Connections
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment | College of Engineering Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Vol. 6, Spring 2016
Inside... Hemp Flower Harvester Cassidy Elementary Science Garden Extrusion Processing Program Energy Audit Internship Morgan Hayes, Josh Jackson join BAE faculty Grain Storage in Nigeria Electric Tractor Project Alumni & Student Spotlights Grants, Awards, Publications Did you know?
Development of a Hemp Flower Harvester By Tim Stombaugh One of the unique aspects of industrial hemp is that it has potential to be used in so many different ways. Kentucky was a major producer of hemp in the 1800’s primarily as a fiber crop for rope, bags, and other cloth products. With the recent renewal of interest in this crop, many groups are exploring several uses of the different plant fractions. In addition to the fiber potential of its stem, hemp seeds can be used as a grain crop for production of oils, flour, and other products. Additionally, there is a strong pharmaceutical potential in various fractions of the plant. It is the pharmaceutical potential of industrial hemp that brought this hemp harvesting project to us at BAE. Continued on page 4
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Greetings Alumni and Friends:
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pring is in the air. Flowers are beginning to bloom, grass is green again, birds have taken flight, winter coats are being shunned, students are preparing for finals and graduation, and we have prepared a new edition of BAE Connections. In this newsletter, we showcase our renewed focus on extension with exciting projects such as the hemp harvester, Cassidy Science Garden, burley tobacco commercialization, 4-H programming, grain value chain training in Nigeria, energy audits, and solar tractors. We also introduce two of our newest Extension Assistant Professors, Drs. Morgan Hayes and Joshua Jackson, both who specialize in livestock systems and animal housing. Be sure to check out our highlights featuring some of our students and alumni and learning interesting facts in our Did You Know? section.
Photo: Matt Barton, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
We hope you will find ways to become more involved with the department. If you are interested in helping with senior capstone projects or class tours, providing internships, speaking to our ASABE student branch, helping with an Alpha Epsilon service project, or just stopping by for lunch, please let us know. We would love to hear from you! You can also stay connected to BAE by visiting us at www.uky.edu/bae and at our social media feeds (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube). As so eloquently stated by Robin Williams, “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party’ ” and at BAE, we listen. So come join us for our spring lunch cookout on April 29th; enjoy hamburgers and ice cream sundaes while you rekindle past friendships and make new ones. Sincerely, Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E.
Cassidy Elementary Science Garden By Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E. | Associate Professor
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ver the past year, Tyler Sanderson and I worked with the Cassidy Elementary Science teacher, Kristi Fehr, to design and construct a science garden as well as provide guidance on writing grants to help fund the project. The science garden is designed to help Cassidy Elementary incorporate the Common Core curriculum and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to meet the requirements of children engaging in science and engineering practices. The science garden also helps Cassidy address the Kentucky Environmental Literacy Plan goals of providing students with “opportunities for positive interactions with the natural environment,” “improving student environmental literacy,” and improving the sustainability of school grounds.
Photo: Tyler Sanderson, UK BAE
The multifaceted science garden consists of a rain garden, butterfly gardens, handicap-accessible raised bed gardens, composting, vermicomposting, rainwater harvesting demonstration, permeable walkway, animal track path, benches, outdoor storage, and a variety of demonstrations and learning games. The science garden also incorporates art and music through butterfly houses, pet rocks decorated by each class, and a sound tube in the raised-bed garden area. Designed for use by many teachers, the science garden also provides opportunities to teach content in math, English language arts, spelling, and practical living. This outdoor classroom allows teachers to take a hands-on, multidisciplinary approach to project-based learning. Funding for the project was provided by grants from the Kentucky Association of Environmental Education and Bluegrass Greensource as well as funds from the Cassidy PTA. 2
The Extrusion Processing Program at University of Kentucky – STEM 4-H Programing, Teaching, and Research
In this issue... Cover, Pages 4-5
Development of a Hemp Flower Harvester
Pages 6-7
New Extension Faculty: Josh Jackson, Ph.D.
