Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World May 2007

CENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

PUBLISHED BY ASABE – AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS Engineering for a Sustainable Tomorrow

We can take considerable pride that as agricultural and biological engineers we have improved the quality of life that people enjoy around the world. It was 100 years ago on Dec. 27, 1907, that 18 men met at the University of Wisconsin in Madison to organize the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Although there were other engineering soci- eties at the time, none of them focused on agriculture and biological materials; they all dealt with the inorganic. § At that time, it took 40 percent of the nation’s labor force to provide food for the people. Today it takes only 2 percent. It is no wonder the National Academy of Engineering ranked agricultural mechanization as one of the top 10 engineering achievements of the last century. § The opportunities that resulted from improved farm productivity and a reduction in on-farm manpower (and literal horsepower) unleashed on the nation mind power in measures previously unknown. The result has been advancements in every field of human endeavor from the fine arts to medical science to space travel, at a pace and scale unimaginable a century ago. Such progress obscures the early achievements of agricultural mechanization — the elimination of back- and spirit-breaking farm drudgery and wide- spread hunger. As Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug would say, “The good old days … they were terrible!” § There is no shortage of 21st century challenges for engineering in agricultural, food, and biological systems as we endeavor to secure the necessities of life: safe and abundant food and water, a healthy environment, fiber and timber for clothing and shelter, and renewable energy sources that also recycle carbon from biomass. Of key importance in these and other impending challenges is sustainability. Any proposed solutions must be able to sustain themselves in a way that conserves our natural resources. That is a concept most of us involved with engineering for organic materials embraced long before we pursued our engineering degrees. § Possessing an understanding of the biological world and a firm grasp of engineering principles, agricultural and biological engineers are uniquely qualified to accomplish these goals. Providing a growing world population with the necessities of life by using sustainable solutions will indeed be our challenge for the 21st century.

2006-2007 ASABE PRESIDENT CHARLES E. SUKUP Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World May 2007

Engineering for a SustainableCENTENNIAL COMMEMORATIVE Tomorrow EDITION CONTENTS

2 | Ten Agricultural and Biological Engineering Achievements Advertisers Index that Changed the World The roles played by agricultural and bio- Irrometer Co. 25 logical engineers have been significant. Suzanne M. Howard Lexion Claas back cover Michigan State University 31 8 | Challenges for the 21st Century ASABE members forecast Onset Computer Corp. 26 sustainability savvy and fascinating future technology. Sue Mitrovich Purdue University 27 14 | A Passion for Invention Spectrum Technologies 19 Keen interest in creating the new and fresh University of Florida 31 applications of existing technology remain the Society’s hallmarks. We University of Georgia 18 honor a representative group of past AE50 winners. Sue Mitrovich University of Illinois 13 20 | Where We Live After 100 years, ASABE membership spans the globe. University of Minnesota 31 University of Nebraska 33 | ASABE - 100 Years of Innovation This magazine center insert tells the history of the Society and displays a graphic timeline of events impor- Acknowledgements tant to both the Society and the world at large. Suzanne M. Howard A special thank you to all those who contributed to this commemo- 22 | Standing the Test of Time What will the next 100 years hold for rative issue with quotes, expertise, ASABE and its members? Take a futuristic look at the role the profession and insight. A warm thank you to will play in the next century. Suzanne M. Howard Claudia Parish, Parish Design, for her graphic expertise. 28 | Headlines and Emails from 2037 and Beyond Several timeline photos were Gazing decades courtesy of Iowa State University, ahead, visionary Society members conjure newspaper copy and “embed University of Nebraska Library, words in cyberspace.” What will the future hold? Sue Mitrovich USDA, NRCS, DICKEY-john Corp., and the Boeing Co. 30 | Aquaculture Makes a Splash Agricultural research is key to the Sources researched for the future of fish farming. Suzanne M. Howard Society history include: 7 Decades that Changed America, a History 32 | Resource Through the Years of the American Society of A look at Resource covers shows how Agricultural Engineers 1907- the magazine has changed through the decades. 1977, Robert E. Stewart; Three Decades of Change – ASAE to 34 | Personnel Service Department ASABE, Wayne A. Maley, Robert M. Peart, and Benjamin A. Jones 36 | Professional Listings Department Jr.; and The Growth and Maturing of a Profession, Jimmy L. Butt.

RESOURCE: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World Vol. 14 Number 4 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, [email protected]; Suzanne Howard, Inside ASABE and Update Editor, [email protected]; Sue Mitrovich, Features Editor, [email protected]; Pam Bakken, Advertising Sales Manager and Production Editor, [email protected]. Editorial Board: Chair Edward Martin, University of Arizona; Vice Chair Suranjan Panigrahi, North Dakota State University; Secretary Jeremiah Davis, Iowa State University; Past Chair Anissa Purswell, Enviro-Ag Engineering Inc.; Wayne Coates, University of Arizona; Donald Edwards, Retired; Rafael Garcia, USDA-ARS; Mark Riley, University of Arizona; Brian Steward, Iowa State University; Alan Van Nahmen, Farm Buddy; and Joseph Zulovich, University of Missouri. Ten Agricultural and Biological Engineering Achievements that Changed the World

he 20th century marked the completion of the Development of the Agricultural Tractor Industrial Revolution and the emergence of the Agricultural engineers have been intimately involved in Information Revolution. In the past 100 years, agri- the development of the agricultural tractor and associated cultural and biological engineering has traversed the T implements. Agricultural engineers working in world’s shifting technological landscapes developing and industry made great contributions in the evolu- growing as a discipline and profession. tion of tractor design to the technically While the Industrial Revolution drew people away from sophisticated machines of today. Land-grant the farms and into the factories during the 18th and 19th cen- universities, the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, and the USDA’s National Soil 1 Dynamics Laboratory provided unbiased THE ROLES PLAYED BY 1 results on tractor operation, safety, performance, AGRICULTURAL AND and traction to farmers and manufacturers. BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT.

turies, transforming many agricultural-based societies into industrial societies, it was mainly during the first half of the past 100 years that the reverse task of ushering the Industrial Revolution onto the farms became fully realized. With the advent of computers in the mid-1940s, later spawning the Information Revolution, industrial societies found themselves being redesigned into information societies, propelling the The move from horse to tractor power had a profound impact on further evolution of mechanized agriculture into information- the farm. (Photo courtesy of the Canada Agriculture Museum) based agriculture. Tractors have changed tremendously over the years with Agricultural and biological engineers have played a sig- more power, heated and air conditioned cabs with stereos, nificant role during the past 100 years. Agricultural mecha- power shift transmissions, front wheel assist, guidance sys- nization has replaced much of the human and animal power tems, infinitely variable transmissions, and computers. needed for farming tasks in developed nations and is now Fewer farmers will continue to farm more land. transforming agriculture in many developing countries. Sophisticated equipment will be pulled by tractors with high Agricultural productivity for both food and fibers has horsepower to get the job done efficiently. Tractors will be increased dramatically over the past 100 years. The techno- needed to do tasks independently allowing the farmer to logical advancements during that time have been astonishing. concentrate on other parts of his business while he sits in the The accomplishments of agricultural and biological cab – his business office on wheels. One day we may see engineering in the last 100 years deserve recognition and cel- tractors pulling machines with no operator, however, the ebration. It is hoped that these 10 achievements that changed farmer may be reluctant to give up complete control of his the world will inspire among agricultural and biological engi- machine. He will still feel a need to monitor the tractor and neers enormous pride in their monumental contributions to its towed processor across the field. society, and the aspiration to fully and responsibly usher the Thomas D. Ogle agricultural industry into the next century. Vermeer Manufacturing Co.

2 May 2007 RESOURCE Rural Electrification Self-Propelled Combine The electrification of rural America brought electrical One of the most versatile of farm machines, the combine energy and all of its successful applications to the farmstead. harvests a diverse range of crops, handling dry fragile crops This enabled the such as flax, tall rugged crops such as corn (maize), and switch from ani- stringy crops often flattened to the ground such as rice. mal and human Combines are most often associated with harvest- power to mechan- ing small grains, such as wheat, barley, rye, and ical and electrical oats, on relatively level ground where they were power. Rural elec- first used. With the development of self-level- trification opened ing combines and cleaning system geometry up a myriad of and air flow, combines can harvest crops on 3 possibilities for 3 rolling hills or even steep slopes. With available the farm, which tire, track, and powered rear-wheel options, they have today are consid- no difficulty going through heavy mud. They can chop, spread, ered standard fea- or drop straw into windrows. Although large, many combines tures. A few are loaded on trucks in minutes for transport to another field examples include that may be hundreds of miles away. A modern self-propelled on-farm storage combine with a single operator can harvest 100 times what was and processing of achievable 100 years ago, long before self-propelled combines agricultural prod- were developed. ucts, mechanical Rural electrification enabled the switch milking of cows, from animal and human power to mechanical and electrical power. (Photo refrigerated bulk courtesy of the New Deal Network) storage of milk prior to transport to central processing centers, room heating and air condi- tioning, and use of electronic automatic control systems for many kinds of farm operations.

Our profession has been at the core of contributing to electrification and the use of electrical energy since the very beginning of the profession. Agricultural engineers were particularly adept at researching, adapting, and This Massey-Harris Model 20 self-propelled combine demonstrating new technologies. is on display at Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Mich. Landmark demonstration projects by In the mid-1920s, about 1,000 Gleaner Combines agricultural engineers, like the Redwing 2 were built to mount on Fordson tractors, but production 2 Project in Minnesota that demonstrated soon ended. During the 1930s, agricultural engineers in the first successful rural distribution line in several companies developed prototype self-propelled 1923, established the knowledge base for successful rural combines. Only Massey-Harris was able to obtain electrification. approval from War Production Boards in the early 1940s Today our profession works for the continued safe and for the steel to build self-propelled combines. The efficient application of electrical power and now electron- “Harvest Brigade” of these custom combines in the cen- ics in food, agricultural, and biological systems. With tral plains of the United States and Canada greatly influ- increased opportunities for involvement in the production enced agriculture. of electrical energy through solar, wind, and biomass; Today, agricultural and biological engineers are novel ways to use electrical energy for process and con- developing combines for more efficient harvest, better trol; and the continued need for safety and efficiency, we grain quality, improved and safer operator environment, can continue the tradition of contribution so ably demon- and better electronics for automating combine functions strated by our predecessors. Robert J. Gustafson, P.E. and monitoring performance. Leroy K. Pickett, P.E. Associate Dean and Professor Combine Development and Safety Engineer, Retired The Ohio State University Case New Holland

