhanced through public-private partnerships. Government can
serve as a catalyst, facilitating cooperative work between the public and private sectors and among industry,
universities, and non-profit organizations. The public sector helps by reducing the risk involved in developing
high-risk, high pay-off technologies.
The private sector brings market perspective, and the resources and expertise needed to develop new products and
bring them to market. Partnerships create synergy by pulling together fragmented technical efforts. The
complexity and multidisciplinary
nature of renewable technologies often
exceed the capabilities of single firms.
Energy-Related
Legislation
1978
Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act (PURPA)
1978
Energy Tax Act (ethanol blends
$.40/gallon tax exemption)
1992
Energy Policy Act (tax credit
for renewable energy
production)
1998
Energy Conservation
Reauthorization Act (included
biodiesel credit)
1998
Alternative Motor Fuels Act
(encouraged cars fueled by
alternative fuels)
2000
Biomass R&D Act (DOE/USDA
joint R&D biobased industrial
products)
2002
Farm Bill (first energy title in
Farm Bill history)
2004
Job Bill (included biodiesel
fuel tax credit)
2005
Energy Policy Act of 2005
(RFS, production tax incentive
through 2007)
2006
State of the Union “addicted
to oil”
2006
Advanced Energy Initiative
2007
State of the Union - Twenty
in Ten
2007
Farm Bill Increase budgets
for bioenergy R&D
Federal Environmental Policies
1990
Clean Air Act (CAA) (first
major environmental policy to
have an impact on renewable
energy)
2006
EPA requires the use of ultra
low sulfur diesel fuel (15 parts
per million sulfur)
2010
Non-road diesel fuel regulations will take place
RESOURCE
October 2007
9
A variety of partnerships, both among federal agencies
and in the private sector, are playing an important role in
helping to develop and disseminate new energy technologies.
Some examples of partnerships pursuing energy efficiency
and renewable energy technologies are provided.
A private sector partnership, British Petroleum/DuPont,
was recently formed to develop, produce, and market a next
generation of biofuels to help meet increasing global demand
for renewable transport fuels. ENERGY STAR, a public sector partnership, is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S. DOE to help save money and
protect the environment through energy efficient products and
practices. The program estimates that it saved about $10 billion in energy costs in 2004 alone.
Another federal partnership involves Section 9006 of the
2002 Farm bill which funds grants and loans for the use of
renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies on
farms. The National Energy Renewable Laboratory, on behalf
of DOE, has been collaborating with the USDA to bring technical expertise in reviewing the specific technologies proposed in the grant and loan applications.
These are only a few of many partnerships that include
the administration’s Building America, Hydrogen Fuel
Initiative, and FreedomCAR partnership (as discussed in previous energy-focused articles).
Education
Informing citizens about efficiency and renewable
energy technologies will enhance the demand for these technologies. For example, when buyers of homes, home builders,
and lenders are knowledgeable about new energy-saving and
renewable energy technologies, they are more likely to purchase these products.
Educational programs also build long-term capacity and
create demand. Education is the process which will create the
next generation of scientists, engineers, and technicians
trained in energy efficiency and renewable energy technology.
In addition, educating youth will assure the adoption of these
technologies for years to come.
The land-grant university system is a highly effective system to engage in providing energy education and outreach
services. While all universities engage in research and teaching, the nation’s more than 100 land-grant colleges and universities, have a third critical mission: extension. Land-grant
institutions “extend” their resources, solving public needs
with college or university resources through non-formal, noncredit programs. These programs are largely administered
through thousands of county and regional extension offices,
which bring land-grant expertise to the most local of levels.
An initial program has been developed by the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. DOE
with the National Association of State Universities and LandGrant Colleges in the Pacific Northwest to provide expertise
10
October 2007
RESOURCE
in bioenergy, geothermal, hydrogen and fuel cells, solar, waste
heat recovery, wind, municipal water/wastewater, and other
technologies, and in the Southeast on sustainable building
technologies.
The goal: clean, abundant, reliable, affordable
Energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies are
being used in a variety of applications and there are many
exciting opportunities to expand their use in the future. With
appropriate R&D and policy encouragement, through publicprivate partnerships and education, the United States – and
other countries – can build a prosperous energy future where
energy is clean, abundant, reliable, and affordable.
ASABE member James R. Fischer is a scientific adviser for Energy,
Science, and Education to the Under Secretary of Research,
Education and Economics, USDA, Washington, D.C., USA,
James.Fischer2@usda.gov. Janine A. Finnell is a senior associate
with Technology & Management Services, Inc., Washington, D.C.,
USA, jafinnell@yahoo.com. Neena A. Jacob is a senior budget analyst with Technology & Management Services, Inc., Gaithersburg,
Md., USA, njacob@tms-hq.com.
For More Information:
• DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information
on state, local, utility, and federal incentives
that promote renewable energy and energy
efficiency. Visit www.dsireusa.org/.
• The EERE State Activities & Partnerships
Web site links to DOE’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) partnerships and projects in the states. Go to
www.eere.energy.gov/states/.
• Highlights of innovative state energy policy are
contained in “New Energy for States.” A similar
report has also been developed for cities. Both
are available at www.apolloalliance.org.
• EERE/NASULGC Partnership and the Pacific
Northwest Energy Extension Initiative can be
reviewed at www.energy.wsu.edu/projects
/assistance/PacificNorthwestInitiative.cfm.
• Related efforts are ongoing at the Program
for Resource Efficient Communities at the
University of Florida Extension Service
www.energy.ufl.edu; the Louisiana House
Home and Landscape Resource Center at
the Louisiana State University,
www.louisianahouse.org/; and the North
Carolina State University’s Solar Center,
www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/resources_by_sector
/homes.cfm.
Birdseye View
An Early Food Engineering Pioneer
William M. Miller
T
he word Birds Eye is synonymous with the frozen
food industry, originating with the inventor of quick
freezing, Clarence Birdseye, an early biological
engineer. Born in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1886,
Birdseye exhibited keen interest in outdoor activities. By the
age of 10, he was trapping and selling muskrats. He studied
and practiced taxidermy in addition to taking a cooking class
in high school. Off to college at Amherst, he studied biology
and earned money for school expenses by trapping and selling
black rats to Columbia University for a genetics program and
live frogs to the Bronx Zoo for reptile food.
Because of financial constraints, Birdseye left Amherst
after two years and was employed as a naturalist for a USDA
biological survey in New Mexico and Arizona. That assignment was followed by a Rocky Mountain fever study in
Montana through the collection of ticks and their hosts. He
supplemented his income with furrier activities, buying hides
and selling them on return trips to New York.
Learning to quick freeze in Labrador
In 1912, Birdseye participated in a medical expedition to
Labrador in northeast Canada where he noted the high profits
from the fox fur breeding and trapping business. Undertaking
his own fur-trading enterprise, he observed native Inuit tribes
freezing fish on ice slabs and enjoyed the highly palatable
result. He reasoned that the still-fresh taste resulted from only
small ice crystal formation, minimizing any cell wall disruption. He intuitively knew that the proper manufacturing
process mimicking these conditions could lead to frozen food
items of improved texture, flavor, and color. While in
Labrador, he quick-froze vegetables for his family, to test the
concept beyond meat and fish.
Returning home in 1917, Birdseye was employed in both
private and public sectors culminating with an administrative
position with the U.S. Fishing Association through 1922. He
then undertook development of his quick-freeze concept with
a $7 investment in a fan, some brine, and ice.
Packaging innovation
Birdseye’s major advancement was packaging food products before freezing and holding the packages under pressure
exerted from either double-belt or flat-plat heat exchangers.
With ammonia refrigeration, freezing times to -18°C (0°F) were
reduced from 18 hours to 30 minutes for vegetable packages.
Birdseye’s principal “quickfreeze” patent was granted in
1930. His first company failed,
but new financial partners came
forward forming the General
Seafood Company in 1924. That
company was sold to Postum in
1929, and the General Foods
Corporation was established. At
that time, the now common
trade-name Birds Eye® was
introduced. Birdseye remained
To popularize frozen foods with General Foods to lead their
and juices, Birdseye
research and development
developed a grocery store
facility in Gloucester, Mass.
frozen display cabinet. In
The frozen food concept
this World War II advertisement, a child selects
was widely adopted during
the frozen items, and a
World War II. Tin was at a premother pays with war
mium and the canning industries
ration coupons.
declined. With development of
non-toxic Freon refrigerants, home refrigerators had been popularized in the 1930s. Birdseye helped grocery stores introduce frozen food display cabinets, which he developed, and
offered a leasing arrangement for them. He also designed display lighting for retail stores and heat lamps for food preparation. In total, he obtained over 300 U.S. and foreign patents.
His diverse patent portfolio includes a recoilless harpoon gun
and an electric fishing reel. Continuing his keen interest as a
naturalist, he authored with his wife, Eleanor, Growing
Woodland Plants in 1951.
Birdseye on Birdseye
“I do not consider myself a remarkable person. I did not
make exceptionally high grades in school. I never finished
college. I am not the world’s best salesman, but I am intensely
curious about things which I see around me, and this curiosity, combined with a willingness to assume risks, has been
responsible for such success and satisfaction that I have
achieved in life.” Such was Clarence Birdseye’s humble personal insight. Birdseye’s insightful view of nature coupled
with his technical skills makes him exemplary of early food
and biological engineering endeavors.
ASABE member William M. Miller is professor emeritus, University
of Florida, USA, wmm@ufl.edu.
RESOURCE
October 2007
11
Rural Electrification
Bringing Light to Country Living
Gerald W. Isaacs
hen natural disasters like hurricanes and ice
storms interrupt electric service to homes and
farms, we find it difficult to live without electric power. Today, we even find it hard to
imagine what farm life was like in the “good old days” before
rural electrification. Kerosene lamps lighted homes. Early
morning or late night farm chores were done with kerosene
lanterns. Food was cooked with a coal or wood-fired range
(kindled each morning) and refrigerated with an ice box when
ice was available. Canning preserved most fruits, vegetables,
and meats. Water was hand pumped from a well and carried in
a bucket. Baths were in a wash tub; the toilet was “out back.”
