“Agriculture is at the heart of who we are at Titan. As the only farm tire and wheel company headquartered in the U.S., we feel a special connection to farmers and appreciate their decision to buy American-made tires because it supports thousands of U.S. jobs to keep the nation running. By partnering with Farm Rescue again, we look forward to raising more money to assist farmers in need.”

said Paul Reitz, Titan President and CEO.

Last year, Titan raised $4,500 for Farm Rescue as part of its inaugural “Flags Over Harvest” campaign and has a goal to raise more funds this year. Titan’s history with the “Flags Over Harvest” campaign includes donating to Farm Rescue in 2019 to assist farmers affected by major spring floods in the Midwest and in 2020 to help farmers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. We will also be partnering with them at the Farm Progress Show, Husker Harvest Days and the Iowa State Fair.

“Farm Rescue is honored to be a recipient of the ‘Flags Over Harvest’ campaign once again this year. Last year’s funds helped give farm families a chance to continue their livelihood.  In 2021, Farm Rescue and its army of volunteers were honored to extend a helping hand to 121 families across our 7-state service territory. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Titan International, Inc. with the goal of helping America’s farm families in times of crisis.”

said Bill Gross, Founder and President of Farm Rescue.

The post Titan Starts Its 2022 “Flag Over Harvest” Campaign To Support American Farmers appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Visitors can check the news of the Brand at booth T36 at the North Exhibits.

The project “Behind Food” is an initiative of FPT Industrial to promote sustainable agriculture, showing how innovative powertrain technologies are part of a chain that takes high-quality, healthy products from the field to the table. In collaboration with Eataly, the world’s largest artisanal Italian food and beverage marketplace, FPT Industrial will debut the “Behind Food” cooking show, taking viewers through a tasting journey from the Californian farms of Sohnrey Family Foods, Trattore Farms, and Hilmar Jerseys to the kitchen of Eataly’s headquarters in Turin, Italy. All farms involved in the project are customers of New Holland Agriculture, which is also a key partner of “Behind Food”.

During the press event at FPT Industrial’s booth, on February 9, at 10:30 PST, there will also be a live cooking demo led by Fabio Angeli, Chef of La Scuola Eataly, Los Angeles. The presence of Eataly reinforces the partnership that started in 2019 between the two companies, built on their common vision of providing environmentally friendly products with quality and passion.

Head of FPT Industrial in North America, Braden Cammauf, said:

“We are glad to participate in this year’s edition of World Ag Expo to continue spreading the message of sustainable agriculture. Our Brand has made incredible advances in alternative fuel solutions and in powering modern, productive and reliable agriculture machines that help farmers take care of our land every day.”

In terms of products, FPT Industrial is taking six of its most recent powertrain technologies to World Ag Expo, displaying solutions for different kinds of applications focused on the North American market.

The newest engine of the Brand, the F28, is being showcased in two configurations. The F28 Tier 4 Final is a new modular and multi-fuel solution specifically designed for light and compact agriculture machines. Whether fueled by Diesel or Natural Gas, it delivers a performance of a 3.4-liter engine in a 2-liter package.

There are other three compact and flexible solutions for light operations at FPT Industrial’s booth. The F34 Tier 4 Final has a maximum power of 90 kW and torque up to 490 Nm, delivering high performance in a compact layout. Besides, it has a long-lasting DPF-free after-treatment system and one-side serviceability that speeds up maintenance operations. The F34 Tier 4 Final Power Pack version comes with all components (e.g. air filter, cooling pack, ATS) pre-assembled in one package, providing power up to 55 kW and torque up to 320 Nm. The third highly compact solution at the show is the F36 Tier 4 Final, with the best-in-class power and torque density – up to 105 kW and 600 Nm.

For heavy-duty operations that require top performance, FPT Industrial is exhibiting the Cursor 9 Tier 4 Final Power Pack, which delivers maximum power of 308 kW and torque up to 1800 Nm. Because it is a ready-to-use power unit, it simplifies emission compliance for customers. In addition, it ensures low fuel consumption and low running costs thanks to EGR-free combustion, long service interval, and for-life ATS.

Lastly, for robustness and durability even in the most severe conditions, the N67 Tier 3 IPU is the right choice. Available in both mechanical and electronic configurations, it delivers power up to 175 kW, torque up to 1020 Nm, besides high fuel efficiency.

During the AG Expo show, visitors will also find FPT Industrial at the New Holland Agriculture booth (South Exhibits, Hall 1), where the N67 NG engine is on display in a dedicated corner close to the T6 METHANE TRACTOR.

Source: FPT Industrial

The post FPT Industrial Presents “Behind the Food” Special Project Along With Its Latest Engines at World Ag Expo 2022 appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Sustainability and recycling are key to success going forward, the agriculture industry and farming is changing. Composting and waste recycling is an industry by itself.