RESOURCE May 2007 3 Center Pivot for Irrigation International Harvester Cotton Picker Frank Zybach, a tenant farmer and inventor living near The first attempt to develop a mechanical cotton picker to Strasburg, Colo., received a patent for a “Self-Propelled replace manual labor was in 1850 in Tennessee by Sprinkling Irrigating Apparatus” on July 22, 1952. The S. S. Rembert and Jebediah Prescott. The next significant device used mobile towers to continuously move a pipeline in a circle around a pivot. Water was supplied through the pivot and distributed by “Old Red,” the sprinklers on the pipeline. Zybach formed a nation’s first commercially partnership in 1953 with A. E. Trowbridge, workable 4 an entrepreneur-businessman, to manufacture mechanical cot- 4 center pivots in Columbus, Neb. In 1954 man- ton picker, was ufacturing rights were sold to Valley the predecessor Manufacturing, which initiated a worldwide industry includ- to the modern cotton harvesting ing several manufacturers. equipment The center pivot was the first system capable of auto- shown here. matically, efficiently, and uniformly irrigating a variety of crops, soils, sloping terrains, and field sizes. Agricultural and invention followed in 1889 by Angus Campbell who founded biological engineers the Price Campbell Cotton Picker Corp. Little progress ensued, have improved the however, until International Harvester purchased the Price- safety, efficiency, Campbell patents in 1924. The period from 1924 and dependability of through 1939 brought out experimental the original design. machines that showed significant improve- The center pivot ments over the Price-Campbell invention. In has become the most 1943, International Harvester produced the first dozen of its commercial cotton pickers. In 5 1948, International Harvester’s Memphis Works 5 came on line with the industry’s first mass-pro- Above: Four center duced cotton picker, the M-12-H. Two important conse- pivot irrigation systems quences of the development of the mechanical cotton picker have created circular were the reduced need for farm labor and the end of field patterns. Right: A center pivot irrigation sharecropping. system. As cotton harvest went from 2 percent machine versus 98 percent hand-harvested in 1947 to virtually 100 per- cent machine-harvested in 1972, agricultural engineers were involved in inventing new machines and redesigning widely used method of sprinkler irrigation. Center pivots ginning systems to transport, process, and preserve the have contributed to a dependable, high quality, food and fiber quality of the cotton that was being harvested at rapidly supply through efficient use of soil and water, transforming increasing rates. agricultural production throughout the world. Today the mechanical cotton picker is one of the cen- tral technologies that has significantly reduced the number Center pivots, through their ability to apply uniform of man hours to produce one bale of cotton. While the and relatively low amounts of water, opened vast tracts of basic operating principles introduced in the original land in the Midwest to productive and economically viable picker remain in use today, cotton harvesting technology crop production. Today, with the introduction of precision is still being researched by agricultural engineers in an application technology, these systems continue to support effort to improve productivity and better preserve the fiber much of the Midwest irrigated acreage, applying water quality of U.S. cotton. The cotton picker is here to stay, efficiently while maintaining environmental resources. Edward C. Martin now and for the foreseeable future. S. Ed Hughs, P.E. Professor and Irrigation Specialist Research Leader University of Arizona USDA-ARS

4 May 2007 RESOURCE Milking Machine Conservation Tillage The development of the milking machine in the early Conservation tillage requires that residue from the pre- 1900s dramatically improved the labor efficiency of collecting vious crop be left on the soil surface. Studies were conducted milk. The result was a significant increase in the to verify the signif- average number of cows that could be milked by icant soil erosion a single laborer and increased farm income. benefits of crop The development of the milking machine also residue on the soil made possible the creation of specialized surface; to achieve 6 farms where the main income was derived successful means of 6 from milk sales. The engineering design of the maintaining surface milking machine required understanding of both crop residue during the mechanical requirements of the machine as well as the reduced tillage, biological requirements or constraints of the cow. planting, and/or Conservation tillage prevents major chemical applica- dust storms that moved across the land Machine milking became widely deployed on dairy tion operations; and during the Dust Bowl. (Photos courtesy farms in the early part of the 20th century. First generation to design and pro- of NRCS-USDA) milking machines focused on the milking act itself and dou- duce commercially bled the pro- viable equipment for conservation tillage such as ductivity of the chisel plow, till planter, and no-till planter. farm workers. Conservation tillage prevents major dust Subsequent storms and the severe loss of topsoils through advances by rill and gully erosion. Agricultural and bio- agricultural logical engineers provided the primary forces 7 and biologi- that molded conservation tillage into the 7 cal engineers success it is today. moved beyond basic milking Agricultural and biological engineers helped develop to bring the knowledge that formed the basis for conservation tillage Early milking machine. (Photo courtesy of mechaniza- and led in developing the cultural practices and equipment C.H. Wendel and Krause Publications) tion and that have made conservation tillage a success. Thanks to that automation in effort, a revolution in tillage occurred – a revolution that milk handling, cooling and storage, cow handling, auto- resulted in adop- mated milking unit removal, and data management systems. tion of more sus- These developments allowed another doubling of labor effi- tainable, energy ciency on dairy farms over the past 50 years. efficient, and Machine milking is a classic biological engineering profitable crop problem. Its success depends upon applying engineering production prac- research and design to mechanical, electrical, and fluid tices. Though con- dynamics aspects of the machine as well as physiological servation tillage and biomechanical aspects of the animal and biochemical has been very suc- aspects of the milk. Agricultural and biological engineers cessful, all crop will be at the leading edge of the next 100 years of machine Young soybean plants thrive in the production is not milking research and development. Robotic machine compo- residue of a wheat crop. This no-till farm- yet sustainable. nents will further improve labor efficiency and biosensors ing practice provides protection from soil Reaching sustain- erosion and helps retain moisture. will monitor milk quality, food safety, and animal health. ability will require The development of information management systems to improved equipment and even more effective and efficient prac- process data from a modern milking machine installation tices in order to grow the food, feed, fiber, and meet the energy will lead to continuing increases in labor productivity, needs of the world’s people while maintaining the soil and water improvements in product quality and traceability, greater resources necessary to do so. An opportunity for agricultural energy efficiency, and reduced environmental impact. and biological engineers remains. Douglas J. Reinemann Donald C. Erbach Professor National Program Leader, Retired University of Wisconsin-Madison USDA-ARS

RESOURCE May 2007 5 ASAE Standardization Procedure Rubber Tires on Tractors The ASABE standardization procedure was developed in Early tractors were massive and expensive. Their steel lug 1910 with these objectives: 1) to provide interchangeability wheels gave poor traction and a rough ride. Lugs were prohib- between similarly functional products and systems manufac- ited on many roads. In 1926, Hoyle Pounds modi- fied a Fordson tractor with zero-pressure truck tires on special rims to improve performance on sandy soils in Florida. A successful business resulted. In 1929, Hessel Roorda equipped Farmall tractors with low-pressure rubber tires 9 to pick corn in muddy fields in Iowa. Farmers 9 discovered they performed well in all conditions. In 1932, Allis-Chalmers, urged by Tractor Division Manager Harry Merritt, supplied a farmer with a Model U tractor with Firestone aircraft rubber tires at low pressure. This system operated unmodified for eight years. Farm magazine ads in 1934 quoted several university reports citing that as much as a third less fuel and a fourth more work with low pres- tured by two or more organizations, thus improving compatibil- sure rubber tires resulted when compared to steel lugs. No new ity, safety, and performance for users; 2) to reduce the variety of tractors in 1930 had rubber tires; by 1940, most did. components required to serve an industry, thus improving avail- ability and economy; 3) to improve personal safety during oper- ation of equipment and application of products and materials; 4) to establish performance criteria for products, materials, or systems; 5) to provide a common basis for testing, analyzing, describing, or informing regarding the performance and characteristics of products, methods, materi- als, or systems; 6) to provide design data in readily available form; 7) to develop a sound basis for codes, education, and legislation, and 8 to promote uniformity of practice; 8) to provide 8 a technical basis for international standardiza- tion; and 9) to increase efficiency of engineering effort in design, development, and production. The Cooperative Harvey S. Firestone, with his son Leonard, enjoyed the comfort and Standards Program continues to promote the Society’s objective speed of a rubber-tired tractor. He launched a successful program to to advance the theory and practice of engineering in agricul- put the American farmer on rubber. (Photo courtesy of Firestone) tural, food, and biological systems. Rubber tires turned a harsh riding steel-wheeled trac- ASAE and ASABE Standards promulgated by our pro- tor into a road friendly, smooth riding machine that pulled fessional society through the Cooperative Standards and traveled well both in and out of the field. Program have had a huge impact on the productivity, effi- Kenneth N. Brodbeck, P.E. ciency, and safety of North American agriculture, as well Firestone Tire Engineer as agriculture around the world. Agricultural and biologi- Firestone Farm Tires cal engineers continue to support harmonization of stan- The development of rubber tires was a key factor in dards worldwide and the development of International the evolution of the modern tractor providing enhanced Standards through ISO. How fortunate that our economy traction performance, compatibility with paved roads for is supported by an extensive system of voluntary, consen- transport, improved ride, and faster field and road travel sus standards as opposed to complete federal and state speeds. Improvements in these same areas will be required regulation of every aspect of every industry. “Hats off” to to allow full utilization of the higher powered tractors of ASABE members for more than 90 years of standardiza- the future. tion service to agriculture and supporting industries. David W. Smith, P.E. Russell H. Hahn, P.E. Research Engineer, Retired Director of Standards, Retired Deere & Company ASABE

6 May 2007 RESOURCE Refrigerated On-Farm Milk Storage The Profession Takes Center Stage The development of mechanical refrigeration equipment In February 2000, the agricultural and biological engi- for use on dairy farms made significant improvements in neering profession shared the limelight with other engineer- both the quality and safety of raw milk supply. Refrigerated ing societies in Washington, D.C., when agricultural storage of milk on farms greatly decreased bacterial growth, mechanization was named among the 20 Greatest reducing the risk of pathogens in the milk supply as well as Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century by the improving the quality and prolonging the shelf life of dairy National Academy of Engineering (NAE). products. Mechanical refrigeration systems Ranked seventh on the NAE list, agricultural mechaniza- allowed dairy farms to produce more milk tion stood alongside other engineering accomplishments such per farm since the cooling capacity was as the television, automobiles, computers, safe and abundant no longer limited by the availability of water supply, and – receiving the top citation – electrification. cool ground water. These systems also ASAE President Larry Huggins credited agricultural engi- allowed more efficient collection of neers’ effort to mechanize agriculture with dramatic changes 1010 milk from farms since dairy milk trucks in farm productivity and labor. He also noted that it was a could now collect milk every other day tremendous honor for the work done by agricultural and bio- instead of the daily collection that had been logical engineers to be recognized by the NAE. required before mechanical refrigeration became available. As the Society looks forward to the next 100 years, As a result, refrigerated on-farm milk storage resulted in both ASABE members can take tremendous pride in their profes- increased farm income and improved public health security. sion and the significant influence they have had on the qual- ity of life that people enjoy throughout the world. The agricultural and biological engineering profession has achieved many successes during the past 100 years. Building on that past, the future of the profession is full of promise, exciting new challenges, new ideas, enhanced technologies, and even greater innovations and achievements. Our members do make a difference in the world, and the world salutes you! Abraham Lincoln, in an address to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in 1859, said this about agriculture: “No other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with culti- vated thought as agriculture. I know of nothing so pleasant to the mind as the discovery of anything which is at once new Modern closed milk cooling tanks offer dairy farmers advanced and valuable — nothing which so lightens and sweetens toil cleaning and controlling technology to store and cool milk. Correct as the hopeful pursuit of such discovery. And how vast, and cooling retains milk quality and commands higher prices from the dairy. (Photo courtesy of DeLaval, Inc.) how varied a field is agriculture for such discovery.” The agricultural and biological engineering profession Now that fluid milk can be shipped farther, farms and has much to look forward to in the years ahead. Building regions have switched from butter, cream, or cheese pro- upon a solid and firm foundation, the future of ASABE is in duction to fluid milk supply. Today, in-line cooling allows the capable hands of its members who with their knowledge, milk to be instantly cooled and loaded directly in milk expertise, dedication, and imagination can influence and help transport trailers and sent on its way to far off markets a change the world one discovery at a time! few hours after it leaves the cow. Farms near population centers are returning to on-farm processing using auto- mated equipment to produce bottled milk, cheese, and Editor’s Note: other value added specialty items. Farms may one day use This centennial feature is based in part on the series, reverse osmosis to remove water from milk solids resulting Outstanding Agricultural Engineering Achievements of the in a more concentrated and easily shipped product. 20th Century, coordinated and written by ASABE members Robert E. Graves, P.E. Joel Cuello and Larry Huggins. The six-part series, printed Professor in Resource magazine in 2000, highlighted top outstand- The Pennsylvania State University ing achievements submitted by the Steering Committees of ASABE’s Technical Divisions.

