Ag Answers 4/17/08

Ag Answers

Web site: http://www.aganswers.net .

4/17/08

Soybean contest teaches entrepreneurship to student inventors

    Two teams of Purdue University students captured top spots and cash prizes for innovative projects that produced healthier soy waffle bowls and environmentally friendly clay shooting pigeons for the Soybean Innovation Contest.

    Teams EcoDisc and Scoops worked for months on their projects and both have earned top honors in the 2008 competition, which is sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance.  "The goal of this competition is really to allow students to take the knowledge they've gained in the classroom and apply it to understand how new products are developed," said Bernie Tao, Indiana Soybean Alliance professor of soybean utilization at Purdue. "Many of the students who participate go on to start their own business or to be leaders in industry because they've gained the understanding and ability to practically apply what they've learned in the classroom."

    This year's entries were scored on a rubric, allowing multiple teams to place in the top three categories. First-place teams earned $7,500 for team members to share, $8,000 for their adviser's department and $2,000 for the adviser.

    Under the direction of Purdue professor Osvaldo Campanella, John Mullen a senior in health science from Dayton, Ohio, management sophomore Adrian Boeh of Lebanon, Ind., and agricultural and biological engineering seniors David Conway of Highland Park, Ill. and Ben Hall of Merritt Island, Fla.; spent hours trying to come up with an original idea.  "It came to the point where we were just going through hobbies we had and seeing if we could apply them to soybeans," Conway said. "On a wild tangent I started thinking about the old game Duck Hunt, and we came up with the idea of soy shooting targets."

    With that, team EcoDisc began working. After months of market research and product development, the team developed an original product. Because EcoDisc is formed using biodegradable soy products in place of the petroleum products currently used in clay pigeons, the discs are environmentally friendly.  "I don't think that the end goal of this competition was for us to win some set amount of money," Conway said. "It was more about the idea that four Purdue students from different backgrounds were going to come together and produce a product that will better the world we live in. At the end of the day, that is the whole idea of EcoDisc."

    While the developers of EcoDisc were working on target practice, the members of team Scoops were taste-testing a healthier way to enjoy an edible ice cream dish.  Their waffle bowl, composed of soy products, was a "delicious fit" for a group of students who wanted to learn more about product innovation than what a textbook could teach, said team member Brian Hunter, a School of Management junior from Mill Creek, Ind.

    Hunter and his teammates, Clay Arnett, a senior from Circle Pines, Minn., studying organizational leadership and supervision; and Todd Case, a food science senior from Fishers, Ind., worked with Purdue professor Stroh Brann, to conceptualize the product and set up a business plan to keep it successful beyond the competition.

    "I have experience in formulating ice cream cone mixes, so we chose this particular product based on a lack of availability of soy-based ice cream cones in the marketplace," said Case, who in addition to being a student has worked in upper-level food company management for the last 12 years.

    In addition to EcoDisc and Scoops, other finalist projects include an all-natural after-sun lotion, a soy-based coal replacement option for coal-powered stoves and a soy-based liquor.

    The Indiana Soybean Alliance sponsors the Soybean Innovation Contest through funds earned from the Indiana Soybean Checkoff program. The competition is open to Purdue students of all majors.  "The quality of the students' work is astounding," said Chris Novak, Indiana Soybean Alliance executive director. "Since the soybean checkoff began in 1990, we've seen tremendous growth in soybean production nationwide. New soybean uses, such as those developed by Purdue students, play a vital role in building soy demand that pays a return on each Indiana farmer's checkoff investment."

    Successful products from past contests have included soybean crayons, candles, lip balm, ski wax, dessert topping and a soy-based gelatin.

Summer class to focus on contemporary agricultural issues

     A continuing education course offered this June in Coshocton County could be just the thing for people interested in contemporary agricultural issues such as alternative energy production, medicine and nutrition, biosecurity and animal welfare.

    The course, "Medicine. Energy. Food." is being offered by the Coshocton County office of Ohio State University Extension. It is geared to school teachers, but anyone can enroll. The course will include ideas on integrating these issues into classroom discussions at all grade levels.

    The course will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 a.m., June 10-24 at the Coshocton Campus, a collaborative center that offers programs from The Ohio State University, Newark campus; Central Ohio Technical College; Hocking College; and Muskingum College. The course features several Ohio State faculty members who will discuss their research.

    Participants who successfully complete the course will earn one hour of continuing education credit from Muskingum College. The course fee is $150. For questions and more information about enrolling, contact Marissa Mullett, OSU Extension educator in Coshocton County, at mullett.50@osu.edu or (740) 622-2265.

Treatment approved to fight emerald ash borer in Indiana

    Indiana soon will have a new weapon in the war on emerald ash borers.   The Indiana State Chemist on March 28 approved the use of a new anti-emerald ash borer (EAB) treatment called Tree- äge, an insecticide developed by Swiss agrochemical company Syngenta and Massachusetts firm Arborjet.

    Tree- äge has an active ingredient called emamectin benzoate and is injected directly into the ash tree's vascular system, which the part of the tree EAB larvae feed on. Because of this direct-injection, the insecticide will not harm anything that contacts the tree, such as butterflies, birds and squirrels.

    Michigan officials also approved the chemical after yearlong preliminary studies.  "This material is very promising based on results in Michigan, and we are in the process of doing tests of our own in field sites in Indiana," said Purdue University entomologist Cliff Sadof. "Preliminary evidence suggests that a single treatment could provide two years of control."

    Trees best suited for Tree- äge application are those in close proximity to areas with emerald ash borers, and optimal application time is mid-May through mid-June.

    "The product is best used to protect healthy trees before they become infested with EAB," said Jodie Ellis, Purdue entomologist and emerald ash borer specialist. "The control provided by this insecticide approaches 100 percent for the larvae, which feed underneath the tree's bark, damaging the tree's vascular system, and for the adult beetles that feed on ash leaves."

    However, this insecticide is only available for use by trained professionals.  "Property owners in or near areas with EAB infestations who wish to protect ash trees in their landscapes should contact a tree care company with a certified arborist to talk about pricing and whether or not this particular treatment suits their situation," Ellis said. "Because of the cost, Tree- äge should be used only on ash trees that are valuable in landscapes or on trees that owners are willing to spend money to protect.  And consumers should make sure they're educating themselves and understanding what a tree care professional plans to do. It's OK to ask questions and to call around before choosing what best fits your needs."

    For a list of certified arborists, visit the Indiana Arborist Association Web site at

http://www.isa-arbor.com/findArborist/findarborist.aspx.

    While the research thus far is promising, Sadof cautions that results are preliminary and this treatment will not provide lifelong emerald ash borer immunity.

    Further information about Tree- äge and other treatments for emerald ash borer are available at the Purdue EAB homepage at http://www.entm.purdue.edu/EAB/ or by contacting Ellis at (765) 494-0822, ellisj@purdue.edu.