Pages 2-3
By Akinbode Adedeji, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor
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xtrusion is a very unique food processing method because it combines several unit operations into one. Time to convert ingredients into finished food is usually less than two minutes. It uses very limited amount of water, and it can be used for making an array of human foods and animal feeds. Some of the food products that can be made using an extruder include breakfast cereals, pastas, texturized vegetable protein (meat analog), other food analogs (rice, lentil, beans analog), and snack foods. Animal food/feed include pet foods, aquatic feed, and swine feed. Other products such as biodegradable films can also be made using an extruder. During extrusion a significant amount of pressure is applied to ingredients in a closed barrel with a screw system, causing significant shear, heating, and pressurization of the melt, before forcing it out through a small opening in the die. I remember my first time seeing an extruder in operation, I was so fascinated by the way the equipment processes ingredients into food. There are several physics and biochemical conversions going on during extrusion that we can use it to teach students how food is converted from raw form into edible and digestible forms. My plan is to use the equipment as a research, teaching, training, and outreach tool. Significant value can be added to grains using extrusion, and there is opportunity for new understanding when we have this piece of equipment especially with regards to underutilized grains. I also plan to use the equipment for practical teaching in extrusion processing so that our students interested in working in the food industry would be ready with complete knowledge. Because of the fascinating nature of the operation of an extruder, I plan to teach STEM workshops for high school students in order to stimulate their interest in our program. Due to joint ownership of the equipment by a colleague in Animal Science department, it will also be used for all kinds of feed compounding.
Energy Audit Internship Leads to Entrepreneurship By Rachel Norton | BAE Alumna
Pages 8-9 Pages 10-11 Pages 12-13
Pages 14-15
Welcome; Cassidy Elementary Science Garden; Extrusion Processing Program; Energy Audit Internship
New Extension Faculty: Morgan Hayes, Ph.D.
Alumni & Student Spotlight
Technical Assistance Program to Manage Stored Grain in Nigeria; Sustainability Challenge Grant Funds Tractor’s Alternative Energy System Grants; Publications; Graduates; Arrivals & Departures; Staff Focus: Burl Fannin; Alumni Advisory Board
BAE Connections is published twice a year by the University of Kentucky Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, an Equal Opportunity Organization. The newsletter is produced by BAE in partnership with Alpha Epsilon. ©2016. BAE Connections Editorial Committee Director: Sue Nokes, Ph.D., P.E. Advisor: Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E. Editor, Designer: Karin Pekarchik Alumni Advisor: Elizabeth Bullock, P.E. Contributors: Akinbode Adedeji, Ph.D., Carmen Agouridis, Ph.D., P.E., Joe Dvorak, Ph.D., P.E., Sam McNeill, Ph.D., P.E., Rachel Norton, Karin Pekarchik, Donnie Stamper, Tim Stombaugh, Ph.D., P.E. Photography: Steve Patton and Matt Barton from UK CAFE Agricultural Communications; BAE faculty/staff., and others as noted. Please submit story ideas, questions, or comments to carmen.agouridis@uky.edu or karin.pekarchik@uky.edu.
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n the summer of 2014 I participated in the Kentucky Industrial Assessment Center’s (KIAC) student internship program, which gave me a unique set of skills. During my final spring semester I was able to use those skills for an internship with local non-profit Food Chain by performing an energy audit on their facility. Since then I have even decided to start my own energy auditing business. I have high hopes that it will be well received! The KIAC internship was both a challenging and unique opportunity that allowed me to develop skills I never would have acquired through my degree. 3
continued from cover A commercial partner, who was a participant in Kentucky’s 2015 hemp pilot project, was interested in the production of pharmaceutical chemicals from hemp. Their specific focus was on the extraction process for the recovery of cannabinoids, which is the term used to describe the group of at least 85 different pharmaceutical-type compounds found in hemp. Current production and recovery techniques for cannabinoids involve very intensive individual plantlevel management. The sponsor was looking at an extraction process that would facilitate broad-acre production and processing of the crop. The greatest concentration of cannabinoids is found in the flower portion of the plant. Depending on the variety and cultural practices used, this is the topmost fraction of the growing plant, typically the top 8-18 inches. One of the sponsor’s challenges was finding a way to harvest the tops of hemp plants on a broad acre basis. Commonly available forage harvesting equipment could be utilized to harvest the flowers were it not for the challenge of plant height. Depending on plant variety, planting date, and cultural practices, plant height could be anywhere from about 2 feet to over 10 feet. Most forage equipment cannot accommodate those extreme cut heights. Because of that, the sponsor approached me and the Agricultural Machinery Research Laboratory in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) to help provide a harvest solution. In addition to the plant height issue, there were several other design challenges faced by the developers. Little is known about the physical properties of hemp plant. Because it has been illegal to cultivate 4