RESOURCE May 2007 7 Challenges for the 21st Century

With a legacy of turning ideas into action, members forecast sustainability savvy and fascinating future technology

n the years ahead, intriguing and lenges is improving energy input:out- exciting work for agricultural and put for the food system from the cur- biological engineers will include rent low of 10:1 to 1:10. Ithe development and refinement The future can be bright and of locally adapted agro-industrial assured if we take steps now to ecosystems. One of the great chal- improve sustainability in produc- lenges for this century is to develop tion, processing, and distribution. agro-industrial ecosystems that This might begin with an ASABE mimic natural ecosystems, are fully effort to develop a workable set of recycling with closed resource loops sustainability indicators for agricul- and no wastes, and are based on ture with published charts of trends renewable energy. This may include over time. What isn’t measured isn’t refining eco-composite materials for managed! cars, planes, and buildings; biofuel David Bainbridge, Marshall Goldsmith production from wastes; solar appli- School of Management, Alliant International cations from simple integral solar University, San Diego, Calif. water heaters to preheat water to sophisticated concentrating collectors to make process steam; streamside espite three generations of buffers to capture fertilizer and building a society on indi- chemicals; and very diverse agro- vidualism, which spawned forestry and mixed cropping systems Disolation of people, subur- that minimize pest problems and are ban sprawl, and rampant energy con- self-fertilizing. One of the key chal- sumption, the United States has

8 May 2007 RESOURCE seemingly returned to its “roots,” co-engineeering is the rebuilding cities from the inside out. future of ASABE. Fifty Neighborhoods are again the basic years ago, farming in the What they were saying … social unit of society. Although popu- developed world was still a E At ASAE’s 25th year, Raymond Olney, lation density has increased, today, relatively small-scale enterprise editor of Agricultural Engineering, social problems are on the decrease. conducted by family farms that were penned silver-anniversary words for the A surprising result of the re- largely self-sufficient. The positive November 1932 issue. With “Agricultural discovery of the neighborhood has link between agriculture and local Engineering’s Future,” subtitled been a resurgence of “small” with ecosystems was fundamentally “A viewpoint, which is reassuring and respect to the food delivery chain: strong, as farmers relied on tradi- sound,” Olney offered a stirring small farms providing locally grown tional methods with few external challenge for troubled times and food to open-air markets and mom- inputs. affirmed that his colleagues’ essential and-pop groceries. Community sup- Since agriculture became an skills were needed for the future: ported agriculture has flourished in industry, the natural harmony “With trade still faltering, employment low, winter and Congress coming on; with every region, even providing cus- between farming and the environ- assorted sound, half-sound, and fanatical tomers fresh greens throughout ment has been severely eroded. Like economic and social schemes being winter, thanks to indoor growing- other major industries, agriculture urged, heard, and in some cases tried; space innovations of biological and now has significant problems of with engineering on trial before the public; agricultural engineers. People using waste byproducts disposal due to the with every employed agricultural engineer technology have overcome health, massive use of inorganic fertilizers striving to justify his continued employ- economic, and transportation issues and pesticides and the intensive con- ment, it is urgent that agricultural engi- of recycling nutrients from house- centration of livestock operations. neers take every opportunity to clarify hold, municipal, and farm wastes. Along with higher farm output comes their views and those of the public on the economic and social significance of their Although small farms provide a the potential for environmental work. large portion of our produce, large- degradation from nitrogen and “Whatever heights of welfare and civi- scale operations in less densely pop- phosphorus leachate and animal lization a people are to reach above a ulated areas continue to supply the waste runoff, while farmers are using mere existence, can therefore only be bulk of grains and fiber commodi- more resources – water, energy, and reached by efficient farming and the work- ties. Continued improvements to minerals – than ever before. ers it releases to produce other goods and tillage systems and planting/harvest- There are also major ecological services, comforts, and conveniences. The ing technologies have facilitated impacts being exerted on farming by application of engineering to agriculture is high production rates of food and a rapidly changing planet. Continued one of the chief means of achieving high efficiency. fiber on prime farm land, leaving development and urbanization are “It is true that we are in a unique situ- ecologically sensitive lands in peren- reducing the amount of land available ation today with greater physical mastery nials. Advancements in control and for farming. Deforestation and over the resources and conditions of filtration of artificial subsurface increased carbon emissions are nature than we know how to use for our drainage/subirrigation systems have producing global climate changes individual and collective welfare. halved the loss of nutrients from that have far-reaching consequences Undoubtedly new principles of applica- row-cropped agriculture. All of for agriculture. tion, new techniques of control of this these present benefits are being The future will likely include physical capacity must be put in effect. captured by engineers with a vision limits on greenhouse gas emissions New philosophies of material welfare in relation to civilization, of the direction of for utilizing the cost-free elements and stricter regulations for protecting human efforts, are implied … but the of solar radiation, precipitation, air, soil, and water quality. To remain minds, which have developed the means and soil in the most efficient man- viable, agriculture must revert to a to human efficiency to dominance of ner to meet the food, water, fiber, more holistic cycle where resources material things, will make that dominance and energy needs of today’s and are conserved and the ecological a means to progress. Agricultural engi- tomorrow’s generation. balance between farming and the neers will assist in harnessing that physi- environment is well managed for cal capacity and will share in the resulting Gary W. Feyereisen, P.E., USDA-ARS Pasture progress.” Systems & Watershed Management Research sustainability. In the future, farmers Unit, University Park, Penn. will realize new revenue from a diverse portfolio of biodiversity pro- tection, carbon sequestration, water 1932 conservation, and renewable energy

RESOURCE May 2007 9 production. Ultimately, farming will s our horizons have broad- be viewed by society as the corner- ened, we see that our In the July 1957 issue of Agricultural stone of our dynamic ecosystems. responsibility is not limited Engineering, observing the Society’s Agricultural and biological engineers to our community or state 50th year, editor Harold E. Pinches typi- A will play a crucial role in this evolving but to the nation and the world. We fied his era as turbulent and uncertain. He scenario. will make a difference by finding emphasized agricultural engineers’ ways to use renewable resources in challenges in “Tomorrow’s Agricultural Ann C. Wilkie, University of Florida-IFAS, Engineers – Their Opportunities”: Gainesville, Fla. place of limited ones and to improve “Agricultural engineers must design efficiency without sacrificing the machinery and develop methods to keep environment. Wind power, hydro- up with changing concepts as to how power, and solar power all offer clean major impact of future soils should be handled involving reduc- alternatives for the future. Conserva- technology on vegetable tion of soil compaction; they must tion practices on the land keep the rich growers will be the oppor- remake the microtopography of farm soil in place for continued high pro- fields to eliminate small fields, improve tunity to mechanize many A ductivity. Flood control structures drainage and erosion control, and production operations that now limit the damages so that efforts can increase efficiency of operations; they require large amounts of hand labor. be directed to improvements rather must mechanize more phases of more The vegetable industry will have to crops; they must integrate harvesting, than repairs. mechanize harvesting and other field handling, and certain first steps to “There’s enough to go around” operations, or it will move off shore market, e.g., sorting, packaging, and con- must replace “I want it all!” Living for inexpensive, available labor. ditioning for shipment as means of reduc- in recognition of our biological and From the standpoint of national ing costs and getting a better product to agricultural world gives us a sense of consumers; and they must finish the job interest and security, major questions wonder for the miracle of life and of rural electrification and give sufficient need to be answered when considering growth. It humbles me to realize I am attention to solar energy. shifting our source of major food one speck on a huge planet, no more “Tomorrow’s engineers should items, such as vegetables, from entitled to my heart’s desire than any- become increasingly perceptive of, and domestic producers to off-shore pro- responsive to, changes foreshadowed by one else. We must strive to live ducers. Food safety could be an issue scientific and economic developments. simply – and model as such – so that with produce produced off shore. Research in farm machinery will be a nec- others may simply live. essary part of bringing many of the results A potential solution to this prob- of plant breeding and plant introduction lem is mechanization of harvesting Sonia Maassel Jacobsen, P.E., USDA-NRCS, Roseville, Minn. into use as practical farm crops. Farm and other practices. Crops such as let- structure may be expected to change tuce that are direct seeded are usually quite radically as the full implications of over seeded and then hand thinned findings from research into the physiologi- after the stand is established. With the eeking solutions for a sus- cal requirements of animals are incorpo- sensing and control systems that exist tainable world? I see many rated into farm buildings. An increase, today it is not unreasonable to expect perhaps an accelerating increase, in prob- ways that agricultural and lems of applying energy in new ways is to that this operation can be mechanized Sbiological engineers can be expected. in the near future. Automatic trans- further assist in providing the answers. “All of this means that the agricultural planters have had only limited success For the past two decades we have been engineer of the future must be trained but machines now entering the market experimenting with the principles of more deeply in the physical sciences, will automate this process. Robotic precision agriculture with some suc- math, and basic engineering. He must weeding machines are under develop- cess, the principal driver being seen as be so trained and conditioned in his think- ment and will replace hand weeding in economic with improved production ing that he will quickly see and readily fol- vegetable cops. together with some savings in low the implications of research and These and other future technolo- developments in biological science and resource inputs. The future drivers economics.” gies will eventually bring the same of change, however, will be the need benefits of mechanization to veg- for greater environmental protec- etable crops that machines such as the tion in the reduction of nitrous oxide cotton picker, self-propelled combine, and leachates and reduced fuel and and automatic hay baler have brought fertilizer use while optimizing the 1957 to other crops. biological outputs. John Inman, P.E., University of California Dick Godwin, Cranfield University, Cooperative Extension Emeritus, Salinas, Calif. Bedfordshire, England, U.K.

10 May 2007 RESOURCE s the explicit role of agri- equitable distribution of water to vast areas, and novel approaches to inte- culture expands to provide On ASAE’s Diamond Anniversary, energy, materials, carbon grated watershed management are President Robert H. Tweedy focused on A sequestration, and species now beginning to resolve conflicts “Engineering and Future Issues” in habitat (humans included), as well as that have spanned generations. Agricultural Engineering, July 1982: other emerging and even unforeseen Desalinization and utilization of efflu- “What changes are affecting agri- functions, the role of agricultural and ent and other degraded water are business and thus the agricultural engi- biological engineers will become emerging as new potential water neer and his professional society, ASAE, more explicit in the stewardship of resources. today? To answer this, we must under- stand the role of agricultural engineers in natural resources, particularly water, As the available water, not only our economy. Engineers manage for crop production but for all needs, which are essential to agriculture. resources for economically significant The availability of water for irri- increasingly declines, there will be an results. Engineers working in the food and gation is almost universally declining unprecedented need for new informa- fiber chain are agricultural engineers. A where intensive irrigation has been tion about its distribution, condition, partial list of changes concerning them developed. Agriculture, especially quality, flux, and interaction with nat- and impacting ASAE ... irrigated agriculture, will nonetheless ural and man-made systems. Such • Sophisticated management inputs continue to experience unprecedented information is a prerequisite for any • Energy uncertainty demands not only for food and fiber level of water resources stewardship, • Protection of the natural environment production, but also for its new role in and this applies to scales from within • Improving product reliability • Encroaching government • Accountability of institutions The role of agricultural and biological engineers • Role of the family farmer will become more explicit in the stewardship of • Emphasis on low-cost food • Growth of Third World agriculture natural resources, particularly water, which are • Water supply, quality, and use essential to agriculture. • Land supply, conservation, and use • Productivity of production ag • Efficiency of post-harvest ag supplying energy crops for a world- individual fields to entire watersheds, • More technology transfer in the future: wide population that is increasing even to continents. – The soil conservation issue will both in size and in industrialization. Solutions aimed at significantly increase. Fresh ideas are needed to Once again, we are challenged to do improving future irrigation efficien- advance adoption of good practices. more with less. cies will involve implementing vari- – We are nearing the end of an era of dramatic crop-yield increases Achievable water-use efficiencies ous technologies including remote through breeding and fertilization sensing, agrometeorology, crop and remain untapped to their fullest poten- advances. Attention must focus on tial, and opportunities abound for new plant models, hydrologic and climate harvest, storage, and processing effi- innovations. At the farm level, exam- change models, soil water measure- ciencies. The promise of genetic ples include improvements in crop ment, GPS, GIS-based spatially dis- engineering is yet to be realized. varieties, tillage practices, rainfall tributed information, and wireless – Researchers and the farm equipment utilization, land grading, irrigation technology, just to name a few. industry must effectively serve both delivery systems, and evapotranspira- Enabling better water resource the large and small farmer – or lose tion-based irrigation scheduling. Site- stewardship is just one role that agri- markets to overseas competitors. specific (precision) farming is just cultural and biological engineers will – Ag engineers must become pre- now becoming operationally feasible play in the forthcoming century. active during legislative development and commercially adopted; GPS- Because water is basic to all life, the rather than reactive after drafting. guided planting implements have impact of ensuring enough for all – Pesticides and pesticide residues are enabled better utilization of near-sur- species will be incalculable. suspected of reducing crop yields and lowering quality of surface and face soil water that otherwise may Paul D. Colaizzi, USDA-ARS, Bushland, Texas underground water supplies.” have been lost to evaporation. Beyond the farm, canal and reservoir automa- tion have improved the timing and 1982