Before the 1930’s, only a few farms lucky to be near
towns had electric service provided by municipal or investorowned companies. Still fewer had power for a few electric
lights and a radio from electric wind generators like the
Wincharger that maintained storage batteries. A few farms
had motor-driven Delco plants that also charged batteries.
A few farms located near large towns were fortunate to
receive “high line” electric power in the late 1920s. Our farm
first had electricity in 1935, and I recall the thrills of bright
lights at the flip of a switch, full time refrigeration, radio,
water under pressure, and indoor plumbing.
At first, farm applications of the new electric service
were mostly lighting for the barn and water pumped for the
livestock. I no longer had to pump water by hand on hot days
for those twenty thirsty steers in the feedlot. Watching the
marvelous transformation of electric power brought to our
farm caused me to make rural electrification my life’s work.
The tremendous economic and social potential of providing electric power to U.S. farms was first recognized by many
of the investor-owned electric companies. They were understandably reluctant to extend power lines to many rural areas
where farms were too far apart to make providing service
profitable. Thus, most would remain without service.
The U.S. Congress recognized this dilemma and passed
the Rural Electrification Act of 1935 and legislation authorizing projects like the Tennessee Valley Authority. These actions
provided federal assistance to extend power lines to most rural
areas. State universities and the USDA initiated extensive
research and education programs to develop and apply electrical technology to remove drudgery from farm work,
improve product quality, and increase worker productivity.
Electric power companies, electric cooperatives, and
equipment manufacturers early on recognized the need to pro-
W
12
October 2007
RESOURCE
vide technical assistance to farmers. Rural service advisers
and equipment manufacturers’ technical sales people played
an important role in helping farmers make profitable use of
the new technology. Many agricultural engineering graduates
were employed for this work by electric power suppliers,
equipment manufacturers, and public service organizations.
Rural Electrification became a major technical division
of ASAE serving those professionals who were developing
and applying new electrical technology for agriculture. The
technology reported through this division related to new uses
for electric power and electronics in agriculture, which frequently impacted the new technology developed by other
divisions. Drying and handling of shelled corn made feasible
the transition of corn harvest from ear corn picking to field
shelling, greatly increasing the efficiency of the entire harvesting operation. Electric-powered irrigation pumps and
irrigation controllers improved the efficacy of many forms of
irrigation. Electric-powered ventilation and feed handling
made it possible to raise animals in buildings.
Applications of electric energy to agriculture were always
carried out with due consideration of the effect on the profitability of the enterprise. Increased energy costs beginning in
the 1970’s brought greater attention to conservation, use of
alternative fuels and solar energy, which continues to this day.
The activities of ASAE’s Rural Electrification Division
eventually became so heavily involved in crop processing and
other post-harvest technologies that the division was renamed the Electric Power and Processing Division. In turn,
when food processing activity grew, the Food Process
Engineering Division was formed. The Rural Electrification
Division had historically been involved in electronic applications, such as automatic control, sensors, and information processing, thus the division was renamed the Information and
Electronic Technologies Division.
Much of the technology originally developed by former
members of the Rural Electrification Division is still in use
today and contributes greatly to the production of our abundant supply of quality food. Expansion of electric power service to almost all rural areas of the country has had
far-reaching social benefits, making it possible for non-farming homeowners to enjoy the benefits of rural living without
the hardships their farmer ancestors endured, at least until the
next hurricane or ice storm.
ASABE Fellow Gerald W. Isaacs is professor emeritus, University of
Florida, USA, isaacs@ufl.edu.
NEWS ABOUT THE SOCIETY AND ITS MEMBERS
InsideASABE
PE Licensure Celebrates 100 Years
A
SABE isn’t the only entity celebrating its centennial. This
year also marks the 100th anniversary of engineering
licensure in the United States. These two inceptions led to
the administration of the first state professional engineering (PE)
exam for agricultural engineering in the early 1950s.
A century ago, anyone could work as an engineer without
proof of competency. In order to protect the public health, safety,
and welfare, the first engineering licensure law was enacted in
1907 in Wyoming. In 1922, the American Association of
Engineers put forth a platform for engineering that included the
“passage of an engineers registration law in every state and the
enforcement of existing registration laws.”
By 1934 only 28 states had engineering registration laws
enacted. Montana became the last state to enact the laws in 1947.
Each state was responsible for administrating their own exams
and establishing the criteria for licensure.
The desire to create consistency from state to state led to
the establishment of one exam for all states by the engineering
discipline. The National Council of State Boards of Engineering
Examiners administered the first unified PE examination under
this new structure
1966. It would
PEs earn an average of in
not be until 1984
20 percent more in salary that all state boards
used
uniform
than engineers with no
national engineering examinations.
professional license.
ASABE’s participation with the
Council, later renamed the National Council of Examiners for
Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), began in 1973. The
Society continues to be very active within the Council in a variety of ways. ASABE members attend annual meetings and serve
on NCEES committees.
Professional licensure provides agricultural and biological
engineers with the authority to sign, seal, and submit engineering
InsideASABE
A Word From the President
Awareness of ASABE and
Our Profession
plans and offer their services to the public. Earning a PE license also provides additional opportunities.
Licensure demonstrates professional identity; increases credibility; demonstrates commitment to
the profession; provides a level of
expertise that can not be promoted
by
non-licensed
individuals;
enhances the potential for promotions,
job offers, and salary increases; and establishes a professional code of ethics for professional engineers.
According to the latest results from The Engineering Income
& Salary Survey, PEs earn an average of 20 percent more in
salary than engineers with no professional license. The median
income for an engineer with no professional license is $69,000
while a licensed PE earns a median salary of $86,000. Similarly,
PEs with a bachelor’s degree earn an average of 17 percent more
in salary than engineers with no professional license and a master’s degree. Certifications and advance degrees push PEs median
salary even higher.
ASABE provides a forum for members who have become
PEs through its Professional Engineering Institute (PEI). The
Institute supports and promotes those members who are licensed
engineering professionals and provides information on the
process needed to obtain a license. PEI also offers educational
opportunities to members by preparing individuals to take the PE
exam and providing continuing education courses and educational materials. To learn how to obtain a license or more information on PEI, visit www.asabe.org/pei/index.html.
Additional licensing information can be found on either the
NCEES Web site, www.ncees.org, or the National Society of
Professional Engineers Web site, www.nspe.org.
(Logo courtesy of NCEES)
Contents
Are You Engineering a Secure
Financial Future?
14
Upcoming 2008 Meetings
Chile to Host Water Quality
Conference, Livestock Environment
Symposium, 2008 AIM in Providence 15
Student Scholarships Awarded
Kevin F. Moules, Leah Meeks,
Elizabeth A. Brooks, Matthew P. Klein 16
17
Article Published in New Invited
Review Series
17
Awards
Recognize and Nominate a
Deserving Colleague
19
Member News
Paul L. McConnie
20
20
21
Standards
Spotlight on Insurance and Ag
Driveline Standards Supporters,
Cooperative Stands Program
18
In Memoriam
George B. Nutt
Albert V. Krewatch
Fellows Nominations
18
Member Anniversary Salute
RESOURCE
October 2007
13
InsideASABE
A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT
Awareness of ASABE and
Our Profession
ASABE President Donald C. Erbach
USDA-ARS, retired
Members know that awareness of the profession is lacking, and through ASABE’s strategic planning process have
identified the following threats:
•
Lack of internal and external recognition and awareness
of profession.
•
Lack of perceived value.
•
Underutilization of members as advocates of the
profession.
Since our Society was founded 100 years
•
Loss of identity, fragmentation of identity and demoago, members of the American Society
graphics, breadth leading to dilution.
of Agricultural Engineers have applied
and goals:
engineering principles to improve agri•
Ensure that the Society, our members, and agricultural
culture and rural life. The Society’s name
and biological engineering are recognized worldwide as
change, to the American Society of
essential to advancing the public welfare, industry, and
Agricultural and Biological Engineers
the environment.
(ASABE), acknowledges and emphasizes the importance of biology in agri•
Raise the visibility and perception of Society among
culture, food, fiber, and energy
government entities.
production, and also increases the awareness of the variety of
•
Promote and strengthen the profession of agricultural
engineering and technology development activities that our
and biological engineering and the Society.
members pursue. During the time the Society has been in existence, members have significantly advanced the science and
The awareness and perceptions that others have of
technology of sustainable food, feed, fiber, and energy producASABE and our profession, as with any organization or protion, making many noteworthy achievements in agricultural
fession, are built in many ways. Providing quality work, relimaterials handling and processing, sustainable crop producably and ethically, is critical, and I believe ASABE members
tion, improved labor productivity, resource management, and
are effective in doing that. But agricultural and biological
generally improving life.
engineers tend to go about their busiToday, agricultural and biological
ness focused on engineering and
“People are not as aware technology with little consideration
engineers around the world continue to
develop the science and technology
of the public relations possibilities.
of our profession and
needed to solve a broad range of probIn the process, opportunities are
lems. These include sustainable agricul- ASABE as they should be.” missed to increase external recognitural and forestry production; renewable
tion and promote awareness of the
biobased energy; food, feed, and fiber production; animal
profession – recognition and awareness that could enhance the
environment; water management; and labor productivity.
stature of the Society and in turn benefit individual members.
In spite of the activity and accomplishments, people are
The occasion of our Centennial is an excellent opportunot as aware of our profession and ASABE as they should be.
nity to showcase the profession including past achievements,
The general public, those in government, as well as those in
current activities, and future direction. And an event to do just
disciplines and professions that should be familiar, tend to
that is planned. On Oct. 4, ASABE will host a reception in the
lack awareness of our expertise, capabilities, and value.
Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. Invitees
The majority of significant agricultural, biological, and
include senators and representatives, government agencies,
environmental problems are complex, and multidisciplinary
professional societies, commodity groups, and others.
expertise is required to achieve solutions. Agricultural and
We also need to proactively make others, including polbiological engineers are indispensable members of these mulicy makers, aware of ASABE’s position on policy issues
tidisciplinary teams, and their expertise and capabilities are
important to us. Making our position known on issues affectneeded to solve serious problems facing the world concerning
ing our profession can be beneficial to ASABE and our prowater, food, energy, environment, and sustainability. However,
fession and can add value to our members. E-07, Issues
if those seeking a solution to a problem or those managing or
Management & Social Action Committee, is taking action to
funding the process to solve the problem are not aware of our
improve the efficiency with which information is prepared
profession or of what we can bring to the table, our contribuand disseminated to improve impact and member benefit.
tions will be minimized. An area of concern is that, in spite of
I welcome your thoughts, ideas, or concerns about your
expertise in feedstock production and handling and in
Society. E-mail them to me at don.erbach@mac.com.
biobased processing, our profession is not adequately recognized as a primary profession for the biobased economy.
14
October 2007
RESOURCE
InsideASABE
UPCOMING 2008 CONFERENCES AND AIM MEETING
Concepción, Chile to Host Water
Quality Conference
2008 AIM to be Held in
Providence, Rhode Island
The 21st Century Watershed Technology: Improving Water
Quality and Environment International Conference will be held
March 29-April 3, 2008,
in Concepción, Chile.
Sponsored by ASABE,
the
University
of
Concepción, and the
Sustainable Agriculture
and Natural Resources
Management Collaborative Research Support
Program, this international symposium will look at emerging problems and new solutions to managing watersheds to meet water quality and quantity
standards.
During the last decade there has been a maturing of watershed science with new research findings and modeling
approaches. These new solutions have resolved many of the problems that first faced watershed managers in dealing with water
quality and quantity issues, but there are also emerging impediments to watershed assessments and achieving water quality
goals.
For more information and updates, visit the ASABE Web
site at www.asabe.org/meetings/water2008/index.htm.
Ambience and charm describe the 2008 annual meeting’s
host city of Providence, one of the fastest growing cities in New
England. A former rum and molasses trading town, the city has
been rated as one of the best places to live in the United States.
Nicknamed “The Renaissance City,” meeting attendees will
have plenty to see and do while in Rhode Island’s capital city.
The meeting itself will take
place in the Rhode Island
Convention Center. Situated
in the heart of downtown
Providence, the convention
center is a beautiful glass
structure located 15 minutes
from the airport. The meeting facility is attached via a
skywalk to the Westin Hotel
and Providence Place Mall with more than 100 stores.
Providence’s vast and well-preserved historic architecture is
like no other in the country. The entire downtown area is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places – the only major city to
be so designated. Three-and-a-half centuries of history are alive
and well on the streets of Providence, as evident in the scores of
immaculately preserved colonial, federal, Greek revival and
Victorian houses located throughout the city.
Water taxis, gondolas, kayaks, and canoes ply the rivers that
cut a swath through the city to Narragansett Bay. Trolleys and
horse-drawn carriages will take meeting attendees in and around
popular tourist attractions. A skating center located in the center
of downtown is twice the size of Rockefeller Center in New York
City and is a festive all-season attraction. Roger Williams Zoo
features a constructed jungle-like environment where monkeys
roam free.
Barnaby Evans’ powerful arts installation, WaterFire, has
drawn more than one million visitors from around the world.
Bonfires are lit on the three rivers of downtown Providence as
part of the unique urban sculpture by the award-winning artist
Evans.
The city’s winning gourmet restaurants and a dynamic arts
scene all contribute to a pleasantly eclectic appeal, along with
lively theaters, compelling museums, galleries, antique shops,
and bookstores.
Make plans now to attend the 2008 Annual International
Meeting, June 29-July 2, in this vibrant historical city!
Livestock Environment in Brazil
The Eighth International Livestock Environment
Symposium (ILES VIII) will be held Sept. 1-5, 2008, in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil.
This conference will provide an international platform for an
exchange of the latest research discoveries, technology advancements, and networking among animal scientists, engineers, veterinarians,
and
other
professionals interested in
livestock environment.
The technical program
will address current and
emerging issues facing the
farm animal products industry with particular emphasis
on assessment and improvement of animal environment and production systems and/or technologies aimed to enhance animal health and well-being while
minimizing the environmental impact of production operations.
This symposium is being sponsored by ASABE, the Brazilian
Society of Agricultural Engineering, and the Commission
Internationale du Genir Rural.
For continuing updates and more information, visit
www.asabe.org/meetings/iles2008/index.htm.
RESOURCE
October 2007
15
InsideASABE
PREPROFESSIONALS
Four Scholarships Awarded to Outstanding ASABE Student Members
ASABE annually presents four scholarships each worth
$1,000 to ASABE student members enrolled in an ABET or
CEAB accredited agricultural/biosystems engineering program.
This year’s recipients are Kevin F. Moules, Leah Meeks,
Elizabeth A. Brooks, and Matthew P. Klein.
Moules Receives Adams Scholarship
Kevin F. Moules, a junior in the BioResource and
Agricultural Engineering Department, California Polytechnic
State University, was selected to receive the 2007 William J.
Adams Jr. and Marijane E. Adams Scholarship.
Moules is currently pursuing a bachelor of science degree in machine systems
engineering and design.
“I have always been intrigued with
how things around me work. This fascination led me to a welding class in high
school, and an interest in farm implements
and mechanics followed,” says Moules.
A mechanized agricultural major,
Moules attended Modesto Junior College
where he helped form the first community college ASABE chapter in the United States. He then became chapter chairman of the
1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition team. Moules’
goal is to earn his bachelor’s degree and become a design engineer for almond harvesting equipment.
A three-year member of ASABE, Moules has participated as
a Cal Poly team member in the 1/4-Scale Tractor Competition.
Meeks Awarded Student Engineer of the Year
Scholarship
Leah Meeks, a senior in the BioResource and Agricultural
Engineering Department, California Polytechnic State University,
was selected to receive the 2007 Student Engineer of the Year
Scholarship. This is the second year that
Meeks was selected to receive this scholarship made possible by the generosity of the
late Roger R. Yoerger and Laura M. Yoerger
through the ASABE Foundation.
Meeks is pursuing a career interest in
soil and water engineering and plans to
graduate in June 2008. Upon graduation,
she hopes to either continue with graduate
studies or serve in the Peace Corps. She
would like to work on the African continent concentrating on
agriculture and water resources. Working at the Cal Poly Student
Community Services office the last four years has increased her
love for serving others.
A two-year member of ASABE, Meeks has participated
in California-Nevada Section meetings and student branch
activities.
16
October 2007
RESOURCE
Brooks Awarded the Merriam Scholarship
Elizabeth A. Brooks, a sophomore in the Agricultural and
Biological Engineering Department, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, was selected to received the 2007 John L.
and Sarah G. Merriam Scholarship.
“Before I began college, I was unsure
about my future goals, but as valedictorian
of my high school class, I wanted to be in a
curriculum where I was challenged, so I
chose general engineering,” says Brooks.
Shortly before graduating from high
school, Brooks was diagnosed with a
relapse of cancer. Her college years have
included several relapses and remissions
which have created delays in her studies while undergoing
treatment.
“Even though cancer has had a huge impact on my life, growing up on a family farm has taught me the value of hard work and
has deeply instilled in me the importance of our natural resources,”
Brooks says. “For that reason, I have chosen to major in agricultural engineering with a specialization in soil and water resources
engineering. I want to work in this field because I believe that
today’s agricultural practices will have an effect on the future, and
I want to ensure that we can preserve the land and environment as
much as possible in order to sustain future generations.”
Brooks has been a member of ASABE for one year.
Klein Receives Foundation Scholarship
Matthew P. Klein, a junior in the Biosystems and
Agricultural Engineering Department at Michigan State
University (MSU), was selected to receive the 2007 ASABE
Foundation Engineering Scholarship.
Klein will graduate in May 2008 with
a bachelor of science degree in biosystems
engineering with a speciality in ecosystems
engineering focusing on bioenergy.
“I was truly blessed to live in northern
Michigan. Growing up around such splendor
has driven me to look into renewable energy
and sustainable solutions for future decades,”
says Klein. “In my search for a degree that
would help me achieve my goals, biosystems
engineering was the only one that truly caught my attention.”
After graduation, Klein would like to hold a position in the
U.S. Department of Energy involved with renewable energy
research and implementation. He hopes to utilize the substance
and depth of his education to reduce the world’s dependence on
petroleum products.
Klein has worked in both the Plant Pathology and the
Biosystems Engineering Departments at MSU. A two-year members of ASABE, Klein is also a member of the MSU Biosystems
Engineering Student Club.
InsideASABE
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
Are You Engineering a Secure Financial Future?
So, now that you are out of school or have been out for a while,
what do you do with the money you are making? Spend it? Save it?
Enjoy it? Donate a large portion to the ASABE Foundation? Maybe
the best choice is a combination of all the options. There is nothing
wrong with enjoying some of the money you are now making and
even buying yourself something you have wanted for the past few
years. However, several steps should be taken to secure a successful
financial future. Sit down and assess your financial situation, make
a budget, outline your financial goals, and implement your plan.
A good way to assess your financial situation is to develop a
net worth statement. It is an easy process and simply consists of
summing your assets and liabilities to calculate your net worth. If
you are fresh out of school and the number is negative, don’t
panic! This is normal at this stage of life and will soon change.
A good practice would be to use a software package such as
Microsoft Excel™ and save your net worth statements, which should
be done on an annual basis. You will be surprised how fast your net
worth can grow! Now that you have a better feel of where you stand
financially, it is time to get your spending in check with a budget.