industrial hemp, there are almost no data published about the crop. Similarly, there is limited knowledge available regarding fundamental best management practices to grow the crop. For instance, it is not known whether the best production would come from broadcast seeding with relatively dense populations or from precision planting the crop in wider rows. Because of this uncertainty, it is difficult to know the nature of the plant material that the machine must engage. To accommodate this uncertainty, the design was kept as simple as possible, and it allowed for, as much as possible, the opportunity to make adjustments and modifications since we knew we would be learning by trial and error. The harvester that was developed consisted of a sickle bar cutting mechanism, a reel to feed the material into the machine, and a series of conveyor belts to move the material to one side and discharge it into some receptacle. The machine was attached to a front-end loader on a tractor to allow cut height variation from about one foot above the ground to the
extended range of the loader, which would be in excess of 10 feet on most tractors large enough to safely lift the machine. The sponsoring company was initially unsure of how to handle and transport the bulk green material. After several discussions we decided to use large sacks that could be handled easily with a forklift. Therefore we also built a truck-mounted loading system consisting of a catch conveyor and sack holder so that the material could be packaged for shipping. One of the requirements of the system was that it be easily transportable and deployable at different field locations. Two design features made this a possibility. First, the harvester was made to mount onto a standardized front-end loader mount. This meant that the machine could be easily and quickly attached to any loader with a particular mounting system or with appropriate adapters. Second, the machine was completely electricpowered. Four separate electric motors were used to power the cutterbar, reel, cross conveyor, and discharge conveyor. The reel and
discharge conveyor had variable speed capability to compensate for different operating speeds and discharge locations.
mobile equipment industry. This project allowed us to explore and demonstrate the use of electrification in agricultural equipment.
was September 1, 2015. We met the target date with an operational machine – a six-week design-tocompletion project timetable.
The electric power was provided by a simple PTO generator mounted on the three-point hitch of the tractor. The generator provided single phase 220VAC power to the harvester. All circuit control gear was mounted in a distribution enclosure on the harvester. Connections to the tractor consisted only of a single power transmission cable from the generator on the back of the tractor to an electrical distribution box on the harvester, and a second control cable from the distribution box to a simple switch control box mounted in the tractor cab.
Since this machine was essentially a proof-of-concept prototype, commonly available and relatively inexpensive industrial electrical components were utilized. This was sufficient for the constant speed components, but for the variable speed components (reel and discharge conveyor), the increased current flow required at slower speeds was found to be problematic after extended use. More specialized components with better variable speed performance will be needed for a more robust machine.
In the end, the harvester was a success. It was used to harvest several acres of hemp flowers for the
Another reason for using electric drive for the harvester was to begin to capitalize on the efficiency and controllability advantages of electrical machines. The trend toward electric drive implements and components is already happening in the agricultural
Probably one of the most noted accomplishments of this project was in the timing for completion. Because of uncertainty in funding and performance requirements by the sponsor, design work did not commence until the middle of July 2015. The target date for crop harvest
Photos cover, pages 4-5: Steve Patton, UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
“It is the pharmaceutical potential of industrial hemp that brought this hemp harvesting project to us� sponsors to use in their hemp processing research. It also provided many benefits to the BAE department. We now understand more about the physical properties of industrial hemp so we can help further development of its commercial production in Kentucky and elsewhere. The design demonstrated a successful implementation of electrical control technology in agricultural implements. Finally, the opportunities for improvement of the machine provided great educational opportunities for BAE students, who have already been given many tasks to redesign and improve various aspects of the hemp flower harvester. 5
Josh Jackson, Ph.D. B.S.: UK Animal & Food Sciences M.A.: UK Animal & Food Sciences Ph.D.: UK Biosytems and Agricultural Engineering