RESOURCE May 2007 11 io-based industries are can help to reduce the impact on the increasingly becoming environment, and thus can help “When ASAE is 100!” ventures the essential to our nation’s close the ecological loop. headline on the now yellowed manufacturing base. newsprint of Within ASAE from B Kurt Rosenstrater, USDA-ARS, Northern Grain Beyond food, feed, and fiber, agri- Insect Research Laboratory, Brookings, S.D. February 1986. The article reviews a cultural and biological engineers are Winter Meeting in Chicago more than 20 years ago and speculates on the called upon to design and produce environmentally benign manufac- centennial of the Society: specially now, at the onset tured products as well as biologi- A presentation by U.S. Secretary of of the Society’s century Agriculture John R. Block, “Planning for cally-based energy and transportation mark and as a world society, the Next Generation,” set the stage for fuels. This is being driven by a num- we are facing enormous speakers Walter Vogel, then Executive ber of factors, including population E pressures to protect natural resources Vice President for Deere & Co., and growth and the increasing demand and, at the same time, meet growing Kenneth Nielsen, President of Farmland for energy. Industries. demands for agricultural products. ASABE members are well Each speaker underscored the risk of Biological and agricultural engineers, poised to make a difference. Waste prophesizing, but there was general trained to provide assistance to farm- streams are increasingly becoming agreement that agricultural and biological ers on strategies that can help keep viewed not as materials in need of engineering technology must exist for the production costs low and protect air disposal, but rather as biological world as a whole to produce enough food and water quality, are more important for future generations. Block predicted resources that can be reused, recy- now than ever. As we apply more the nation would move toward a market- cled, or reprocessed into valuable pressure to our ecosystems, they oriented program with increased interna- products or even energy. These must be more carefully managed. tional trade. approaches to waste management With training in agricultural and Vogel cited scientific developments align with many of our discipline’s biological engineering, I have the in the transfer of genetic components of areas of expertise and hold the plant and animal cells between unrelated technical and biological background potential for increasing the proba- species as a revolutionary trend. He to understand how intensive agricul- bility of meeting the goals of indus- reported that at least one chemical com- ture affects ecosystems and what trial ecology, namely, that of pany planned to field test genetically needs to be done to protect ecosys- developing and operating sustain- engineered soil bacteria that produce a tems from pollution often associated naturally occurring insecticide capable of able systems. with intensive production. I have the protecting plant roots against soil- Industrial ecology, in a broad skills needed to work with a diverse dwelling insects. He predicted that “farm- sense, focuses on the interactions group of stakeholders where air and ing practices in the 21st century are likely between industrial systems and water quality are impacted by animal to be as different from today’s as today’s the environment. A primary goal agriculture to identify technologies are from the pre-tractor, pre-chemical of this field is to transform the era.” Animals and plants, he said, are cer- and practices that can help farmers inherent, traditional character of tain to be healthier and higher in protein; capture manure nutrients for use as manufacturing systems which and developing and centrally planned fertilizer and prevent nutrient losses have typically produced output economies are likely to be interested in to air and water resources. that has consisted of either fin- having their agricultural systems leap-frog I would encourage anyone inter- the usual evolutionary process through ished products or waste materials. ested in a career applying science and use of biotechnology. Modern industries are beginning to engineering principals to protecting Nielsen acknowledged the continued respond to the need for change due, our natural resources to consider a successes in agriculture through better in part, to increased environmental degree in biological/agricultural farming methods, fertilizer, and pesti- regulations as well as operational engineering. The programs are chal- cides, and he predicted that technology economics and are starting to recog- would provide for future food require- lenging, but worth every bit of nize the benefits of systems where ments. He called for an Agriculture 2007 trouble. There is nothing like waste streams can be reused as that would preserve the best land for food getting paid to do work you love. production and shelter fragile lands for energy feedstocks or as input proper uses, at the same time making streams for other products or Kristen Hughes, Chesepeake Bay Foundation, Richmond, Va. farm export promotion and market expan- processes. Reducing the amount of sion a major national policy. waste-exiting industrial facilities

12 May 2007 RESOURCE Integrating life and engineering for the enhancement of complex living systems. AE50 HONOREES 1986-2005 A Passion for Invention Keen interest in new technology and creative applications of existing technology remain a Society hallmark

t the onset of the centen- for products that had an impact in the nial year, a panel of marketplace and had, in addition, experts studied all past realized their potential. While many A recipients of AE50 awards past winners accomplished this, since the program’s inception in 1986. panelists scoured winning products Ten products, representative of a high for a representative AE50 sampling caliber of innovation with proven that historically illustrates the ingenu- market acceptance, were selected for ity engineers and others must use to the Society’s “anniversary spotlight.” develop products that save producers The AE50 award is The process of narrowing to 10 was time, costs, and labor while improv- a fitting testimony to arduous – and at times, thought the ing user safety. engineers and their co- judges, nearly impossible. The honored 10 products fea- tured here were described and pic- workers who harness The AE50 application specifies that entries must “have potential for tured in past Resource issues. We are and manage resources broad impact on its area or industries delighted to showcase them again as and talent in new, often served by agricultural, food, and bio- they were first introduced. As well, complicated, designs logical systems engineering.” we salute the hundreds of past and manufacturing In combing through the past winners of the annual AE50 competi- ventures. 20 years of winners, the panel looked tions. All strived for excellence.

The AE50 How it all began ...

“A Forum for New Developments” ... receive. But for innovative developments in the last 12 In June 1984, Agricultural Engineering included months, a singular honor is to be named one of the “A Forum for New Developments” in a special issue year’s Agricultural Engineering 50 outstanding innova- on technology. Twenty-five techniques, advances, tions in product or systems technology.” inventions, and innovations were placed in the publica- Product nominations poured in and vied for tion’s spotlight. Showcased items were drawn from coveted spots among AE’s TOP 50. A panel of engi- product information solicited by the Society and neers/judges was enlisted to review – but this time for screened by a panel of experts. an official salute. The first AE50s were bestowed on From this focus on identifying innovative tech- “applications intended for principle use in the produc- nology, in 1986 the AE50 was born, christened, and its tion, processing, research, storage, packaging, or intent described: “Acceptance in the marketplace is transportation of agricultural products.” the highest accolade any new agricultural product can

14 May 2007 RESOURCE AE50 HONOREES 1986-2005 1986 1986 1987

Infrared Temperature Sensor 100% Biodegradable Erosion Cleat-Lined Belts Everest Interscience, Inc. Control Blankets Caterpillar, Inc. North American Green The Model 4000 is used to measure Flexible rubber belts replace hinged the crop canopy temperature and Photodegradable netting and steel grousers as traction devices determine optimum irrigation sched- biodegradable straw are teamed on a new agricultural tractor. Each uling at that time. The infrared- to control erosion and conserve traction belt is friction driven by a thermometry-based system helps moisture on newly seeded sloped set of dual rubber-clad drive to optimize irrigation scheduling and ditches. The natural materials, wheels. The Mobil-trac system is and improve crop yields enabling uniformly dispersed across a 6-ft featured on a 270-hp tractor. fast, real-time measurements of width, are “stitched into a thin layer” crop water stress in the field. that fosters vegetative growth. The 83-ft-long blanket can be rolled for handling and transport. “The BioNet Series products have been used extensively in wetland restoration, bioengineering projects, environmentally sensitive areas, shaded “We were working with the steel- areas and stream banks, and shoreline track system for high power ag tractors applications, all with guaranteed natural in the mid and late ’70s; then, and into success of the projects. the next decade, came cleat-lined belts. “This unit has led us to a variety of “Today, we offer four different Our machine research group had recog- instruments that can be used in research blankets within the group as well as nized that a track system, fundamen- and on the farm to determine the stress several other totally biodegradable tally, is more efficient in getting power of individual leaves or portions thereof to the ground and would produce less and the stress of a crop canopy. Our soil compaction. This has been proven newest Model 4000.4ZL, smaller in time and time again, and the benefits in size than the original, performs with the fuel efficiency were realized as the belts same accuracy and repeatability. hit the market. Today that remains a “Electronic advances, such as the global issue: getting the best results reduction in size of the electronic com- with the least amount of fuel. ponents and surface mount technology, “Farmers, focused on productivity has led to a smaller and more compact and efficiency, immediately saw and design with all the electronics and reaped the benefits of the belts. The belt optics included in one housing. Not track ag tractors are no longer manufac- only did the Model 4000 lead to instru- tured by Caterpillar but by AGCO. mentation for agronomic research but Increased use of belt tracks are now being also to the first Tympanic medical ther- seen in construction-project machines, mometer, commonly known as the ‘ear products, introduced since our award in particularly for soft ground conditions. thermometer.’ ” 1986. We are proud that BioNet prod- “It is really very complimentary ucts were selected as a Top10 Product that the ASABE selected the belt track Marilyn M. Everest, Vice President in the Green Build Industry for 2005.” International Sales and Marketing system for this recognition. I am retir- Everest Interscience, Tucson, Ariz. Lynne M. Finney, Marketing Manager ing very soon, and working on belt North American Green track products is one of my career high Erosion Control Products points that I look back on with satisfaction.” Evansville, Ind. Paul Corcoran, Engineering Manager Caterpillar, Inc. Peoria, Ill.

RESOURCE May 2007 15 AE50 HONOREES 1986-2005

tion beyond ColorSort® by identifying 1987 shape defects in addition to color “ ... A REPRESENTA- ColorSort® defects. The Company still offers its Key Technology, Inc. Tegra sorters to customers around the TIVE SAMPLING THAT world, and its sorting product line also ILLUSTRATES THE Employing an innovative opto- includes Optyx® sorting systems, which mecharo-in-line optical inspection, offer laser technology to detect foreign INGENUITY ENGI- the ColorSort® system performs material and defects. NEERS AND OTHERS handling, vision, computer, human “Twenty years after the AE50 USED TO DEVELOP interface, and defect-removal com- award, Key continues to develop ponents, which allow viewing of a process automation innovations and PRODUCTS THAT moving product stream from sev- sorting technology advancements.” eral angles with multiple spectral SAVE PRODUCERS response. The system reduces Anita Funk TIME, COSTS, AND dependence on manual labor, Corporate Communications Manager increases processor flexibility, and Key Technology, Inc. LABOR WHILE enhances end-product quality. Walla Walla, Wash. IMPROVING USER 1995 SAFETY.”