It is a good possibility that you either have a budget now or
at least have experimented with a budget in the past. Whether you
do a simple budget with a piece of paper and pen or use a more
elaborate financial software package, the most important aspect
is that you create a budget. This helps to cast light on just how
much money you have been spending on your love for gourmet
coffee, eating out for lunch, or weekend activities. Cutting back
on some of these could save you a lot of money over the next
year. After developing your net worth statement and creating a
budget, you should have a pretty good hold on your financial situation and be ready to set some all-important goals.
What are your financial goals? Buy a home? Save 10 percent
of your income? Become a multi-millionaire at the age of 40 and
live out your days sipping margaritas on some remote Mexican
beach? (Sorry, got a little carried away with that last one.) You
should create both short-term and long-term goals. Write your
goals down and save them as a reminder of where you want to be
and what you are working toward. Time is one of the most important factors when investing. That is why you need to set your
goals today and make time start working for you and your investments. Now that you have all of the tools in place, your question
might be, “What next?” That question is answered by looking at
the information you have derived from your financial assessment,
budget planning, and your goals.
You are now ready to implement your financial plan. A good
way to get specific advice customized to your situation is to get
a financial planner from a company such as A.G. Edwards,
Northwestern Mutual, or ING. They can present you with your
options and should provide this service at no direct cost to you.
If your company has a 401k matching plan, you should be contributing the maximum amount your company will match before
doing anything else with your options. Other options to gain
interest on your money are a money market, Roth IRA, whole life
insurance plan, as well as others. Your specific choice will most
likely depend on how much liquid capital you need, the level of
risk you are comfortable with, and the amount of time you are
planning on investing.
Finally, what about a home? With the housing market where
it stands, there is a strong possibility some good deals exist in
your area. A house can be an excellent investment. There also are
numerous tax advantages to owning a home. The more you educate yourself and get acquainted with the areas you are interested
in, the better the chance you will find a good deal and make a
solid investment in real estate. Hopefully you are now ready to hit
the ground running towards your bright financial future!
Scott Dixon
YPC Standards Council Rep
PUBLICATIONS
Inaugural Article Published in New Invited Review Series
Soil and Water Division Editor Wes Wallender announced
the first article in the newly established Invited Review Series.
The division asked associate editors to suggest leading
ASABE researchers who might contribute. The associate editors
selected Philip W. Gassman from a list of nominees to prepare a
review paper on a subject of his choosing.
Gassman, along with his colleagues Manuel R. Reyes,
Colleen H. Green, and Jeffrey G. Arnold, prepared “The Soil
and Water Assessment Tool: Historical Development,
Applications, and Future Research Directions.” This extensive
effort will impact the use of the Soil and Water Assessment
Tool (SWAT) worldwide. The 40-page review article with 286
references was published in this year’s Transactions of the
ASABE, Vol. 50, No. 4.
Associate Editor Jane Frankenberger, in charge of guiding the
manuscript through the review process, lauded the contribution.
“It was a pleasure to oversee the review of such a thorough, complete, and useful review of SWAT and its applications.
I believe this will make a very substantial contribution to the
literature and especially to the wide variety of researchers and agency
personnel that are using SWAT. Your considerable attention to the
details of how it has been used around the world will be appreciated.”
The Soil and Water Division’s next effort will be a
Centennial Collection appearing in Transactions of the ASABE
this fall. Contributing authors include former recipients of
ASABE’s Hancor Soil and Water Engineering Award as well as
other leading scientists. The authors will be chosen by the associate editors and division editor.
RESOURCE
October 2007
17
InsideASABE
STANDARDS
Spotlight on Insurance and Ag
Driveline Industry Standards
Supporters
Continuing our highlights of various Standards Program
supporters, ASABE would like to thank supporters from the
insurance and agricultural driveline industries.
The agricultural driveline industry is served by a small group
of companies that manufacture a large percentage of the drivelines
in use. Two long-time supporters of the ASABE Standards
Program are GKN Walterscheid and Weasler Engineering. They
have provided financial assistance and subject matter experts for
standards work. Engineers from the two companies have led standards projects and technical committees and contributed a great
deal of knowledge and expertise in design and safety for the
Society. GKN Walterscheid, with offices and facilities worldwide,
manufactures drivelines, clutches, and gearboxes for agricultural
and off-road equipment. Founded in 1951, Weasler Engineering,
Inc. manufactures and distributes mechanical power transmission
products used in agricultural, lawn and turf, construction, industrial, and marine equipment. Weasler is headquartered in West
Bend, Wis., with other facilities worldwide.
One of the issues with drivelines, and many other parts of
agricultural equipment, is the safety of the operator. One industry that is key in helping with research, standards, and other
safety items for the agricultural, food, and biological industries,
is insurance. Insurance companies such as Grinnell Mutual
Reinsurance Co., based in Grinnell, Iowa, and Sentry Insurance,
headquartered in Stevens Point, Wis., have aided and promoted
the ASABE Standards Program for years. A few Farm Bureau
agencies and Sentry have contributed financially to the program.
Two employees of Grinnell, Larry Wyatt and Gary Downey, have
provided a great deal of input on how ASABE Standards benefit
the insurance industry. This expertise has led to several outreach
visits to other insurance companies as well as continuing the relationship the Society has with the National Association of Mutual
Insurance Companies (NAMIC). ASABE Director of Standards
and Technical Activities Scott Cedarquist recently attended and
presented at the NAMIC Loss Control Committee meeting in
Springfield, Ill., at their request.
ASABE Standards have a large amount of safety content,
which directly affects many sectors of the agricultural industry.
Companies such as GKN Walterscheid, Weasler, Grinnell, and
Sentry understand the impact these standards have on their businesses. They realize that supporting the ASABE Standards
Program is a vital part of promoting safety for their companies
and their customers.
ASABE takes this opportunity to thank all companies that
support the program through financial contributions, member
support, and encouraging their employees to work on standards
development. If it were not for these dedicated companies and
individuals, the ASABE Standards Program would not be
successful.
18
October 2007
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Cooperative Standards Program
New Revision
ASAE EP236.2 JUL2007, Planning and Reporting of
Tillage Experiments. This revision updates the planning and
uniform reporting data methods with current technology and
scientific thinking.
ASAE S530.1 AUG2007, Temperature Sensor Locations for
Seed-Cotton Drying Systems. The new revision addresses a limit
of 350°F mix point temperature, a more detailed primary heater
control sensor location, a definition for hot air cleaner, and a clarified definition for primary heater control.
Proposed Project
X3463, identical adoption of ISO 3463, Tractors for agriculture and forestry – Roll-over protective structures (ROPS) –
Dynamic test method and acceptance conditions. This ISO contains the latest state-of-the-art technology for dynamic ROPS
testing. Performing an identical adoption of ISO 3463 will allow
this standard to be referenced by other standards such as ASAE
S318 and will allow the process to begin for OSHA recognition
of this standard.
X5700, identical adoption of ISO 5700, Tractors for agriculture and forestry – Roll-over protective structures (ROPS) –
Static test method and acceptance conditions. ISO 5700 represents the latest state of the art for static ROPS testing. Performing
an identical adoption of ISO 5700 will allow this standard to be
referenced by other standards such as ASAE S318 and will allow
the process to begin for OSHA recognition of this standard.
X319.4, Method for Determining Fineness of Feed Materials
by Sieving. The proposed changes will correct some typographical errors in the equations used in this standard.
For more information, contact the ASABE Standards
Department, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659;
269-428-6331 or 269-429-0300 ext. 315; fax 269-429-3852.
Fellows Nominations
Deadline April 15, 2008
“A Fellow shall be an engineer of unusual professional distinction, with outstanding and extraordinary qualifications
and experience in, or related to, the field of agricultural,
food, or biological systems engineering.”
Do you know of someone worthy of this prestigious
honor? If so consider nominating him or her a Fellow of
ASABE. To be eligible, individuals must have a minimum
of 20 years of active practice in, or related to, the profession
of engineering; the teaching of engineering; or the teaching
of an engineering-related curriculum and a minimum of
20 years as a member-engineer or member in ASABE.
Fellow nomination procedures and forms are available
online at www.asabe.org/awards/fellow/index.html.
InsideASABE
MEMBER NEWS
Recognize and Nominate a Deserving Colleague
Don’t Wait, Nominations Due Oct. 31, 2007
• Gale A. Holloway Professional Development Award.
New for 2008 – Seeks to encourage and recognize outstanding
leadership and active involvement in ASABE for early career
members.
• Cyrus Hall McCormick-Jerome Increase Case Gold
Medal Award. Honors exceptional and meritorious engineering
achievement in agriculture that has resulted in new concepts,
products, processes, or methods that advanced the development
of agriculture.
• John Deere Gold Medal Award. Honors achievement
through engineering for improved manipulations, use, and conservation of soil-water resource, and that has resulted in applications of a new concept, product, or science that has advanced the
development of agriculture.
• Massey-Ferguson Educational Gold Medal Award.
Honors those whose dedication to the spirit of learning and
teaching in the field of agricultural and biological engineering
has advanced our knowledge and practice, and whose efforts
serve as an inspiration to others.
• Henry Giese Structures and Environment Award.
Honors distinguished service in advancing the knowledge and
science of agricultural structures and environment.
• Hancor Soil and Water Engineering Award. Honors
contributions to the advancement of soil and water engineering.
Contributions may be in teaching, research, planning, design,
construction, management, or development of materials.
• G.B. Gunlogson Countryside Engineering Award.
Honors outstanding engineering contributions to the development and improvement of the countryside.
• Kishida International Award. Honors outstanding contributions to engineering-mechanization-technological programs
of education, research, development, consultation, or technology
transfer that have resulted in significant improvements outside
the United States.
• NAMIC Engineering Safety Award. Honors outstanding
contributions to research, design, education, or promotion that
have advanced agricultural safety engineering.
• FPSA Foundation – FPEI Food Engineering Award.
An annual award, alternating between recognition of a
“Distinguished” Food Engineer in odd-numbered years and an
“Emerging” Food Engineer. The award honors original contributions in research, development, or design, or in the management
of food processing equipment or techniques of significant economic value to the food industry and the consumer.