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orn and raised in Mercer County, Josh Jackson knows cattle. And sheep, pigs, and chickens. He graduated summa cum laude from UK with an animal science degree and a focus on beef production, but long before that, he and his twin brother Justin were showing cattle, sheep, and pigs. From a first calf purchased in 1994, they built up an Angus herd that has gone on to win at state and national levels. They won the Kentucky-bred Angus champion award at the Kentucky State Fair in 2001 with Domino (pictured below). Out of a herd count of only 60, the Jackson family has produced four “pathfinder” cows, animals recognized nationally by the Angus Association for their
productive value. Jackson attributes the family’s farming success with a wide variety of animals, but especially beef cattle, to their implementation of economically viable practices, including the use of technology, strong data collection, such as birth weight and weaning weight, adoption of best management practices, and attention to pedigree. Some of these practices will form the basis of his extension programming. “The faculty are extremely pleased that Josh will be joining us as a state extension specialist. His knowledge of livestock systems, especially in the context of Kentucky agriculture, will be an asset to our department and to the
state,” BAE Department Chair Dr. Sue Nokes says. Jackson completed his animal science master’s degree under Jamie Matthews, studying beef cattle consuming endophytic fescue and proteomics. He began talking to Dr. Shearer, BAE’s former department chair, in 2006, making a smooth and steady transition to the department, where his twin and younger brother Joey also earned degrees. Josh worked on the quarter-scale tractor team; with a laugh, he pointed out that BAE Student Branch always had free food during the year, a definite draw. He went with BAE to Brazil in 2010, and after that, under Dr. Montross,
Photos below, Jackson family. Photo next page, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
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Position: Assistant Extension Professor Focus: Livestock Systems/Animal Housing Will Teach: Precision Ag/GIS began work on his doctorate. “I thought engineering would prepare me for opportunities that I would be interested in,” he said, of the switch. “I had to make up all of the engineering courses, of course. It was hard but I enjoyed it.” His research under Montross
“His extension programs will focus on improving management practices by using engineering approaches and technical tools” was part of BAE’s $6.9 million BRDI grant, evaluating different pre-conditioning methods for pelletization with different biomass materials. He also focused on GIS, utilizing geospatial tools for location and precision agriculture practices. Going forward, his extension work will focus on improving management practices by using engineering approaches and technical tools. His interests lie in ensuring producers, including himself, find economically viable options to use technology to
streamline and simplify operations on-farm. In short, continuous improvement through smart use of technology as it pertains to livestock systems and animal housing. As for teaching, Jackson will be redeveloping a precision ag course last taught by Dr. Shearer. He looks forward to promoting the ways in which precision ag can be used to improve production. He notes that livestock is one of the last industries to embrace precision ag; he hopes that in the future, precision ag will be used to simplify and streamline operations on-farm. Jackson’s extension plans stem from his personal experience. After his father’s untimely death, Josh, his brothers, and mother continued to run the farm, each carving out a different role. Josh combines his expertise in animal science and engineering to improve the efficiency of their beef production while maintaining economic viability. He looks closely at hay yield and quality, and he understands the trade-offs in maintaining control over quality. “We have a strong Kentucky Cattleman’s Association, and there are a lot of ways to get information out to these producers,” he says. “I want to create that link that allows better management of cattle, hay,
and resources such as dewormer and antibiotics, and I expect to be out in the field a lot, talking directly to producers.” His father, a professor of dairy nutrition in UK’s Animal Sciences department, helped him understand that cows need to be well fed, with enough condition to thrive, even in adverse conditions. “You need to have more inputs to get higher outputs, i.e., better production, which is why we, as beef and hay producers, try to maximize nutrition, breeding, and forage quality,” Jackson says. Every farm has trade-offs, and for the Jackson family, the trade-off to manage those higher inputs, namely, pedigree, means that they maintain two 1976 tractors, with Josh and his brothers doing that maintenance. But having the older equipment gives them the flexibility to maximize breeding and hay quality/yield, which in their minds, is the right trade-off for their farm and their goals. 7
Morgan Hayes, Ph.D. B.S.: Pennsylvania State Agricultural and Biological Engineering M.A.: UK Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Ph.D.: Iowa State University Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