On-the-Go Two-Speed Shift to shift the linkage hydraulically. The New Holland North America switch was placed on the ground drive The on-the-go two-speed shift control handle thus allowing on-the-go gives operators of the New Holland shifting between low and high speed. The Super Boom™ skid-steer loader feature was well accepted in the market (Model Lx885) the ability to shift place and has been a popular option. from high to low range with finger- “This design was in use on larger tip control by touching a switch on New Holland skid steer loaders until the right-hand operator handle, October 2004. After that, the design was activating the hydraulics which changed by integrating the two-speed control the system even at the shifting into the hydrostatic drive motors.” “Key Technology's ColorSort® was loader’s 12-mph top speed. used by food processors who processed Dave Heitmann, Engineering Manager “Prior to this invention, one of the CNH America LLC and packaged a wide variety of prod- large New Holland Skid Steer Loader New Holland, Penn. ucts including fruits, vegetables, and models had a manually controlled link- nuts. It reduced labor costs, increased age to shift from low to high speed. plant throughput, and improved overall This invention replaced the manually 1996 product consistency and quality. controlled linkage with an electric switch “In 1991 ColorSort®II was intro- Perfection Milk Meter duced, which provided customers with a BouMatic smaller machine, capable of handling This milk meter is an accurate, larger capacities and more types of compact, full-flow milk meter product and offering improved reliabil- designed for individual cow milk ity. By the end of its era five years later, production recording. It is an inte- ® there were nearly 180 ColorSort II gral part of the automatic detacher, systems in the field. which removes the milking cluster “In 1995, Key introduced a signifi- from the cow. The meter contains cant technological advance called only one moving component and Tegra ®, which replaced the ColorSort® has no wearing parts, designed for optical sorting systems. The electronics ease of service and for clean-in- and software that made up the vision place washing. system of Tegra took sorting a genera-

16 May 2007 RESOURCE AE50 HONOREES 1986-2005

“Since its development in 1996, Systems (1998 AE50) and 50 Stall BouMatic’s Perfection 3000 Milk Meter Filler units (1999 AE50) in operation. has remained unchallenged as the most Both have significantly affected dairy accurate milk meter design and management. The in the dairy industry Separators continue to have the most and has helped impact since these systems make it pos- secure BouMatic’s sible for dairy producers to bed cows position as a leader on sand while at the same time use in high performance advanced manure treatment systems dairy equipment such as anaerobic digesters. In addition design and develop- “Since that time, tractor hoods for ment. the 5000- and 9000-series tractors now ™ “The feature-rich Perfection 3000 use HarvestForm SMC materials, as Milk Meter operates on vacuum and do other products in the agricultural atmospheric air rather than a motor. It equipment industry. has just one moving part, thus mainte- “This ground-breaking project with nance is reduced. It is compact, yet its the United Soybean Board, John Deere, large output will keep up with the and its suppliers was initiated to highest producing cows. It measures demonstrate the commercial viability of milk yield, milk conductivity, provides materials based on renewable resources.” a fast, accurate milk sample and it to producing a near sand-free manure Jay H. Olson measures the duration of milkings to discharge, the system produces sand Polymers Technology Manager help monitor parlor throughput. clean enough to recycle as bedding.” Materials Engineering Deere & Co. Corporate Engineering “The unrivaled Perfection 3000 Andrew W. Wedel, Division Manager John Deere Technology Center, Moline, Ill. Milk Meter remains a key component McLanahan Corp. of BouMatic’s current dairy herd man- Hollidaysburg, Penn. agement system.” 2003 John R. Mansavage Marketing Communications Director 2002 Techmark Pocket IRD BouMatic Techmark, Inc. Madison, Wis. HarvestForm™ John Deere Harvester Works The Techmark Pocket-IRD Handheld interface software and hardware 1998 As alternatives to the petroleum- allows for the automatic synchro- based SMC and RIM materials for nization of impact data and loca- Sand-Manure Separator styling panels, a portion of the petro- tion from the IRD and provides McLanahan Corporation leum-based polymer in HarvestForm™ instant viewing of the data. is replaced by a soybean- and corn- Immediate feedback on location Separating 90 percent of bedding based polymer. Using renewable and intensity of impacts allows sand from manure before it is resources expands the markets for users to quickly identify and correct added to long-term storage, this farmers while performing the same as produce-handling equipment. Data separator facilitates environmen- traditional materials, as well as provid- can be uploaded from a flash tally sound application methods ing advantages over steel styling. memory card to a PC. Verbal and employing techniques from the Panels can be painted with an auto- written notes can be added. aggregate processing and waste- motive-like finish; rust and denting are water treatment industries. eliminated; and part count, weight, “McLanahan Ag Systems Division and assembly variation are reduced. has received two AE50s: one in 1998 “The use of HarvestForm started and one in 1999. Each of the machines in production in 2001 with the 50-series are ‘very much’ still on the market and combines and continues today with the actively being sold worldwide. There 60-series. are about 100 Sand-Manure Separator

RESOURCE May 2007 17 AE50 HONOREES 1986-2005 “The Techmark Pocket IRD Handheld kit has simplified the analysis 2004 of post-harvest produce handling equip- ment by identifying the damage poten- Impellicone tial to various fruits and vegetables CDS - John Blue Co. quickly and efficiently. It is currently Impellicone is a flow-dividing mani- being marketed in an updated version.” fold that evenly distributes an Todd Forbush, Engineer hydrous ammonia (NH3) to multiple rows across an applicator. It is a “Since the IRD Handheld’s incep- self-powered unit that uses an impeller-shaped needle to evenly tion in 2002, our customer base has and has been very successful surpassing mix and distribute the two phases grown from local U.S. produce growers all original volume expectations as a (liquid and gas) of NH to multiple 3 result of is quick acceptance by and packers to worldwide distribution outlets. It allows the user to oper- in the produce pndustry. Sales of the ate across a broad range of appli- Original Equipment Manufacturers and IRD Handheld have tripled and requests cations rates and the ability to after-market distribution. for information are coming from all block ports according to machine “The Impellicone continues to yield corners of the globe.” size with no sacrifice in accuracy. excellent performance and is offered for sale with no plans for change.” “The Impellicone was a collabora- Bob McGill, Inside Sales/Marketing tive research project between Iowa State Kent Jones IRD & IRD Handheld Division Director of Engineering Techmark, Inc. University and CDS-John Blue Co. The CDS-John Blue Company Lansing, Mich. final design for market hit the target Huntsville, Ala.

18 May 2007 RESOURCE

Number of ASABE members by country

Albania 1 Moldova 1 Argentina 18 Mongolia 2 Australia 79 Morocco 1 Austria 5 Mozambique 1 Bahamas 1 Nepal 3 Bahrain 1 Netherlands 28 Bangladesh 4 New Guinea 1 Belgium 19 New Zealand 20 Belize 1 Nicaragua 1 Benin 1 Nigeria 89 Botswana 2 North Korea 1 Brazil 48 Norway 4 Brunei 1 Oman 5 Cameroon 2 Pakistan 11

Canada 824 Panama 1 Canada Chile 4 Peoples Republic Colombia 8 of China 62 Costa Rica 5 Peru 7 Cote d'lvoire 1 Philippines 12 Croatia 1 Poland 9 Cyprus 2 Portugal 11 United States Czech Republic 2 Russia 1 Denmark 17 Saudi Arabia 10 Ecuador 3 Senegal 1 Mexico Bahamas Egypt 20 Serbia and Jamaica Belize El Salvador 1 Montenegro 1 Honduras Guatemala Nicaragua Grenada Ethiopia 1 Sierra Leone 1 El Salvador Panama Trinidad & Tobago Finland 11 Singapore 1 Costa Rica Guyana France 17 Slovak 3 Colombia Germany 40 Slovenia 1 Ecuador

Ghana 12 South Africa 22 Peru Greece 13 South Korea 60 Brazil Grenada 1 Spain 41 Guatemala 1 Sri Lanka 4 Guyana 1 Sudan 2 Chile Honduras 2 Swaziland 3

Hungary 7 Sweden 11 Argentina Uruguay India 104 Switzerland 1 Indonesia 12 Syria 3 Iran 10 Taiwan 36 Ireland 18 Tanzania 2 Israel 23 Thailand 16 Italy 46 Trinidad and Jamaica 1 Tobago 5 Japan 132 Turkey 24 Jordan 3 Uganda 8 Kenya 5 Ukraine 1 Laos 1 United Arab Latvia 3 Emirates 4 Lebanon 7 United Kingdom 38 Lithuania 2 Uruguay 2 Luxembourg 1 United States 6,798 Malawi 1 Vietnam 4 Where We Live Malaysia 32 Yemen 1 Mexico 26 Zimbabwe 4 AFTER 100 YEARS, ASABE MEMBERSHIP

20 May 2007 RESOURCE Sweden

Norway Finland Russia

United Kingdom Latvia Denmark Lithuania

Neth. Poland Ireland Germany Bel. Lux. Czech Rep. Slovakia Ukraine Austria Moldova Switz. Hungary Slovenia Italy Croatia Mongolia France Serbia Montenegro Spain Albania Portugal Greece N. Korea Turkey Japan China S. Korea Cyprus Syria Lebanon Iran Israel Morocco Jordan Nepal Bahrain Pakistan Egypt Bangladesh U.A.E. Saudi Arabia Taiwan India Laos Oman

Senegal Yemen Thailand Philippines Sudan Vietnam Benin Nigeria Cote Sierra Leone d'Ivoire Ethiopia Ghana Cameroon Somalia Sri Lanka Brunei Malaysia Uganda Kenya Singapore

Indones ia Papua Tanzania New Guinea

Malawi

Zimbabwe Mozambique Botswana

Australia Swaziland

South Africa

New Zealand Key

1-10 members

11-100 members

101-1,000 members

More than 1,000 members

None Yet

Total membership 8,927 (year-end 2006)

SPANS THE GLOBE IN 107 COUNTRIES

RESOURCE May 2007 21 Standing the Test of Time Looking Ahead to the Next 100 Years