• Mayfield Cotton Engineering Award. Honors outstanding contributions to the cotton industry.
• Sunkist Young Designer Award. Awarded to an individual under the age of 40 prior to July 1 of the year the award is
presented. This award honors the development or creation of a
technical plan that is materially influencing agricultural and biological engineering progress, as evidenced by use in the field.
• Young Extension Worker Award. Awarded to an individual under the age of 40 prior to July 1 of the year the award is
presented. This award recognizes outstanding success in motivating people to acquire knowledge, skills, and understanding to
improve agricultural operations.
• A.W. Farrall Young Educator Award. Awarded to an
individual under the age of 40 prior to July 1 of the year the
award is presented. Honors outstanding success motivating the
application of engineering principles to the problems of agricultural and biological engineering.
• New Holland Young Researcher Award. Awarded to
an individual under the age of 40 prior to July 1 of the year the
award is presented. Honors dedicated use of scientific methodology to seek out facts or principles significant to agricultural
and biological engineering.
• National Food & Energy Council Electric Technology
Award. Honors contributions to the use of electrical energy in
the production and processing of agricultural products and seeks
to emphasize the unique role of agricultural and biological engineering.
• Robert E. Stewart Engineering Humanities Award.
Honors a graduate or undergraduate student who is an ASABE
student member at the time of nomination for outstanding contributions to the profession and the humanities.
• Rain Bird Engineering Concept of the Year Award.
Honors an engineer or engineering team for unique contributions
to the development or advancement of a new engineering
concept.
• Award for the Advancement of Surface Irrigation.
Seeks to recognize and publicize those efforts that enhance the
acceptance and efficient use of surface irrigation methods.
• Evelyn E. Rosentreter Standards Award. Seeks to recognize individuals who have given exceptional contributions
toward the generation, maintenance, and administration of
ASABE standards.
• PEI Professional Engineer of the Year Award. Seeks
to recognize a licensed engineer who has made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession, the public welfare,
and/or humankind.
• Heermann Sprinkler Irrigation Award. Seeks to recognize professionals in research, development, extension, education, or industry that have made significant contributions to the
improvement of efficient and effective sprinkler irrigation.
To nominate someone for any of these awards, visit
www.asabe.org/awards/major/major.html. You will have access
to instructions and nomination forms for the submission of award
nominations to ASABE headquarters. For more information,
contact Awards Administrator Carol Flautt, flautt@asabe.org,
269-428-6336.
RESOURCE
October 2007
19
InsideASABE
MEMBER NEWS
Paul L. McConnie was honored at the Puerto Rico
Silver Jubilee Meeting. He was named “Father of Agricultural
Engineering in Puerto Rico” for his unselfish and distinguished
contribution in the area of farm machinery.
McConnie received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural
engineering in 1943 from Louisiana State University. In 1945, he
became the first agricultural engineer to receive professional
licensure from the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto
Rico and the first ASABE member from Puerto Richo.
McConnie has been a rice farmer and farm machinery
consultant for six decades. He has attended all Puerto Rico
section meetings since 1982 and is a 60-year member of
ASABE.
ASABE President Charles Sukup (left) presented McConnie with a
60-year member certificate at the Silver Jubilee.
IN MEMORIAM
George B. Nutt and Albert V. Krewatch held the most years of
membership in the Society. Both had been members of ASABE
for 75 years.
ASABE Fellow and Past President George B. Nutt,
P.E., 98, died July 15, 2007, in Clemson, S.C.
Nutt received a bachelor’s degree
from Mississippi State University in 1930
and a master’s degree from Iowa State
University in 1940.
His professional career began with
International Harvester Co. in Chicago, Ill.
In 1932 he joined the faculty of Clemson
University as an associate professor in
charge of the newly formed agricultural
engineering curriculum. Under his leadership, the curriculum became a department. He served as
department head from 1941 until 1955.
In 1950, Nutt took a leave of absence from Clemson to
work for the World Bank serving in Syria, Iraq, and Paraguay as
a consultant for farm mechanization. In 1955, he was appointed
director of the South Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
He held this position until his retirement in 1968.
Nutt served as president of ASABE from 1954 to 1955. He
was elected ASABE fellow in 1955. He had been a member of
ASABE for 75 years.
Survivors include four sons: George of West Chester, Pa.,
John of Little Mountain, Pa., Richard of Demorest, Ga., and
Gerry of Easley, S.C.
Memorials may be made to the George B. Nutt Endowment
Fund at Clemson University or the George Bass Nutt
Scholarship Fund at Mississippi State University.
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October 2007
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ASABE Fellow Albert V. Krewatch, P.E., 103, of
Seaford, Del., died Aug. 3, 2007, at the Methodist Manor House
in Seaford.
Krewatch graduated in 1925 with a
bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Delaware where
he also earned a master’s and a doctoral
degree. In 1929, he took a position with
the College of Agriculture at the
University of Maryland as an agricultural
engineering professor and rural electrification specialist for the University’s
Cooperative Extension Service. At that time the University was
helping farmers install electricity on their farms.
Krewatch specialized in farm structures, farm electrification, home utilities, and 4-H Club work while in the extension
service. A strong supporter of 4-H Clubs, Krewatch provided
electrical safety tips and guidelines for the clubs.
While at the University he helped develop an Agricultural
Engineering Department. He retired in 1965 after 36 years of
service.
In 1965, Krewatch was invited to lecture in Poland at a
63-country International Trade Fair. Krewatch was in charge of
the electrical display in the U.S. Pavilion. His exhibit showed how
electricity was used in the home, on farms, and in factories.
Krewatch was elected ASABE fellow in 1959. He had been
a member of ASABE for 75 years.
He is survived by a daughter, Joann B. Fletcher of
University Park, Md. Memorials may be made to Smith Mills
Church, c/o Nancy Harris, 36216 Brittingham Road, Delmar,
DE 19940.
InsideASABE
A Special Anniversary Salute to Our Longtime Members
Membership of 60 years
or longer is listed by year.
74 YEARS
Merle W. Bloom
71 YEARS
Ernest H. Kidder
70 YEARS
Lawrence H. Skromme
69 YEARS
Ervin W. Schroeder
68 YEARS
Donald E. Kuska
William J. Promersberger
Francis M. Roberts
Jerome W. Sorenson Jr.
67 YEARS
Clarence F. Becker
Arthur W. Cooper
John F. Cykler
Unus F. Earp
Curtis A. Johnson
W. Jack Liddell
William J. Ridout Jr.
66 YEARS
Craig W. Cannon
Harold E. Gray
S. Milton Henderson
Arnold B. Skromme
65 YEARS
Norman B. Akesson
Albert M. Best
Alvin C. Dale
Charles W. Geelan
Dale E. Kirk
Ausmus S. Marburger
64 YEARS
Etlar A. Henningsen
Gerald L. Kline
63 YEARS
Sherwood S. DeForest
John B. Dobie
Norman A. Evans
Milton T. Hedquist
62 YEARS
Wesley F. Buchele
R. Bruce Hopkins
Leland E. Morgan
Robert M. Rae
61 YEARS
Jimmy L. Butt
Welker W. Funk
Harris M. Gitlin
Carl W. Hall
Desle O. H. Miller
Robert R. Owen
Hoyle B. Puckett
Lyle G. Reeser
Bernard P. Rines
Charles B. Seckinger
James M. Stanley
60 YEARS
William J. Adams Jr.
Tom E. Corley
Robert L. Erwin
Lawrence I. Frisbie
Edward B. Hale
Samuel A. Hart
Joseph P. Hollingsworth
Elmer B. Hudspeth
Robert T. Lorenzen
Paul L. McConnie
Kurt Nathan
John T. Phillips, Jr.
George M. Scherrer
Harold V. Walton
50 YEARS
George H. Abernathy
Alton W. Almquist
Carroll R. Amerman
George L. Bloomsburg
Louis F. Bouse
Stephen M. Boysen
Ross K. Brown
Allen F. Butchbaker
Elvin L. Carlson
John L. Clingerman
William R. DeTar
L. Bynum Driggers
Robert D. Fox
Lawrence H. Gay
Francis E. Gilman
G. LeRoy Hahn
George H. Hargreaves
Jerald M. Henderson
Edward P. Hudek
Larry F. Huggins
George H. Jenkins, Jr.
James K. Jensen
Edwin E. Landis
William H. Peterson
Vernon E. Rettig
Gene R. Rose
Richard J. Rowe
Lewis A. Schaper
Wayne E. Schwartz
Lawrance N. Shaw
Ernest T. Smerdon
James L. Stitt
Paul K. Turnquist
C. Russell Umback
Jaw-Kai Wang
Byron K. Webb
Frank Wiersma
Robert A. Wiles
Robert B. Williams
40 YEARS
Ubbo Agena
James V. Albritton
Edgar G. Arnn
Peter S. Barton
Eugene J. Beckman
Stanley M. Boase
Gerald R. Bodman
Richard W. Bouwhuis
Larry E. Christenson
Stanley R. Clark
David A. Clever
F. B. Dyck
Joe D. Faddis
Charles R. Grafton
Alan W. Hawkes
Richard D. Hentzen
Glen H. Hetzel
Marvin L. Joray
Richard J. Karsky
James A. Koch
Radhey Lal Kushwaha
James R. Lucas
W. Gerald Matlock
Loren R. Maxey
John A. Miles
Sharadchandra Patel
Terence H. Podmore
Eugene W. Rochester
James E. Sanford
Charles E. Sheets
Walter H. Soehne
Albert H. Strecker
Duane D. Tiede
John L. Tucker, Jr.