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organ Hayes, who will start in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering this summer as an assistant extension professor, grew up in eastern Pennsylvania. She is a second-generation engineer who, as a child, thought she wanted to be a veterinarian. But, she realized that she “approached problems like an engineer,” so in the end, agricultural engineering was an ideal fit for skills and mindset. Because she didn’t have a farm background, she brings a fresh perspective to ag engineering. “Not everyone in agriculture has an ag background, so we have to remember that fact when we educate and train students,” she says. “Personally, I like going to meet producers
and helping them improve their operation. The numerous smaller farms found in Kentucky are a great target for the kind of Extension programming I do.” While getting her graduate degree at the University of Kentucky, Hayes got involved in the Master Cattleman program, which serves her well, as she and her boyfriend have a farm in Danville, Ky., where they produce cattle and hay. She then completed her doctoral degree at Iowa State University, where she focused on laying hens. Following that, she took a position at the USDA-ARS, where she worked at the Meat Animal Research Center. Two years ago, she moved to Illinois, where she took a faculty position with her time
equally divided between research and extension programming with a focus on livestock facilities. Her current position, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is fifty percent extension. Hayes enjoys meeting with producers and conducting workshops; and she expects to do more of that, tailoring her programs to meet the needs of Kentucky’s agricultural profile, where cattle, chickens, and horses figure prominently. “We are so happy that Morgan has accepted a faculty position with BAE at the University of Kentucky. She is coming to us with experience as a state specialist in Illinois, and with knowledge of
Photos, left, middle, and opposite, WD King. Photo, bottom right, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Position: Assistant Extension Professor Focus: Livestock Systems/Animal Housing Will Teach: Structures and Environment Kentucky; which is a win-win for us and for the Commonwealth,” BAE Department Chair Sue Nokes says. Hayes adds that she is pleased to be coming back to the department. “The opportunity to
“If you’re putting
something under roof, or if you are intensifying your operation in some way, I’m probably the person you need to talk to. It doesn’t matter what animal you have. All livestock eat, breathe and poop, so all facilities need proper design and good ventilation.” be in a tenure track extension position at the University of Kentucky is really fabulous,” she adds. Hayes has had the benefit of working with several different animal species, which has shaped her approach and understanding of farm structures and facilities. She has
researched heat and moisture production rates of pigs at all ages; measured heat stress in beef cattle; written ventilation recommendations and standards for design engineers; and during her doctoral work, conducted a holistic study of cage-free aviary systems.
her well as she addresses more general and varied issues. Managing ventilation, resource use, and farmstead planning are programming issues she expects to focus on in the coming years. She While cage-free systems enjoy self-describes herself as a “fathe perception of offering welfare cilities person. If you’re putting benefits to laying hens, Hayes’ something under roof, or if you research was less clear-cut. After are intensifying your operation in reviewing air quality, energy use, some way, I’m probably the perbacterial load in the barn, activity son you need to talk to. It doesn’t levels, welfare, and performance, matter what animal you have. All and economics, she concluded that livestock eat, breathe, and poop, while some welfare measurements so all facilities need proper design were improved the system also and good brought some concerns. Examples ventilation.” include higher mortality rates, high dust levels (a health risk for both Hayes will join the department humans and birds) and greater this summer after finishing a costs, which are troubling realities road biking trip with her family of cage-free barns. through the Upper Peninsula of This in-depth research will serve
Michigan, during which they expect to average 70 miles per day.
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Alumni & Student Spotlight A
llison Zeillmann works in Louisville for Humana Inc., where her team focuses on finding the root cause that drives member and provider complaints. Her group then remediates issues for members, in an effort to improve their experience. She used her Biosystems Engineering degree as a stepping stone for an MBA from the University of Louisville, and she credits BAE with teaching her to think critically and to ask a lot of questions. “My ability to ask questions and to creatively solve problems has been invaluable,” she says. Outside of work, Allison loves to travel, both domestically and internationally. She recently went to the Grand Canyon, which she describes as “utterly amazing.” She’s also involved in several charitable organizations. She works with GuardiaCare, a Louisville-based non-profit organization Photo courtesy Allison that guides individuals and families through the challenges of aging and Zeillmann. disability; and she volunteers as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Allison likes to cook and entertain, but she also loves being out and about with people.