What will the next 100 years hold for ASABE ALEX McCALLA, former director of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department of the World Bank, says the and its members? How will things be different first challenge facing world agriculture is to produce enough in 2107? What will be the role of agricultural food to feed the growing world population, which he states and biological engineers? Will ASABE still be could reach 8 billion people by 2025. He notes nearly all of the population increase will be in developing countries. going strong? Will the profession survive? According to McCalla, the food production challenge ahead is not small or easy. It requires increasing the productivity of he next 100 years will bring remarkable advances in complex, low-yielding farming systems in ways that do not biology and technology as ASABE and its members damage natural resources or the environment. move forward into the Society’s second century. The second challenge is to develop technologies, poli- TInnovative technologies emerging during this time cies, and institutions that contribute to unleashing agricul- will affect virtually all aspects of society. Given the ever- ture’s full potential as a growth engine. This will require increasing reliance on technology, it will be important for access to both domestic and international markets. engineering and technology capabilities to keep pace with sci- The third challenge is to create a set of technologies, entific advances. incentives, and policies that encourage small-scale farmers to Numerous challenges will face agricultural and biologi- want to pay attention to the long-run stewardship of the natu- cal engineers in the next 100 years. These challenges include ral resources they manage. Agriculture, McCalla states, uses feeding a growing world population, managing natural more than 70 percent of the world’s fresh water. resources, providing safe food, and increasing renewable How can these challenges be met? McCalla offers four energy sources. ways: 1) developing sustainable production systems capable The next 100 years will also offer great promise and an of doubling output, an unprecedented challenge for agricul- exciting time for the profession and the Society in meeting ture and biological science; 2) putting into place domestic and these challenges. The process of innovation will require well- international policies and institutions that do not discriminate educated agricultural and biological engineers along with against agriculture and that provide incentives to farmers high-level research to provide the impetus for future product worldwide; 3) investing in public agricultural research and innovations. building stronger partnerships with the private sector to tap Several ASABE members and others take a futuristic the enormous potential of molecular biology; and 4) removing look into the role agricultural and biological engineers, as distortions to more free agricultural trade. well as ASABE, will play in the next 100 years. ARTHUR T. JOHNSON, P.E., University of Maryland, says According to Nobel Peace Laureate NORMAN BORLAUG innovation will follow technology. By 2050, he says, ASABE and his associate, CHRISTOPHER DOWSWELL, biotech- will increase in international influence. He predicts that the nology will provide great benefits in meeting future food and Society will see the first non-U.S. citizen ASABE president fiber needs. Two problems they foresee in feeding the world is and that the location of ASABE headquarters will change. He producing enough food and distributing that food equitably. also sees strong U.S. support for healthcare research, including Another challenge for the profession will be the need to prevention research. That is an opportunity for ASABE, he develop and apply technology that increases crop yields in an notes, to make known the impacts member activities have on economically and environmentally sustainable way. human health, nutrition, and sanitation. Genetic improvement, crop management, and water resource development will provide areas for research that The world of outer space will also provide future opportuni- will impact the next 100 years. They also note that commer- ties for agricultural and biological engineers. According to cial adoption of transgenic crops has been one of the most ARTHUR A. TEIXEIRA, P.E., University of Florida, rapid courses of technology diffusion in the history of researchers are continuing to look at ways to grow crops on agriculture. planet Mars. NASA is on a mission to send astronauts to Mars

22 May 2007 RESOURCE These bacteria were designed using systems biology approaches. In the future, systems biology will see an increased integration of engineers with Solar electric propulsion is one of the molecular biologists to develop genetic Feeding a growing world population will require the many new technologies on the horizon. engineering as a field grounded in expertise of agricultural and biological engineers. (Photo courtesy of NASA) design. (Photo courtesy of Mark Riley) (Photo courtesy of Allen Rider)

to establish a planetary base – a mission that would take at As biology becomes a form of information technology, least three years. What do you feed astronauts during such a agriculture then becomes applied information technology. journey? Researchers are conducting trials to determine Agriculture and medicine are likely to develop in a parallel which crops can grow in greenhouses on Mars and hydropon- path. For example, personalized medicine, based on an indi- ically on the space shuttle, says Teixeira. NASA supports vidual’s own genetic and phenotypic makeup, may be the research in the field of food and agricultural engineering to foundation for the next advance in health care. Similarly, site help design the systems that could be used for life support and specific organisms, such as plants, will be designed and man- to support the astronauts on a manned mission to Mars. agement practices optimized specifically for a location based on soil types, light levels, water quality, climate, etc. Growing ROBERT C. LANPHIER III, AGMED, Inc., says the next seasons will be decreased in time so that, perhaps, multiple 100 years will encompass four areas: tractor power, chemi- crops per year will be feasible. Crop disease will be greatly cals, instrumentation, and genetic engineering. He predicts diminished, sensitivities to inclement weather decreased, and the future will impact six areas: waste, nutrition, growth yields increased in a more predictable manner. The just-in- medium, energy, water, and space. Lanphier projects that time approaches used in engineering design will be better waste will be minimized and become a source of energy. He integrated into food production on a local level. believes energy will be renewable and site-specific and that water will involve sub-surface trickle irrigation. New tech- WILLIAM T. LAWSON, CNH America, predicts the next nologies that Lanphier sees on the horizon are genetic engi- 100 years will witness a huge shift in the how and the who in neering, artificial intelligence, and solar-electric propulsion. regards to energy production. About 30 years ago, Brazil The important change, Lanphier states, will be qualitative, not decided to become energy independent and recently met that quantitative. goal, notes Lawson. When visiting some of the large sugar cane farms in Brazil, one gets more of an impression of visit- MARK R. RILEY, University of Arizona, predicts that devel- ing an oil refinery than a farm. In essence, you are visiting opments in medicine and agriculture will go hand in hand. both, says Lawson. Where technology and life converges, issues of safety become Brazilian producers have the ability to produce sugar or paramount. The approaches used to address the challenges of fuel alcohol depending on the market at the moment. With a generating food, fiber, and biological products will benefit little ingenuity, the United States could also produce a large greatly from the convergence of genetic and computational amount of renewable, sustainable energy by looking at new tools at the hands of broadly trained, enthusiastic, innovative, crops specifically grown for their energy potential. and creative engineers. The possibilities are also great worldwide. Only 15 per- Several factors will impact agricultural and biological cent of the arable land in South Africa is currently being used. engineering 100 years from now, says Riley. Systems biology Countries across the African continent have a similar abun- will connect ag systems analysis with genomic and proteomic dance of land. Partnerships are being considered in places that measurements. This will entail developing engineering mod- have little land with those countries that have the agricultural els about how a biological system functions at the molecular resources to provide renewable forms of energy. In the end, level. Biologists are looking at the pieces, he notes, but agri- says Lawson, farmers become the new oil barons. There are cultural and biological engineers look at the whole, integrate not many people who even thought that possible less than the parts, and aim to make something useful. 10 years ago.

RESOURCE May 2007 23 Water will become an even more scarce natural resource during the next 100 years. Water manage- People will have “chips” implanted in How cattle are fed could greatly change in the ment will be crucial to feeding the world’s popula- their bodies to monitor medical condi- future. (Photo courtesy of USDA-NRCS) tion. (Photo courtesy of USDA-NRCS) tions. (Photo courtesy of Allen Rider)

JERRY L. WILLE, P.E., Curry-Wille and Associates, predicts R. WAYNE SKAGGS, P.E., North Carolina State University, food shortages in animal protein and other produce. These predicts that by 2107 many countries around the world will shortages will cause a rise in prices allowing producers to con- have already experienced severe water shortages. Estimates centrate on quality and animal welfare instead of profit mar- based on current projections of population increases and gins. Consumers will also become more demanding of quality water availability indicate that a large part of the African con- and animal welfare causing a change in production methods. tinent, the Mideast, and Far East, including India and China, Plant and animal agriculture will become more harmo- will experience severe water scarcity (less than 50 L of clean nious with human housing and the overall planet. water per person per day) by the middle of this century. Such Environments and animals will be created that do not generate shortages are projected to affect more than 4 billion people odor, and livestock will be housed in the same area as people. (45 percent of world population by that time). As land space becomes a premium, this cohabitation will Water shortages in parts of nearly all countries will become a necessity, but will also provide benefits from energy require development and application of efficient methods to conservation, food quality, housing materials, etc. manage water. The problem will likely be exacerbated by cli- Increasing technology will allow communication with mate change, making shortages worse in some regions and plants and animals to create desired feeds and environments. problems of excess water more severe in others. New tech- True animal welfare will be defined by the animal instead of nologies for desalting water and the renewable energy sources human perception of what the animal desires. This technology to drive them will be common by 2107. Agricultural and bio- will further allow plants and animals to modify the environment. logical engineers knowledgeable in water science and engi- New and synthetic materials will be created from byprod- neering with expertise in irrigation, drainage, hydrology, and ucts to build facilities that don’t deplete natural resources and water management will be in great demand through the fore- are better suited for housing. Buildings will be created from seeable future. animal manure that has been converted into plastics or into facilities that biodegrade after a set life cycle. Manure will NORMAN R. SCOTT, Cornell University, predicts the world become a commodity and will also be used for crop produc- of 2107 will include renewable energy, sustainability, and tion, energy, nutrients, and other products. All of this will be nanobiotechnology – a technology that has the potential to done without odor or potential pollution. revolutionize agriculture and food systems. He sees a conver- Animal feeds will be grown and produced that can be con- gence of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technol- sumed without processing and won’t require special storage ogy, and cognitive science dealing with neurons. Materials environments, reducing costs. Feed energy within the grain behave differently at the nanoscale, says Scott, because that is will be more available and the animals will be more efficient where the essential properties of matter are determined. in converting it to animal protein with less passing through the Molecular manufacturing can be used to fabricate food, mole- digestive system and less manure production. cule by molecule, rather than growing it. Since food is a com- Future technology will allow higher quality food, more bination of molecules, it is conceivable that by 2107 the world compatibility with the surroundings, less land, less inputs, and will be engineering foods, molecule by molecule, by mass no wasted byproducts. The old adage in the pork industry of “we production to meet the nutritional needs of a hungry planet. use everything except the squeal” will be expanded to include In addition to food production, agriculture is also a major manure, the metabolic heat production, and respiratory gases. source of natural raw materials for bioproducts and bioenergy

24 May 2007 RESOURCE and thus, a significant engine to drive our transition to a sus- tions but ultimately to the design of globally integrated sus- tainable world, states Scott. By 2107, worldwide energy needs tainable engineering solutions. In addition, sustainable engi- will be provided from a suite of renewable energy resources, neering solutions in the future can no longer afford to be part principally biomass, wind, and solar, with a significant and parcel. To be workable and effective, solutions have to be amount from hydroelectric power, predicts Scott. The biolog- globally integrated. ASABE technical divisions are already ical and environmental engineer, says Scott, will be the driver heading toward this goal. All emerging fields of study, e.g., of, as General Electric now states – ecomagination! biosensing, synthetic biology, bionanotechnology, etc., must Scott also envisions sustainable communities of 50,000 also be working toward this same goal. Cuello says agricul- persons who live, work, and play in an environment where tural and biological engineering – the engineering profession energy requirements are met by renewable sources of wind, for the global resources of life – will play a leading role in solar, geothermal, and biomass; where most of the popula- designing the globally integrated, sustainable engineering tion’s food requirements are met; and where management of solutions that the next 100 years will demand. the buildings’ waste minimizes the buildings’ impact on the environment and implements a sustainable integrated system. OTTO J. LOEWER, P.E., University of Arkansas, pre- The integrative and systems skills of biological and environ- dicts the next 100 years will be defined by three periods char- mental engineers will be challenged and exploited to create acterized by chaos, reallocation, and finally, peace and major sustainable communities that create a new paradigm for stability. These periods will be created by interactions among working, living, and playing. technology, economics, and societal values. Technology is the driving force for changes in economics. Economics is the There will continue to be agricultural and biological engi- driving force for changes in societal values. Societal values neers in the next 100 years, says JAMES H. DOOLEY, P.E., shape the driving forces for changes in technology. Thus, in of Forest Concepts. He says advances in information tech- the next 100 years, the changes in societal values and variance nologies and automation of historic engineering tasks will enable a continuous shift of work from engineers to technolo- gists and lay persons. He predicts the status of engineers will rise and fall like the tide. In his opinion, the profession and networking will become seamlessly global using the area of standards as an example. He states that global social networks will dominate local networks, and that capitalist commercial competition and free communication competition will exist. It will become a question of who pays and who benefits.

Water, energy, and technology are the key issues in the near future that will impact the next 100 years, says ALLEN R. RIDER, P.E., of RGC. He predicts animals won’t be the only ones having ID markers; people will also have “chips” implanted in their bodies, not only to identify but also to mon- itor medical conditions. ASABE has a super heritage. Its members in the agricultural and biological engineering pro- fession will help people determine how society lives.