David H. Vaughan
Bruce L. Warman
Neil L. West
Fredrick W. Wheaton
Julius R. Williford
Kenneth C. Wolfgram
Lyle M. Wright
25 YEARS
Paul L. Aakre
Steven E. Anderson
Abdullah A. R. Arar
Douglas A. Bargiel
Egil A. Berge
Carl W. Bolton
Ruth S. Book
Byron M. Buresch
Philip Buriak
Marvin W. Butler
Allan J. Campbell
P. David Campbell
Hugo A. Carter
Mark Casada
David Leon Cattron
Glenn T. Conklin
Ronald L. Converse
Valdecir Antoninho
Dalpasquale
Mohidin B. H. Daud
Michael J. Delwiche
Lisa K. DeWeese
David L. Diefenthaler
Alan L. Dorris
Steven R. Dragt
William A. Drawdy
Lyle S. Fisher
Norman A. Flaten
Rolando A. Flores
Dennis R. Gardisser
Jerry D. Gerdes
Gene A. Giacomelli
Keith E. Gorzell
Kevin A. Gravois
Julius M. Griles Jr.
Yasushi Hashimoto
Conrad D. Heatwole
Warren E. Hedstrom
Leslie G. Hill
David Arthur Horrmann
Brian R. Inverarity
David G. Isaacs
Forrest T. Izuno
Brian D. Jordan
Rameshwar S. Kanwar
Laurence Kimura
Karl W. Klotzbach
Daniel Ray Klueter
David K. Korir
Robert C. Lanphier III
Dobbin Lattimore
Denyse I. LeBlanc
Lanny L. Leppo
Alan G. Leupold
Ronald D. MacDonald
Timothy Matechak
Douglas S. McGinnis
Cleon W. Namken
Paul David Parker
Fred A. Payne
Richard T. Penn
Lorne R. Pollard
R. Edward Powell, Jr.
Clarence J. Prestwich
James F. Prochaska
Norman G. Reichardt
Jon C. Rettinger
Kevin S. Richman
Syed S. H. Rizvi
Wesley Rosenthal
Daniel E. Roush
Robert E. Rumble
Timothy J. Sagul
Martin Sailus
Mohamed Samman
Calvin A. Saruwatari
Sadanori Sase
John Shahan
Prem N. Sharma
Shawn C. Shouse
Gregory L. Stark
Marvin L. Stone
Reynold J. Stone
Jeff Stracener
Douglas Kent Stricklin
Jeffrey L. Suhr
Paul E. Sumner
John D. Sundberg
Ronald Lee Sutton
Paul C. Sweetwood
Chi Ngoc Thai
Robert J. Thompson
Poyraz Ulger
Garrett L. Van Wicklen
Alan G. VanNahmen
G. D. Vermeulen
David Vigliotta
Brian E. Vinchesi
Robert T. Vogler
Wesley W. Wallender
Peter J. Watts
Richard A. Weber
Warren J. Weihing
William C. Werner
RESOURCE
October 2007
21
PERSONNEL SERVICE
Resource is published eight times per year; January 1,
February 15, April 1, May 15, July 1, August 15, October 1, and
November 15. The deadline for ad copy to be received at
ASABE is four weeks before the issue’s publishing date.
Advertisements are $125 per column inch length (column width
is 3.5 inches) and include free placement on the ASABE Career
Center at www.asabe.org/membership/careercenter.htm. The
minimum ad size is two inches — approximately 100 words —
to qualify for the free online listing. Ads are posted on the Web
site within three business days of final approval and remain
there for 30 days. If the insertion order is for two months, the
cost is $110 per column inch per insertion and includes a
60-day free Web listing.
For more details on this service, contact Pam Bakken,
ASABE Personnel Service, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI
49085-9659, USA; 269-428-6337, fax 269-429-3852,
bakken@asabe.org, or visit
www.asabe.org/resource/persads.html.
AGRICULTURAL ENGR: sought by greenhouse eqpt & irrigation
system mfgr. Respond by resume only to: Mr. H. Locher, Swissco
Systems Inc., 13426-B Conklin LN, Houston, TX 77034
DEPARTMENT OF BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING,
KONKUK UNIVERSITY
Position Title: Renewable non-tenure-track faculty member in
sensors and measurement .
Position Description: Teaching responsibilities can include
engineering undergraduate and graduate courses in the areas of
sensors and measurement, CAD etc.
Qualifications: Candidates must have a Ph.D. in agricultural
engineering or closely related engineering field. Non-Korean
applicants are especially welcome.
Application Materials: Application form, resume, official academic
transcripts (BS, MS, Ph.D.), statement of teaching and research
philosophies, and contact information for two references.
Closing date for Applications: Review of applications will begin
November 1. 2007. The position will remain open until it is filled.
Contact Address inquiries to: Prof. Dr. In Hwan Oh
(ihoh@kku.ac.kr), Dept. of Biosystems Engineering, Konkuk
University, 322 Danwoldong, Chungju, Chungbuk, 380-701
South Korea, Tel. +82 43 840 3553, Fax +82 43 851 4169,
Homepage: www.konkuk.ac.kr
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Gainesville, FL.
Position# 00012985.
This is a tenure track faculty position 30% research (Florida
Agricultural Experiment Station) 65% extension (Florida Cooperative
Extension Service) and involving 5% teaching (College of Agricultural
and Life Sciences) with emphasis in value-added products such as
bio-fuels and related bioprocess engineering and biomaterials
handling. An earned doctorate in related engineering, biological, biochemical or bioenvironmental field is required, along with a strong
research and teaching record and demonstrated evidence of attracting extramural funding and potential for developing an effective
extension program. Individuals wishing to apply should submit the
following materials: (1) a resume of professional experience; (2) official transcripts of academic training; (3) a list of publications and
other information relative to qualifications, and (4) a list of three (3)
references. Review of application materials will begin on or before
September 10, 2007 and will continue until a suitable applicant is
identified. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Please
submit all documents to: Dr. A.A. Teixeira, Professor and Chair,
Search and Screen Committee, University of Florida, Agricultural and
Biological Engineering Dept., P.O. Box 110570, Gainesville, FL.
32611-0570. Phone: (352) 392-1864 x 207; Fax (352) 392-4092;
E-mail: atex@ufl.edu
The University of Florida is an equal employment opportunity employer
22
August 2007
RESOURCE
Keep the
Celebration
Going …
Get your ASABE Centennial Items Today!
The Vision that Cut Drudgery
from Farming Forever
This is the intriguing story of Dr. J.
Brownlee Davidson who, at a very
young age, is credited with
launching the agricultural engineering profession. At the age of
25 he was assistant professor in
charge of the Department of Farm
Mechanics at Iowa State College
(later University) which, with his
guidance, soon evolved into the
first four-year agricultural engineering curriculum. He went on, with like-minded others, to
form the American Society of Agricultural Engineers in 1907.
Author ASABE Past President Sherwood S. DeForest, a former
student of Davidson, describes him as an “extraordinary man
with a vision.” Must reading for anyone involved in the profession and sure to be of interest to the general public who have
benefited greatly from the contributions of agricultural engineering. 64 pages, 6 x 9 inches, softbound.
Order No. H0707, Member $12, List $18
The Best of the Agricultural Bounty:
ASABE Centennial Cookbook
Edited by Mary Beth Sukup, this cookbook contains more than 200 tried-andtrue recipes from ASABE members across
the globe. With recipes for Gingerbread
Whoopie Pies, Miso Soup with Tofu,
Roast Game on a Spit and everything in
between, it’s a cookbook like no other.
200 pages, 6 x 9 inches, spiral bound.
Member and non-member price: $10.
Three Decades of Change –
ASAE to ASABE
This book continues to record the
history of ASABE at the point
Robert Stewart’s 7 Decades that
Changed America left off. It covers the Society history from the
start of the eighth decade in 1977
and continues though to the
100th anniversary in 2007. You’ll
find a chapter on changes in
Society structure and organization,
the name change, and strategic
planning efforts. The evolution of the standards program, the
move to electronic publishing and other changes in the publications area are also recorded. Developments in the meeting
and conferences area, membership campaigns, section activities, and relationships with other societies are covered. The
book contains useful listings such as the past locations for
ASABE Annual International Meetings and conferences, award
and scholarship winners, as well as books published during the
30-year period. 174 pages, 6 x 9 inches, softbound.
Order No. C0407, Member $17, List $22
Crystal Paperweight
This elegant 2-pound paperweight features
an etched 100th Anniversary logo suspended
inside. These 4-inch-tall keepsakes were
given to each attendee at the ASABE
Centennial Gala.
Member and non-member price: $15,
includes shipping and handling in the
United States. Add an additional $10 for
shipping outside the United States.
To Order: E-mail your order to martin@asabe.org , call 269-428-6324, or fax to 269-429-3852. You may also mail your request to
Order Dept, ASABE, 2950 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, MI 49085. Payment is by credit card or check. For books only add $4.95 shipping
and handling for the first item and $1 for additional items. Add 10% additional for shipping book orders outside the United States.
UPDATE
October 2007
“Sweet” Biofuels Research Goes Down on the Farm
Producing ethanol in the farmer’s own field is the aim of
of producers sharing and possibly helping one another
Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) sorghum-related biofuprocess ethanol from sweet sorghum.
els research.
Six test plot sites are maintained at the Oklahoma
Sweet sorghum provides high biomass yield with low
Agricultural Experiment Station facilities across the state,
irrigation and fertilizer requirements. Corn ethanol, in conallowing OSU scientists to conduct research on sweet sorghum
trast,
requires
significant
under local conditions.
amounts of water for growing
“We would like to do
and processing.
with sweet sorghum what the
“Producing ethanol from
Brazilians have done with
sweet sorghum is relatively
sugar cane. In Brazil, sugar
easy,” says ASABE member
cane ethanol provides a large
Danielle Bellmer, biosystems
percentage of their fuel
engineer with OSU.
needs,” Bellmer says.
“Just press the juice from the
The idea of using sweet
stalk, add yeast, allow fermentasorghum for commercial
tion to take place, and you have
ethanol production is not new.
ethanol,”
Bellmer
says.