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asrin Tabayehnejad is a scientist at DSM Nutritional Products in Winchester, Ky. DSM is a manufacturer of nutritional products including vitamins, beta-carotenes, and nutritional lipids. Nasrin works with different areas of DSM, including production facilities and research and development. Part of her responsibilities is to take R&D projects and scale them up to full production. For this, she is tasked with troubleshooting problems that arise due to the change in scale. She also troubleshoots problems in the manufacturing process. An interesting aspect of Nasrin’s job is bringing in new technology, both processes and equipment, for all of DSM’s nutritional production plants, not just for the Winchester location. Nasrin enjoyed her time in the BAE department, noting that Dr. Nokes’ processing class has been very helpful in her career with DSM. She also Photo courtesy Nasrin credits Dr. Payne, who helped her get an internship at DSM. Of course, Tabayehnejad. the two years that she worked full-time in the department gave her invaluable lab and troubleshooting experience. Outside of work, her recently expanded family keeps her busy. When given the opportunity, she likes to hit the sand and play volleyball.
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pencer Guinn is a design engineer in Clark Material Handling Company’s Electric Current Products Division in Lexington. Spencer first designed product for a burden carrier line Clark had acquired to ensure it met UL and CE compliance for market in the U.S. and Europe. In the past year, he began to transition toward Clark’s forklift entity. Currently, he focuses on addressing warranty issues for products built in Lexington and assisting dealers with developing non-price page options. Spencer says his education in BAE was paramount in preparing him for his job. “All of my professors had an excellent balance of principle between preparing for a career and applied time that gave insight into life after college.” Participating in the ASABE Quarter-Scale Tractor Competition Photo courtesy Spencer Guinn. and serving in the BAE Student Branch gave him hands-on experience. Those extra-curricular activities helped cement how important it is to be involved in professional and community organizations. Currently, Spencer serves in various capacities for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, Young Producer Council, and Kentucky Farm Bureau Young Farmers. He’s honored to be starting a two-year experience with the Kentucky Agriculture Leadership Program. Spencer’s ag engineering practices don’t end there. He and his wife own and operate Circle G Farms, a row crop, beef cow/calf, beef backgrounding, and produce farm in Boyle and surrounding counties. Spencer has implemented precision agriculture and analytical aspects from BAE into his day-to-day operation; and because BAE exposed him to the benefits of USDA, NRCS, and state conservation practices, he continues to implement those practices through rotational grazing, stream and pond management, heavy use areas, and cover crops.
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mruti Patil was born in India; her family moved to the United States while she was still an infant. Her father is a chemical engineer and her mother is a metallurgical engineer. Her father used to work at UK; she grew to love UK’s campus, and that is why she chose it as her university. As a child, Smruti’s dad always taught her how things worked, and she loved tinkering with different objects around the house. She wanted to continue learning how different systems function, so she chose engineering. And because she wanted a job in a health-care field, she choose BAE. “BAE has so many options available to students who want to do engineering, but continue their education in another field,” she says. She is in the Honors Program and Pre-med. She also loves working with people and the biological and chemical sciences.
Photo courtesy Patil family.
Smruti recently attended the Annual Medical Education Conference hosted by the Student National Medical Association in Austin, Tx. She listened to many health-care worker panels, which developed her understanding of working in the industry. After she finishes undergraduate work, Smruti plans to go to medical school, hopefully at UK, and continue her education to become a physician. 11
Technical Assistance Program to Manage Stored Grain in Nigeria By Sam McNeill, Ph.D., P.E. | Extension Professor Samuel McNeill, Klein Ileleji (Purdue University) and George Opit (Oklahoma State University) were recently honored with the ASABE Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award for teaching materials they developed to improve food security and worker safety through optimal grainhandling and storage techniques. The award acknowledges the trio’s “Technical Assistance Program on Commodity Protection and Stored Grain Management in Nigeria,” a portfolio of materials developed to complement training sessions they conducted for a range of over 300 Nigerian stakeholders, from farmers, grain merchants, grain-warehouse managers, extension educators, and processors. The materials included curricula, extension methods, and supplemental tools. McNeill developed and presented four lectures (on grain temperature and moisture management, aeration systems, safety tips for workers in grain storage warehouses, and safety considerations for bulk handling systems), developed and presented three hands-on lessons (on personal protection equipment,
environmental monitoring tools, and sanitation and monitoring of grain storage facilities), reviewed eight lectures by colleagues, and contributed to five written summary reports. The training took place from 2010 to 2014, with $400,000 in funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The effort made significant impact toward commodity protection, stored-grain management, and reduction in post-harvest losses, factors that are critical to local agricultural economies. In at least one case, improved facilityhygiene practices eliminated the need for application of chemical fumigants and saved the facility $35,000 annually. Not only were these collaborators able to greatly
reduce pesticide exposure to workers, McNeill was able to successfully demonstrate and share University of Kentucky Extension grain management best practices with an international audience. In their most recent training workshop, they also demonstrated a new, low-cost moisture meter that was designed for developing countries by Dr. Paul Armstrong (agricultural engineer with USDA-ARS).