JOEL L. CUELLO, P.E., University of Arizona, says two important developments occurring today will inexorably define the next 100 years. The first is global climate change. This change successfully adapts our consciousness to the par- adigm that, even though we are divided by ideologies, culture, and politics, we are nonetheless unified globally by our com- munal dependence on the global resources of life – soil, water, energy, and the various biological resources and processes. The second development is the unprecedented, and still growing, access to information and communication any- where, any time, in any format, which successfully adapts our abilities, not only to localized sustainable engineering solu-

RESOURCE May 2007 25 will greatly alter future investment in 2107, predicts Loewer, material pros- neering profession in the next 100 years technological wherewithal. perity will be slightly higher; environ- will be to provide the engineering for Two key issues for the future, says mental health will have improved; there the necessities of life: human consum- Loewer, include substituting renewable will be less difference between devel- ables, process productivity, and envi- resources for essential non-renewable oped and developing societies; and less ronmental health. For the profession to resources and the possibility of irre- expectations from technology. The role survive and prosper, Loewer says agri- versible environmental damage. By of the agricultural and biological engi- cultural and biological engineers must embrace a core identity that separates the profession in the engineering mar- ketplace and makes agricultural and biological engineering relevant to solv- ing the many problems that will con- front society during the next 100 years.

The Future is Here In the next 100 years, technologi- cal changes will continue to revolution- ize the globalization of the marketplace. With an ever-increasing population, the future will become even more challenging than the past. Agricultural and biological engineers will continue to fill crucial roles in pro- viding a viable and sustainable agricul- tural future to feed the world. As an international Society, ASABE will continue to provide a foundation for members to communi- cate globally to meet challenges, foster education, and advance engineering standards. In 2107, the Society will still be as dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems, including the environment and natural resources, as it is today. The need for an exchange of views and techniques was a driving force behind the founding of the Society. J. B. Davidson, ASAE’s first president, said in 1908: “I am firmly convinced of the importance and need of our work; then let us devote ourselves with all zeal to promote the interests of the ASAE to aid our profession in every way possi- ble, and to benefit the world to the greatest degree.” Those words were true then, are still true now, and will continue to stand the test of time throughout the Society’s next 100 years.

26 May 2007 RESOURCE Machine Systems Engineering Mechanical Design Construction & Mining Food & Fiber Production & Processing Machine Systems Biological & Food Process Engineering Food Plant Design Product & Process Development Biological & Food Process Preparing students, citizens, and industry for the future...

Environmental & Natural Resources Engineering Conservation & Environment Environmental Engineering Geographic Information Systems

Agricultural Systems Management Machine & Environmental Systems Management Environmental & Grain Handling Natural Resources Plant Operations

Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering Purdue University 225 S. University Street Agricultural West Lafayette, IN 47907-2093 Systems 765 494 1172 Management Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution Headlines and E-mails from 2037 and Beyond

In the year preceding the centennial, the Resource staff was challenged to develop the materials that revere the past, celebrate the present, and envision what the years ahead might hold for ag and bio engineering, the Society, and the global world at large. Intrigued by Web sites encouraging users to imbed an e-mail in cyberspace for delivery 20 or 30 years hence, we invoked the creativity and clairvoyance of ASABE membership and staff. Our quest: media headlines and/or e-mail subject lines for the year 2037. We encouraged future-gazers to “wave their wands over crystal balls” and peer into the “cauldrons of their computer screens” to decipher the decades ahead.

WIZARDRY IS HARDLY AKIN TO HIGH-TECH VISION … ◗ AIDS Vaccine Developed … but it happened nonetheless. Like magic, scores of for- ◗ Cancer Eradicated: ward-looking headlines and subject lines appeared in our End of 21st Century Plague inbox – all engaging predictions of “what is to come.” ◗ Drive-through Doctors’ Offices David Gregor declared: ◗ Ag and Bio Engineers Save the World! OPTIMISM FOR A SAFER, EVER MORE INTERESTING This headline potential for 2037 even included fantasy text WORLD OVERFLOWED IN PROJECTED NEWS ITEMS: about an ingenious “nano-bio” machine with world-popula- ◗ Ozone Depletion Reversed tion-control capabilities. ◗ Global-warming Flood Restoration and Marybeth Lima at Louisiana State University deemed the Prevention: North and South Poles’ challenge worthy of an assignment for her BE1252 students. Containment Walls Construction Begins They didn’t disappoint her (or us) with their confident, hope- ◗ Hurricane Ryan the Ultimate Test: ful expectations for a healthier future: New Orleans Levees Prove their Strength ◗ Living Artificial Limb Developed ◗ Vehicle Programmed by Fingerprints: ◗ Human Heart Grown in Petri Dish Car “Knows” You and Navigates Destination

28 May 2007 RESOURCE SOME LAMENTED OUR CONTEST. Gene Giacomelli summarized in short order: “We all have to eat. Fresh food products will have to be produced with less Allen Zimmerman echoed French critic Paul Valery: “The energy per unit product, less water per unit product, trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to with a high level of security, maintaining high quality, but I be.” But nonetheless, Zimmerman emphasized an ever- predict there will be: expanding, worldwide, and continuing focus on: ◗ New ‘Crops’ Grown for Food and ◗ Green, Greener, Greenest Phytochemical Byproducts of Plants: Vaccines, Nutraceuticals, and More OTHERS EVEN SCOFFED. John Cundiff quibbled, “A wise man would never write a Giacomelli would, no doubt, agree with Joel Cuello’s headline or an article that ‘predicts’ the future, but why submission, which echoes the Society’s centennial tagline – should that stop me? I’m one who missed getting rich on the “Engineering for a Sustainable Tomorrow” – and introduces Internet! I foresee an issue that will significantly impact rural our selection of visionary winning entries below. Cuello’s America: the cost of transportation … rural America is most future-view summarizes in succinct, repetitive fashion vulnerable in the years ahead. We will see: just about all global citizens’ concerns for the future of the planet: ◗ Benefits of Containerization Extended ◗ Top Three Burning Issues for the Next 30 Years: “Containers filled with fertilizer and supplies will return Sustainability, Sustainability, Sustainability! from the field/forest filled with stored commodities. ‘Returning empty’ will just be too expensive.”

AND THE WINNERS ARE …

Internal Combustion Engine Obsolete Kurt Rosenstrater

Animal Farm Governed by Intelligent Pigs Glenn Laing

Self-propelled Combine Goes on Rampage: 12,000 Acres Threshed Glenn Laing

Cyclops Robot Shepherds Livestock Jeremiah Davis Bioengineered Plant Proven to Produce More Ethanol Per Acre than Corn, Soybeans, Sugar Cane, or Any Other Jimmy Butt

Where Have All the Glaciers Gone? Echo Casey Navigation Satellite Fails, Young Farmers Touch Tractor Steering Wheels for First Time Rafael Garcia

Desktop Farming Results in Significant Health Benefits for Farmers Matt Kronlage

Crops Irrigated with Water Condensed from the Air Orville H. Pattison

Crops Imported from Mars Troy Davis

Crops Planted in Containers with Open-Ocean Agriculture Patrick Coco

RESOURCE May 2007 29 Aquaculture Makes a Splash Research is Key to the Future of Fish Farming

he ancient profession of fish farming, or aquacul- Scientists are working to discover safe, efficient ways ture, has been around for 4,000 years. Now, in the to convert byproducts of fish processing into nutritious 21st century, aquaculture has become one of the components of aquacultural feed. This conversion will have T fastest growing areas of farming. This growth is the added benefit of reducing the industry’s dependence on due to increasing consumer demand for fresh, healthful fish natural fisheries’ stocks as sources of protein for farm- and seafood, along with decreasing supplies of natural fish. raised fish. Aquaculture accounts for nearly 50 percent of the Other research is being conducted to develop genetically world’s food fish, according to the Food and Agriculture enhanced barley and oats as nutritious, low-polluting feed Organization of the United Nations. Given projected popula- sources for rainbow trout and to genetically enhance the trout tion increases, however, the growing supply of farm-raised to effectively use these new feed sources. The anticipated fish may not be sufficient to meet future demand. result: new feeds that lessen dependence on fish-derived The global aquaculture industry is valued at nearly feeds and significantly reduce discharge of phosphorus, from $50 billion, reports the USDA-Agricultural Research Service fish manure, into the environment. (USDA-ARS). Most of the world’s farm-raised fish are pro- According to the USDA-ARS, aquaculture will be the duced in Asia — 70 percent from China alone. Although U.S. most likely source of food fish in the 21st century. production is expanding, the United States ranks only 10th in the world in aquaculture. The aquaculture industry faces a daunting array of challenges including disease, production costs, and diminish- ing stocks of ocean fisheries which com- pels the industry to seek alternative sources of protein to feed farm-raised fish, competition for water sources requiring production systems, and prac- tices that minimize water use. There are also concerns about water quality and dis- charge of wastes into the environment. Research is the key to meeting these 21st century challenges, notes the USDA- ARS. Agricultural and biological engineers are advancing aquaculture by designing farm systems for raising fish and shellfish as well as ornamental and bait fish. Their expertise in water quality, biotechnology, With increasing seafood demand and declining capture fisheries, global aquaculture production will need to increase 500 percent by the year 2025. machinery, natural resources, feeding and ventilation systems, and sanitation is advancing aquaculture by reducing the potential for disease, With increasing seafood demand and declining capture fish- polluted discharge, and water usage. eries, global aquaculture production will have to increase by Research in the aquaculture industry is already making a 500 percent by the year 2025, to meet the projected needs of difference. A prototype recirculating production system for a world population of 8.5 billion. cultivating cool- and cold-water fish to reduce water con- Research in the aquaculture industry will provide the sumption and waste discharge has been designed and built by key to enhancing production efficiency, sustainability, and researchers. A new catfish line with improved feed consump- the quality of farm-raised fish, not only for today, but for tion and growth has been developed and released to growers. many years to come.

30 May 2007 RESOURCE Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources Enhancement of the Environment

• Bioproducts Engineering • Bioprocessing & Food Engineering • Environmental & Ecological Engineering Resource Through the Years The Society’s member magazine has seen many changes since In I998, a career issue called Discover: futures in agricultural, its debut in 1920 with the title Agricultural Engineering. In 1994, food, and biological engineering was published. Explore, an issue Agricultural Engineering magazine and the Within ASAE newslet- highlighting careers in agricultural technology and systems man- ter came together in a new membership publication called agement, followed in 2000. Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World. Enjoy a look back at the magazine covers through the years.

32 May 2007 RESOURCE

PERSONNEL SERVICE

Resource is published eight times per year; January 1, February 15, April 1, May 15, July 1, August 15, October 1, and We’re 100! 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, [email protected], or visit ASABE Centennial Gala Banquet www.asabe.org/resource/persads.html. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Tuesday, June 19, 2007, 7:30 p.m. Oklahoma State University Assistant Professor – Bioconversion Engineer (Fermentation) Ballroom A, Minneapolis Convention Center 75% Research, 25% Teaching Award-winning cuisine Position Description: This individual will conduct research on fer- mentation processes that convert biological materials to value- ASABE luminaries and landmark events added products. Initial focus will be in the conversion of biomass-generated syngas to ethanol and co-products. Additional Guest Speaker Harold Brock opportunities are available in fermentation of soluble products result- ing from the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic feedstocks. Establish a Tickets $50* nationally recognized research program with internal and extramural support. Teach courses in support of the undergraduate Biosystems Engineering degree program, including the areas of bioprocessing and food processing. Actively participate in graduate courses. Work *Crystal centennial commemoratives. collaboratively with faculty in Biosystems and Agricultural Tax and gratuities included. Engineering and other units in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (DASNR) and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. Opportunity to contribute to an active, multidisciplinary, research and development program in biofuels and to DASNR’s bio-based products initiative team. Qualifications: Earned doctorate in Biological Engineering, Before completing your meeting Biosystems Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline (all requirements for the degree must have registration … reserve your been met prior to start date). Registered Professional Engineer or eli- place at the table. gible to pursue licensure. Expertise required in the engineering aspects of fermentation processes. Experience in the processing of Be sure to R.S.V.P.! biological materials and the conversion of biomass feedstocks is desirable. Candidates must have excellent speaking and writing skills, an ability to teach effectively at the undergraduate and gradu- While other events during the Annual ate levels, and a desire to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary International Meeting will also highlight the environment. 100th anniversary of the Society’s founding, this Employment Conditions: Full-time, 11-month, tenure-track faculty gala banquet promises to be the “can’t-miss appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor. Salary commensu- memory-maker”– one you won’t soon forget! rate with qualifications. Application Deadline: Screening of applications will begin Enjoy delicious fare, festive flourishes, and fête June 29, 2007. Applications will be accepted until a candidate is the centennial’s camaraderie as you join with selected for the position. hundreds of other members celebrating both Application Process: Applications should include resume, tran- the past and future of the profession. scripts, and a list of at least three references with complete con- tact information. Applications and questions should be directed to NOTE: There will be a very limited supply of Faculty Search – Fermentation additional tickets available on site. Avoid the Dr. Ronald L. Elliott, Professor and Head disappointment of a “sold-out”experience, and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department sign up early on your meeting registration form. Oklahoma State University 111 Agricultural Hall Stillwater, OK 74078-6016. For a look at the complete line up of other exciting Phone: (405) 744-5431; Fax: (405) 744-6059; events scheduled for the ASABE Annual Email: [email protected] International Meeting, June 17-20, 2007, see the online Oklahoma State University is an AA/EEO Employer committed to program and registration details at www.asabe.org. Multicultural Diversity.