The reason sweet sorghum is
“Unfortunately, the simple sugars
not as popular as corn – in
OSU Biofuels Team members harvest sweet sorghum
derived from sweet sorghum have
terms of being a source of
to test the feasibility of in-field processing. (Photo by
to be fermented immediately.
ethanol in the United States –
Todd Johnson, courtesy of OSU)
“We’re examining such
has been the need to ferment its
things as juice extraction efficiency, whether or not pH
simple sugars immediately and the high costs associated with
(acidity) or nutrient adjustment of the juice is needed, and
a central processing plant that is operated only seasonally.
various environmental factors,” Bellmer adds.
“By determining a process by which agricultural proThe goal is to make production of ethanol from sweet
ducers can create ethanol in the field from sweet sorghum,
sorghum economically viable by using an in-field processthat barrier is removed,” Bellmer says. “Producers will then
ing system that minimizes transportation costs and capital
have a much higher value product to sell.”
investment.
Contact Bellmer, bellmer@okstate.edu, for more
Equipment, such as the harvester and other technology,
information.
could be owned individually or cooperatively with a number
Peanuts Studied as
Biodiesel Fuel Source
Peanuts may be elbowing their way into
the biodiesel fuel market. Agricultural
Research Service scientists are currently
testing a peanut called Georganic. It’s
not suited to commercial edible standards for peanuts, but is high in oil and
has low production input costs.
Georganic, or similar varieties,
will likely be the future of peanut
biodiesel because they can be planted
24
October 2007
RESOURCE
and grown with just one herbicide
application for weed control.
Additionally, these fuel peanuts are
grown without fungicides, which are
the greatest input cost in traditional
peanut production.
To further reduce production costs
and increase yield, the research team
is also studying technology such as
conservation tillage and the selection
of varieties with high tolerance to
multiple diseases.
Currently, 24 peanut varieties are
being scrutinized in this biodiesel
screening project. It has been found
that high-oleic-acid peanuts – a quality
desired for extended shelf life of food
products – make the best biodiesel fuel.
Today, soybean oil is the primary
oil used in the United States for
biodiesel fuel production. Traditionally
grown peanuts have the ability to produce more than twice as much
biodiesel fuel per acre than soybeans.
For more information, ontact Wilson
Faircloth, wilson.faircloth@ars.usda.gov.
Process Converts Poultry Litter into Bio-oil
Foster Agblevor, associate professor
process destroys the microorganof biological systems engineering at
isms reducing the likelihood of the
Virginia Tech, is leading a team of
transmission of disease to other
researchers in studying transportable
locations.”
pyrolysis units that will convert poulAccording to Agblevor, bio-oil
try litter into bio-oil, thereby providing
yields ranged from 30 to 50 percent
an economical disposal system while
by weight, depending on the age and
reducing environmental effects and
the bedding content of the litter.
biosecurity issues. Poultry litter conBedding material that was mostly
sists of a mixture of bedding, manure,
hardwood shavings yielded bio-oil
feathers, and spilled feed.
as high as 62 percent by weight. The
Agblevor is working with poultry
bio-oils had relatively high nitrogen
growers to test technology that would
content, very low sulfur content, and
convert the litter into three valuewere very viscous. Char yield ranged
added byproducts: pyrodiesel (biofrom 30-50 percent by weight
oil), producer gas, and fertilizer. The
depending on the source, age, and
pyrolysis unit heats the litter until it
composition of the poultry litter. The
vaporizes. The vapor is then conchar also had a high ash content.
densed to produce the bio-oil, and a
“The type of poultry litter used
slow release fertilizer is recovered
will affect the amount and quality of
Poultry litter consists of bedding,
manure, feathers, and spilled feed.
from the reactor. The gas can then be
the bio-oil produced and ultimately
(Photo courtesy of USDA-ARS)
used to operate the pyrolysis unit,
will impact the producer’s profitabilmaking it a self-sufficient system.
ity,” Agblevor says. “Finding the right
“The self-contained transportable pyrolsis unit will
set of conditions for the poultry litter is key to the adapallow poultry producers to process the litter on site
tation of this technology.”
rather than having to haul the litter to a separate locaContact Agblevor, fagblevo@vt.edu, for more
tion,” Agblevor says. “In addition, the thermochemical
information.
African GM Crop Resistant to Maize Streak Virus
The first all-African genetically modified crop plant with
A MSV-resistant maize variety was created by
resistance to the severe maize streak virus (MSV), which
genetic engineering using an approach known as
seriously reduces the continent’s maize yield, has been
pathogen-derived resistance. This means that a gene
developed by scientists from the University of Cape
from the viral pathogen is used to protect the plant from
Town and PANNAR PTY Ltd., a South
that pathogen.
African seed company. The research
The next stage of the research
represents a significant advance in
involves field trials to ensure that the
African agricultural biotechnology and
transformed crop is digestible, the
will play an important role in alleviating
protein is not an allergen, and that it
Africa’s food shortages and famine.
will be ecologically friendly to other
Lead researcher Dionne Shepherd
organisms within the environment.
explains that, “MSV is transmitted to
Following the results of these trials,
maize by small insects called leafhopthe crop will be monitored over a
pers. The disease is therefore a result
number of growing seasons before it
of a complex interplay between the
is made accessible to local farmers.
plant, the virus, and the insect.
For more information, contact
Maize streak virus symptoms in a
Factors that can influence the severity
Lucy
Mansfield,
lucy.mansfield
maize field in South Africa shows
of the disease include the age at
@oxon.blackwellpublishing.com.
chlorotic streaking and deformed
cob development. (Photo courtesy
which the plant is infected, the maize
of Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)
variety, and environmental conditions.”
RESOURCE
October 2007
25
UPDATE October 2007
Soy-based Foam to be Used in 2008 Ford Mustang
A significant milestone was recently reached with Ford
Motor Co.’s announcement that soy-based polyurethane
foam will be used in seating applications for the 2008
Ford Mustang. Ford’s breakthrough follows seven years
of work by the auto company’s team of researchers in its
biomaterials department.
“Consumers may
not realize that petroleum is a major ingredient in auto applications
such as seating,” says
Todd Allen, USB New
Uses chair. “The move
by Ford to replace
petroleum in auto interiors with soybean oil
is revolutionary.”
(Top) 2008 Ford
Mustang soy-based
seat back and cushion.
In a major step forward
for petroleum independence, the 2008
Ford Mustang will be
the first car to get soy-based seat foam.
(Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)
JETS Competition
Taps into Excitement
of 2008 Olympics
As the current job market faces a
shortage of qualified engineers, the
Junior Engineering Technical Society
(JETS) is working to increase high
school students’ interest in technical
disciplines by hosting the Tests of
Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics,
and Science (TEAMS) competition.
JETS has teamed with Shell Oil Co. to
add a t-shirt design contest to the competition to appeal to a wider range of
students.
The 2008 TEAMS challenge will
enliven the competition by tapping
into the excitement of next year’s
Olympics, asking students to look
behind the scenes at the engineering
26
October 2007
RESOURCE
The soy-based flexible foam, which uses a five percent soy-based polyol, will be incorporated into seat
backs and seat cushions in the 2008 Mustang. This is
done without compromising the durability, stiffness, or
performance of the foam.
Ford researchers are working to replace 40 percent
of the standard petroleum-based polyol with soyderived material. At this level, using this soy poly-urethane is estimated to result in as much as $26 million in
annual cost savings for Ford. According to the National
Institute of Standards and Technology soy polyols have
only one-quarter the level of total environmental impact
of petroleum-based ingredients.
The idea of using soy in Ford’s manufacturing
process is nothing new to the American car company.
The Ford Model T contained car body parts made from
soy fiber. The soybean’s oil was used in automobile paint.
Through years of work with the United Soybean Board
and industry partners, Ford developed the Model U concept car in 2003, which featured soy-based seat cushions as well as a soy-based resin composite tailgate.
“As we move forward to develop a portfolio of sustainable materials that will go into future Ford vehicles,
soy-based polyurethane seats are a great first step and
one of many environmental initiatives,” says Manager
Matthew Zaluzec, Ford Materials and Nanotechnology
Department.
For more information, contact www.unitedsoybean.org.
involved in large-scale athletic events.
Enormous public sports spectacles present a host of logistical engineering challenges. From facility
design to equipment development,
traffic needs, security, and communications and information technology,
engineering is critical to ensure that an
event runs smoothly and efficiently.
To add a creative aspect to the
competition, Shell Oil Co. will invite
all participating students to create a
t-shirt design that incorporates the
TEAMS “behind-the scenes” theme.
Students at every competition will
receive a free t-shirt, ensuring that one
student’s design will be worn by thousands of fellow students across the
United States. In addition, the design
will also appear on the front cover of
the TEAMS competition set. A panel
of judges from Shell will choose the
final winner.
To dispel the notion that engineering is bound by the limits of math and
science, the t-shirt design contest
underscores the importance of creativity in the engineering process and the
career possibilities in engineering for
those with an artistic bent.
“Encouraging a broad range of
students in high school to study math
and science is critical to the future of
the energy industry,” says John
Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co.
“Developing these skills early will help
prepare students for a future career in a
technology-driven field. For Shell, the
TEAMS t-shirt contest sponsorship is
an investment in our future.”
For more information, visit
www.jets.org.
Visible Food
Packaging Can
Reduce Shelf Life
Packaging that lets consumers see a
food product may not be good for the
food. New ideas for plastics may help
remedy that problem. Research by
Virginia Tech food scientists has provided significant evidence that visible
wavelengths of light cause taste and
odor changes in food.
Materials research for protecting
food from light damage focuses on
UV light in the range of 200 to 400
nanometers, the range that can damage
human skin.
“These are the same wave lengths
that cause nutritional and sensory
damage in food,” says Susan Duncan,
professor of food science and technology. “For example, visible light
degrades riboflavin in milk, interacts
with flavor and odor molecules, and
causes pigment damage in food.”