Photos, clockwise, from top: D. Landeck, ASABE. ADM staff. H. Tarver, USDA-FAS-OCBD-DRDAD. Steve Patton, UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
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Sustainability Challenge Grant Funds Tractor’s Alternative Energy System By Joe Dvorak, Ph.D., P.E. | Assistant Professor With increasing interest in organic products, the market for these products continues to grow. Unfortunately many consumers are unaware that organic production practices often require additional work, including many more passes with field machinery because organic producers are prohibited from using chemicals formulated for residual activity to control weeds, insects, and other pests. All of this extra machine work means organic production generally requires using more diesel for every pound of crop produced. Biodiesel offers one way to obtain fuel from renewable sources, but this approach is hotly contested by many of the same people most interested in buying organic produce. Solar power, with which our department has had a long history, offers another source of energy that could be produced on-farm and used to power equipment. In a project funded by the University of Kentucky Sustainability Challenge Grant Program, a previously constructed research tractor with an electric drivetrain is being converted to a completely electric machine with the installation of a larger battery pack. This tractor will be used to produce organic vegetables for the University of Kentucky Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program located on the Horticulture Research Farm, commonly referred to as the South Farm. This vehicle will be charged using a standard electrical vehicle charger located
on the farm. The grid power used to charge the vehicle will be offset using electricity produced by a photovoltaic solar cell array that is also being installed on the farm.
“A previously constructed research tractor with an electric drivetrain is being converted to a completely electric machine with the installation of a larger battery pack�
This research farm frequently hosts events with people attending from around the nation who are interested in sustainable agriculture. The presence of the solar panels and the tractor will Photo: Joe Dvorak, UK BAE.
demonstrate to this important audience that the University of Kentucky is a leader in considering alternate energy sources. A unique feature of this type of diversified vegetable production compared to broad acreage grain crops is the usage patterns expected of the vehicle. Unlike grain tractors, which might be operated for long hours at certain times of the year (e.g. planting, fertilizer, grain carts at harvest), tractors in this type of production system are often occupied with pest control which is a near-daily task, but only for limited periods of time in each day. An additional part of this project is to record the amount, duration, and power requirements of the field work necessary to produce an organic crop. This research will help determine what size and capacity of machine is necessary for any wide-spread use of this type of alternative energy system in the organic vegetable production industry.
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Grants Edwards, D.R., Chattopadhyay, S. (2015). Impact of climate change on extreme hydrological events in the Kentucky River Basin. KWRI- Kentucky Water Resources Institute. $5000 for one year. 03/2016- 04/2017. Montross, M.D., M.P. Sama, J.S. Dvorak. 2016. $20,000. Evaluation of Crop Logistics. Case New Holland America LLC. January 2016 to December 2016. Sama: Co-Investigator. Sama, M.P. 2016. $8,200. Educational Laboratory Equipment Grant. UK College of Engineering. January 2016 to December 2016. Sama: Principal Investigator. Wendroth, O.O., M.P. Sama., C. Lee, C. Knott, L. Murdock, G. Vellidis, W. Porter, B. Leib, B. Ortiz, D. Delaney, T. Knappenberger. 2016. Developing Irrigation Management Strategies for Soybean Production in Humid Regions of the Southern US. Southern Soybean Research Program. $50,000. March 2016 to February 2017. Sama: Co-Investigator.