34 May 2007 RESOURCE PERSONNEL SERVICE

Associate Research Scientist – Agricultural Modeling ASSISTANT EXTENSION PROFESSOR Search Number: LD 670 07 007 AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY The International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) is seeking an outstanding individual with a strong background in mod- The department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at eling crop-climate relationships and excellent analytic skills to Mississippi State University is seeking applicants for an Assistant advance applied research and provide leadership in the application Extension Professor position with an emphasis in water resources, of modeling to climate risk management for agriculture and food water quality, irrigation, watersheds, drainage, nutrient and waste security. The IRI is a catalyst for the creation and provision of sci- management, and related environmental areas. This a 12-month, ence based outcomes that address climate risk. Our approach is non-tenure track 100% extension position. The individual will be the based on collaborative partnerships with local, national, regional, primary extension contact for water related and environmental international, public and private institutions facilitating the open issues. The individual will be responsible for developing and dis- exchange of ideas, information, and technology between many dis- seminating extension programs, publications, news releases, teach- ciplines and regions. We work in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin ing and training materials and associated activities. This person will America and the Caribbean, to unravel problems that have fre- provide statewide educational and subject matter leadership in quently been discounted as unavoidable consequences of nature. these areas working with individuals (youth and adult), county extension staff, groups, agencies, industry, and other extension Working with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, the successful specialists in program support and development. Specific duties candidate will play a leading role in the development of methodol- and responsibilities include the following: 1) coordinate, develop, ogy for modeling agricultural impacts of climate fluctuations; and its and disseminate statewide educational programs in water quality, application to food production forecasting, decision analysis and water resources, and environmental related areas for a wide range decision support. The research will include the development of tools of audiences; 2) work with clientele in the state, region and country to support the interface between seasonal forecasts and agricultural on water related issues that are important to Mississippi; 3) develop and ecological modeling. Working with an interdisciplinary team and educational materials such as fact sheets, publications, demonstra- in coordination with the IRI Regional Programs, the successful can- tion guides, lesson plans, print and video media, and other related didate will contribute to the development and implementation of materials for clientele use; 4) conduct in-service training for exten- projects that apply agricultural modeling to food security early warn- sion agents and other interested parties; 5) collaborate with other ing, weather index insurance, and agricultural decision support. extension and research personnel by addressing water quality, sup- Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering, Agronomy, ply, utilization, delivery, and application problems that are pertinent Agrometeorology or a related field, and at least two years of relevant to the state; 6) work with producers, extension agents, researchers, postdoctoral experience. They must have a strong quantitative back- government agencies, industry personnel and other stakeholders in ground that includes probability and statistical methods, dynamic areas pertaining to water resources and related areas; 7) work with and stochastic modeling techniques, and optimization. Applicants other faculty members, in writing grants to obtain extramural fund- must demonstrate understanding of crop ecophysiology and man- ing to support programmatic initiatives; 8) work with youth and agement including crop-water relationships, expertise in the inter- extension youth agents in 4-H engineering programs and contests; pretation and application of crop simulation models, and 9) train extension youth agents in the engineering contest areas or competence in numeric programming in a computer language. other related areas. Desirable qualifications include experience with analysis and sto- The successful candidate should have excellent communication chastic generation of daily weather data, familiarity with dynamic cli- skills, a strong background in water resources and related areas, a mate models and seasonal climate forecasting, expertise in GIS demonstrated record of scholarship, and evidence of the potential applications, and experience with the integration of remote sensing to secure extramural funding. A Ph.D. in Biological Engineering, data with agricultural modeling. The successful candidate must be a Agricultural Engineering, or other related discipline is required. All team player who can work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary but dissertation candidates will be considered. Screening will begin and multicultural environment. Excellent written and oral communi- July 1, 2007 and continue until a suitable candidate is found. cation skills are required. Successful experience in working in devel- Applications consisting of a letter of interest, vita, official transcripts oping countries, and in developing funded projects, is desired. and three letters of reference should be submitted to: Columbia University benefits accompany appointment. This posi- Dr. Bill Batchelor, Professor and Head tion is located in Rockland County, NY at the Lamont Campus of Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering The Earth Institute at Columbia University. Prospective candidates Box 9632 must apply to the Lamont-Doherty Human Resources Department Mississippi State, MS 39762 via the IRI website; http://iri.columbia.edu/iri/job/index.html. You will Phone: 662-325-3280 need to provide the following information to apply: contact informa- Email: [email protected] tion; letter of application, including position reference number # LD 670 07 007 statement of career objectives; curriculum vitae; and Mississippi State University is an contact information for three references. Screening of applicants will Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer begin as soon as possible. The intended starting date is 1 July 2007. Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply.

RESOURCE May 2007 35 PROFESSIONAL LISTINGS

Miller Engineering Ralph E. Shirley ROBERT B. SKROMME, P.E. Idaho Michigan M.S. ENG., P.E. Boise-Twin Falls Ann Arbor Consulting Engineer 208-326-4729 734-662-6822 Accident Reconstruction www.millerengineering.com Biomechanical Engineering 7440 State Route 703 e-mail: [email protected] Failure Analysis Celina, Ohio 45822-2836 Phone: (419) 586-1227 Product Liability Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering Fax: (419) 586-6144 Guarding and Entanglement Accidents - Tractor, Implement, & Ph. (818) 889-9986 Harvester Safety - Hay, Crop & Grain Storage - Chemicals: Fax (818) 889-9505 ¥ Expert Witness ¥ Standards & Regulations Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides - Chemical & Solid Waste [email protected] ¥ Product Liability ¥ Patent Infringement Disposal Warnings - OSHA/ANSI Standards Compliance - Dairy ¥ Product Safety ¥ Product Performance & Food Processing Safety - Equine & Bovine Accidents P.O. Box 3033, Thousand Oaks, California 91359

Richard W. Job and Associates, LLC Timothy R. Royer, P.E. Rich Job P.E. Timber Tech Engineering, Inc. Consulting engineering and design services CURRY-WILLE & ASSOC. 770 Reese Street Liberty, MO 64068 CONSULTING ENGINEERS P.C. for timber frame and light wood constructed Phone: (816) 415-8387: Mobil: (816) 223-5927 Animal and Livestock Facility Design buildings. Design of manure containment Email: [email protected] structures and agricultural engineering. Feed and Grain Processing and Storage Concrete, masonry, and steel design. Also, Fertilizer/Pesticide Containment Design Consultant: building code review and computer aided Agricultural Research Facilities Managing the product design and development drafting services. AMES, IA Lakeville, MN process; product safety evaluation process; 22 Denver Road, Suite B, Denver, PA 17517 515-232-9078 612-469-1277 standards application and compliance Phone: 717-335-2750 Fax: 717-335-2753 WWW.CURRYWILLE.COM Member: ASABE, SAE Email: [email protected]

DIEDRICHS & ASSOCIATES, Inc. Agri-Waste Technology, Inc. D. Joe Gribble, A.E. Donald L. Gribble, P.E. “Solutions to Technical Problems” “Concepts in Ted A. Gribble, P.E. Agricultural Byproduct Utilization” Product and Machine Design Ag Vehicles and Power Transmission L.M. (Mac) Safley, Jr., Ph.D., P.E. (903) 783-9995 President Fax (903) 784-2317 Prototype Build, Test and Evaluation 5400 Etta Burke Court 6355 Lamar Rd., Reno, Texas 75462 R. O. Diedrichs, P.E. 319-266-0549 Raleigh, North Carolina 27606 E-mail: [email protected] ¥ www.fiveg.com 209 Franklin St. Cedar Falls, IA 50613 Phone: (919) 859-0669 Email: [email protected] Professional Engineering and Consulting Services for Dairies, Beef www.diedrichsandassociates.com Fax: (919) 233-1970 Consulting Engineering Feedlots, and All Types of Agricultural Waste Management Systems

Agricultural P.O. Box 4 Mock, Roos & Associates, Inc. 1000 Promontory Dr. Engineers • Surveyors • Planners Engineering Uniontown, KS 66779 Associates (620) 756-1000 Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Soil and Water • Citrus • Dairies • Waste Management L. Frank Young, P.E. Environmental Assessment • Best Management Practices Farm Structures • Pump Stations • Agri-Businesses & www.agengineering.com Farm Plans • Permitting and Design • Water Quality Monitoring • Mapping, CAD & GIS ¥ Swine Production Facilities ¥ Soil & Water Conservation Design ¥ Beef Feedlots & Resource Development Dale Wm. Zimmerman, P.E. ¥ Dairy Facilities ¥ Irrigation Systems Evaluation President and Managing Principal ¥ Waste Management Systems & Design ¥ Livestock Research & ¥ Geologic & Site Investigations 5720 Corporate Way • West Palm Beach, Florida 33407 Test Facilities ¥ Soils & Concrete Testing Lab Phone (561) 683-3113 ext. 214 • FAX (561) 478-7248

Irrigation and Wastewater Systems Your personal or company consultant INDUCTIVE ENGINEERING Sales and Engineering/Design business card could appear here. For infor- DALE GUMZ, P.E., C.S.P. www.IRRIGATION-MART.com mation on rates, contact Pam Bakken, 715-289-4721 300 S. Service Road, E. Advertising Sales Manager, Resource: 10805 230th Street Ruston, LA 71270-3440 Ph: 800-SAY RAIN (729-7246) Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable Cadott, WI 54727-5406 318-255-1832 World, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI • Accident Reconstruction MEMBER Fax: 318-255-7572 49085-9659, USA; 269-428-6337, fax 269- [email protected] we SAVVY Irrigaton • Mechanical & Electrical 429-3852, [email protected]. An order Jackie Robbins, CEO, CID, Ph.D., Agricultural Engineer, P.E. form is available at www.asabe.org • Safety Responsibilities Jay Robbins, Agricultural Engineer, EI • Product & Machine Design Robin Robbins, Agronomist /resource/procards.pdf.

36 May 2007 RESOURCE REGISTER ONLINEat www.asabe.org/meetings/meetReg.html Your Harvesting Specialist

JAGUAR ROLLANT 255 DISCO COUGAR UNIWRAP 8550 AS 1400 We extend our gratitude to the ASABE for their dedication in recognizing advancements in agricultural engineering.

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