Ultraviolet wavelengths are not
the only ones that cause damage, but
they are important from the perspective of food processors, who want beverages, such as milk, to look
appealing. Packaging has moved away
from paper board to polymers such as
polyethylene, so the consumer can see
the product. “Then they started to have
color and flavor problems,” says
Duncan.
Adding UV absorbers to the packaging helped and still allowed the consumer to see the product, but it didn’t
totally resolve the problem.
“The only way to completely protect the product is to use a totally
opaque container. But generally, consumers like to see a product, particularly milk – to make sure it isn’t
curdled – or juice, to make sure there is
no sedimentation, explains Duncan.
But we also want a product to have a
long shelf life.
The Virginia Tech researchers
have tested a number of new materials
that are not currently being used
for food packaging. One material, a
translucent sleeve over wrap with
an iridescent shimmer, reflects wavelengths. “We found evidence of
improvement, but it is still not as good
as opaque,” Duncan says.
She believes that material scientists
can develop better materials, once they
become attuned to the challenges of
food packaging. “We want to find manufacturers to work with us to develop
packaging products that will work with
milk and the visible wavelengths. Food
scientists and material scientists working together is what is on the horizon.”
For more information, contact
Duncan, duncans@vt.edu.
Charcoal Technology Holds Promise for Developing Countries
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
student Jules Walter has seen firsthand the impact of deforestation in his
native Haiti. Nearly 98 percent of the
island’s forests are gone, and more
trees are being cut down every year.
Deforestation is not only an environmental problem in that country, but it
also makes life difficult for Haitians
who rely on wood to cook their food.
Walter and a team of students are
working to bring affordable, environmentally friendly cooking fuel to developing countries like Haiti. Their
technique offers a simple way to produce charcoal briquettes from organic
material such as sugarcane waste.
The energy source for the charcoal
comes from bagasse, or sugarcane
waste. Sugarcane is widely available in
Haiti, and corncobs and other plant
wastes, including banana leaves, can
also be used to make the charcoal.
Several families in Haiti have
tested the briquettes and liked them
better than wood charcoal, Walter
says. The briquettes are good for
cooking because they burn longer
than wood and are easier to light. They
also create less smoke than wood and
dung fires.
The production process has three
steps. First, organic waste is carbonized in a drum in a low-oxygen
environment, which prevents it from
turning to ash. Second, the resulting
powder is mixed with a binder to help
hold it together. Then, the powder is
pressed it into briquettes with a simple
machine press and allowed to
dry. The entire process takes
two and a half to three hours.
(Top) Jules Walter,
Although the team is focusin Ghana, is holding on Haiti, the briquettes
ing a sample of
could be beneficial in other
charcoal made
places where trees are scarce,
from corncobs.
such as Africa and India.
(Right) Charcoal briquettes made from
For more information, contact
plant waste material provide cooking
Walter, jdwalter@mit.edu.
fuel for developing countries.
RESOURCE
October 2007
27
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Donald L. Gribble, P.E.
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Integrated Product Development Services
Vehicles, Implements and Tools
Engineering, Design and Analysis
Prototype Build, Test and Evaluation
R. O. Diedrichs, P.E.
319-266-0549
Cedar Falls, IA
www.diedrichs.ws
Professional Engineering and Consulting Services for Dairies, Beef
Feedlots, and All Types of Agricultural Waste Management Systems
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E-mail: eng@Fiveg.com • www.fiveg.com
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Phone: (816) 415-8387: Mobil: (816) 223-5927
Email: rich.w.job@sbcglobal.net
Consultant:
Managing the product design and development
process; product safety evaluation process;
standards application and compliance
Member: ASABE, SAE
“Concepts in
Agricultural Byproduct Utilization”
L.M. (Mac) Safley, Jr., Ph.D., P.E.
President
5400 Etta Burke Court
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
Phone: (919) 859-0669
Email: agriwaste2@aol.com
Fax: (919) 233-1970
Consulting Engineering
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5720 Corporate Way • West Palm Beach, Florida 33407
Phone (561) 683-3113 ext. 214 • FAX (561) 478-7248
James M. Miller PE, PhD, President
Idaho: Boise-Twin Falls
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888-206-4394
734-662-6822
www.millerengineering.com
e-mail: jmiller@millerengineering.com
Agricultural, Chemical & Mechanical Engineers:
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& Instruction Manuals - Worker Safety & Health (OSHA) Chemical Application & Exposures - EPA RCRA, Clean Water,
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Woodstock, IL 60098
815-337-8555 FAX 815-337-8556
bill@innoquestinc.com www.innoquestinc.com
Engineering & Design Services for Sensors,
Instruments, Controls, Enclosures and
Mechanisms.
Phone: (772) 781-6408
Fax:
(772) 781-6409
Cellular: (863) 634-4878
RESOURCE
Agricultural and Environmental Engineering
Bill Hughes, P.E.
Agricultural Engineer
October 2007
Engineers • Surveyors • Planners
Miller Engineering Associates, Inc.
Agri-Waste Technology, Inc.
Phillip G. Metcalf, P.E.
28
www.IRRIGATION-MART.com
300 S. Service Road, E.
Ruston, LA 71270-3440
Ph: 800-SAY RAIN (729-7246)
318-255-1832
MEMBER
Fax: 318-255-7572
sales@irrigation-mart.com
we SAVVY Irrigaton
Jackie Robbins, CEO, CID, Ph.D., Agricultural Engineer, P.E.
Jay Robbins, Agricultural Engineer, EI
Robin Robbins, Agronomist
DALE GUMZ, P.E., C.S.P.
Timothy R. Royer, P.E.
Timber Tech Engineering, Inc.
Irrigation and Wastewater Systems
Sales and Engineering/Design
7881 S.W. Ellipse Way,
Stuart, Florida 34997
Email: phillipm@ewr1.com
Web Site: www.ewr1.com
Your personal or company consultant
business card could appear here. For
information on rates, contact Pam
Bakken, Advertising Sales Manager,
Resource: Engineering & Technology
for a Sustainable World, 2950 Niles
Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659,
USA; 269-428-6337, fax 269-429-3852,
bakken@asabe.org. An order form is
available at www.asabe.org/resource
/procards.pdf.
LAST WORD
Who me? A PEV?
Yes! ASABE wants YOU as an ABET program evaluator!
Beginning this fall, ASABE is the sponsoring society for two ABET program criteria, agricultural engineering and biological engineering. ABET, Inc. is the
accrediting agency for all engineering educational programs in the United States (and many around the globe).
Volunteers are needed to serve as educational program
evaluators (PEVs) in both agricultural and biological
engineering. Graduation from an ABET-accredited program is usually a necessary criteria to become licensed
to practice engineering anywhere in the United States.
Thus, agricultural and biological engineering academic
programs relies on an ABET accreditation for survival as
viable programs.
chair and faculty. Activities may include interviewing
students and faculty, observing classes, surveying lab facilities, and reviewing course materials and student work.
Step 3. Based on a review of the self-study report
and observations made on campus, the PEV formulates
a draft statement on the adherence of the program to the
evaluation criteria. This statement is submitted to the
team chair and incorporated in an exit statement to the
program(s) and institution at the end of the visit.
Step 4. The PEV travels home and completes
expense reports and performance evaluations of his
visit-team members. The PEV may also need to respond
to questions during the statement-editing period.
What do PEVs do?
PEVs volunteer through ASABE (an ABET member
society) to evaluate postsecondary degree-granting programs in either agricultural or biological engineering.
PEVs are dedicated technical professionals with interests in contributing to the profession and improving
higher education. Evaluators are team players, respected
in their fields and among their peers, and are often active
in ASABE. Good communication as well as interpersonal
and organizational skills are musts for successful PEVs.
Engineering educational programs (not departments) are evaluated against a set of general and program specific criteria developed, in the case of
agricultural and biological engineering, by ASABE
through ABET. The criteria outline the requirements for
faculty, facilities, curriculum, and other key areas. PEVs
determine if the criteria are met.
What are the required qualifications?
The criteria is straightforward. One must have:
1. A demonstrated interest in improving education.
2. Membership in ASABE or another ABET society
sponsoring biological engineering criteria or a willingness to become a member prior to applying to serve.
3. Formal education and recognized distinction in
his or her field. Program evaluators with an industry
background must possess a degree appropriate to the
field; experience in the employment of graduates from
accredited programs is desirable. Program evaluators
with an academic background must possess a degree
appropriate to the field; accreditation process experience is desirable.
4. Internet and e-mail access and proficiency in
word processing programs (compatible with Microsoft
Word and Word Perfect), spreadsheets, and PDF files.
5. Other minimum qualifications as required by
ABET’s member societies (i.e., a PE license).
A PEV’s work takes a four-step process
Step 1. Work begins with the receipt of a self-study
report, submitted to ABET by an accreditation-seeking
program. The report contains general information about
the program and institution and specific details on how
the program meets evaluation criteria. The PEV thoroughly reviews the information and, if needed, communicates with the program/institution directly to resolve
any ambiguities or to answer any questions.
Step 2. The PEV travels to campus with one or more
other PEVs and an evaluation team leader (called a team
chair). On campus, a PEV spends about two days investigating his or her assigned program with the help of the
Interested?
Contact David Thompson (david.r.thompson
@okstate.edu) or Ann Kenimer (a-kenimer@tamu.edu),
representatives, ABET Engineering Accreditation
Commission; Lalit Verma (lverma@uark.edu), ABET
Board of Directors representative; Van Kelly
(Van.Kelley@sdstate.edu), board alternate; Andy Hale
(Andy_Hale@ncsu.edu), ED-204 Committee Chair,
Engineering and Technology Accreditation; or myself
Ready to apply? What are you waiting for? Visit
www.abet.org/volunteer.shtml and sign on!
ASABE fellow Don Slack is a professor in the University of Arizona Agricultural and Biolsystems
Engineering Department and AEC alternate representative, slack@email.arizona.edu.
RESOURCE
October 2007
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