Publications Chattopadhyay, S., Edwards, D. (2016). Long term trend analysis of precipitation and air temperature for Kentucky, United States. Climate, 4(10) doi:10.3390/cli4010010. Jackson J, Turner A, Mark T, Montross M. Densification of biomass using a pilot scale flat ring roller pellet mill. Fuel Processing Technology. 2016;148:43-9. Kesterson, M.A., J.D. Luck, M.P. Sama. 2015. Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Spray Deposition Sensing System for Improved Pesticide Application. Sensors. Vol. 15(12): 31965-31972. Luck, J.D., S.A. Shearer, B.D. Luck, M.P. Sama. 2016. Recalibration Methodology to Compensate for Changing Fluid Properties in an Individual Nozzle Direct Injection System. Transactions of the ASABE. In-Press. Sama, M.P., J.T. Evans, A.P. Turner, S.S. Dasika. 2016. As-Applied Estimation of Volumetric Flow Rate from a Single Sprayer Nozzle Series using Water Sensitive Spray Cards. Transactions of the ASABE. In-Press. Thompson, J., Sattar, A.M.A., Gharabaghi, B., Warner, R.C., Event-Based Total Suspended Sediment Particle Size Distribution Model, Journal of Hydrology (2016), doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol. 2016.02.056. In-Press.
B.S.
William Arnold Samuel Austen Audrey Byers Stephen Cecconi Charles Crume Emily Davis Luke Dodge Jared Elliot John Ewing Jacob Fuqua Christopher Good Courtney Gover (Asher) 14
Hanna Hafer Christina Heilman Brent Howard Trevor Hylton Andrew Phan Jacob Schlarman Zachary Tyler Jade Walker Shane Worley
M.S.
Ashlan Berry Danielle Empson
Brad Greenwell Nick Rhea William Sympson Peter Van Dyk Kameryn Wright
Departures
Manish Kulshrestha Tyler Sanderson Derek Scott
Arrivals
Jeff Smith
Staff Focus: Burl Fannin By Donnie Stamper
Photo: College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
B
url Fannin comes from a family that did a little bit of everything. His mother owned a clothing store and his father and brother spent much of their time operating a logging business. Burl was left with the responsibility of managing the family garage, which included a tire shop, car lot, and chainsaw repair.
Burl took a job with the University of Kentucky’s Physical Plant Electronics Department. There he worked with fire alarms, security systems, and the Delta Room. After three years in Electronics, he moved across campus to the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, where he has been for 24 years. He initially worked for Dr. Fred Payne in the Food Engineering lab. In that position, he learned more about electronics, including Ladder Logic and PLC. With the support of Dr. Payne, Dr. Ross (BAE former department chair), and Lloyd Dunn, Burl moved to a position doing similar work for the entire department.
Now, Burl manages the Wood Lab, Welding Lab, and the environmental chambers, which are a vital component of the research done by faculty and graduate students. You hear people asking, “Where is Burl?” quite often, as many people need his assistance during the day. He Burl grew up in Elliott County, might be helping senior design a rural county located in eastern students with their projects, Kentucky, with a population of working with undergraduate BAE approximately 8,000, according to students in the circuits lab, helping the 2010 census. His path to BAE TSM and Ag Education students had only a few stops along the way. in the welding (farm shop) class or After high school, he attended a Alex Fogle’s surveying class. welding school, where his teacher The next time you see Burl, ask encouraged him to go to college. him about some of his hobbies. He Burl enrolled at Union College, has created android apps and built before transferring to Morehead a remote control lawnmower, using University. Burl graduated with an an old lawn mower and the drive Associate’s of Engineering degree, system from an electric wheelchair. which consisted of three calculus courses and engineering physics.
Upcoming Meetings April 29, 2016 October 7, 2016 Brittany Adam, Big Ass Solutions Laud Azu, Kellogg’s Eric Dawalt, Ridgwater LLC Craig Duvall, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University Bradley Heil, Smith and Nephew Tyler Holley, Medical Resident, University of Kentucky Blair Lauer, Cummins Wanda Lawson, Stantec Maridely Loyselle, Division of Waste Management, Energy and Environment Cabinet, KY Department of Environmental Protection Doug Mynear, ESCI, LLC Katherine Niebuhr, Altec Pamela Pabian, Coldstream Laboratories Allen Patton, Patton Farms LLC Sarah Short, Haskell Richard Shultz, Linkbelt
After graduating from Morehead, 15
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Did you know? John W. Earnest combined his duties as a parttime certified police officer with his engineering technology experience to become a certified collision reconstructionist. He trains full-time officers in collision investigation, investigates serious collisions, and if necessary, testifies in both civil and criminal courts as an recognized expert.
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