Materials that are leftover from the agriculture process must be sorted in some way, even if the material – inert – is being directly sent to landfill as most landfill sites will not accept some types of material, and often require sorting into categories prior to disposal. Traditionally this has meant that the material is sent to recycling centres resulting in haulage costs, charges to the recycling centres, and then landfill costs themselves for materials that cannot be recycled or reused. ALLU is once again one step ahead to help you remove such an issue and change a cost into a profit margin.

The ALLU Transformer DL series screening attachments are for compact base machines and suitable for excavators max. 12Tn, loaders 8Tn, tractors, and backhoe loaders.

These compact-sized screening buckets make the perfect attachments for landscaping and agricultural applications. From composting to aerating, topsoil screening to waste and debris processing, all can be carried out on-site. They are truly mobile, offering you the versatility and flexibility to work more efficiently in the most challenging environments.

The ALLU technology quite literally transforms the material making operations more productive, more environmentally friendly, and more profitable. With versatility at its very core, the Transformer will process just about anything it encounters. This includes materials including animals’ mortality residuals, topsoil, excavated soil, and contaminated soil. In effect, virtually any material can be crushed, screened, sized, and sorted.

This results in material processing being revolutionised as it will be accomplished with the Transformer converting the base machine (such as a tractor) into a mobile processing plant. Through using the machine in this new way, companies will benefit from reduced investment and operating costs, have a smaller carbon footprint, and lower transportation costs, with material being transformed into a valuable product, thereby producing a profit stream, rather than a cost.

Quality recycled Products

Despite the equipment as a tractor, skid steer, wheel loader, or excavator being available to recycle organic waste, many agricultural businesses do not handle the material processing themselves. They waste the valuable material, or it is simply hauled away to a recycling plant before most of the material is sent for landfill. This is a serious cost for agricultural business company and a waste of highly valuable materials.

One such solution to dealing with waste at source is the ALLU DL-Series or all other ALLU products that can crush soft and brittle material, separate hard unwanted impurities while loading a dump truck or stockpiling system. This makes them ideal for processing organic and even inorganic waste.

Transforming your business

What ensures that the ALLU products really stand out from the rest is the way its use helps customers transform their entire operation. The profitability of a business is transformed as materials can be processed already at the site, rather than transported for further processing. This will also reduce outside waste deposits and bring environmental benefits, as waste is separated before transportation.

Business efficiency is further transformed as the loading and processing of materials is now accomplished in one stage resulting in faster, more efficient processing. Essentially the tractor, skid steer, loader or excavator now becomes a multi-machine that can load and process whilst simultaneously replacing ‘overlapping’ steps at the farm. This eliminates material double handling needs and helps with cost reduction.

The same concept applies to the workforce, as improved utilization and fewer pieces of machinery require fewer people to operate the equipment. The base machine will be effectively transformed into a multi-functional tool that will compost, aerate, screen, crush, and load, in a one-step operation. As part of the digital solution, all ALLU units are equipped with a tracking Bluetooth system that connects to the ALLU app that can be installed on any mobile device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet.

Source: ALLU

The post A Closer Look at ALLU Transformer DL Screening Attachments appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“After doing some research, we realized there was a truckload of good information about the economic benefits of precision agriculture, but very little information about the environmental benefits. So AEM has partnered with several other organizations (the American Soybean Association, CropLife America, and National Corn Growers Association) to take a look at this”

said Curt Blades, AEM senior vice president of ag services at AEM’s recently held member education webinar on precision agriculture.

AEM’s study, “The Environmental Benefits of Precision Agriculture,” examines the impact of various technologies on the production of row crops, broad acre crops, roots and tubers, as well as forage. The data overwhelmingly shows that precision agriculture can have a positive environmental impact in all of these areas.

What is precision agriculture?

Precision agriculture leverages technologies to enhance sustainability through more efficient use of land, water, fuel, fertilizer and pesticides. Essentially, farmers who use precision agriculture technologies use less to grow more, reducing both cost and environmental impact.

The five primary areas of technology are:

• Auto guidance, also known as auto steer, uses GPS to automatically steer machinery and avoid overlap during tilling, planting, spraying and harvesting. This more efficient operation reduces the time, labor, fuel and materials used.
• Machine section control turns planter, sprayer and fertilizer sections on/off in crop rows that have been previously treated. This helps to optimize material application, reducing cost and environmental impact.
• Variable rate technology uses sensors or preprogrammed maps to determine the application rates for fertilizer, seed and crop protection products. This equipment may also utilize supporting technologies such as GPS, yield monitors, and crop and soil sensors.
• Machine and fleet analytics encompass the real-time monitoring of equipment, including location tracking, route suggestions and idling. This technology helps to increase asset utilization and decrease the amount of fuel used.
• Precision irrigation provides the ability to apply different amounts of water to different areas. By applying just the right amount of water as needed, water consumption is reduced without negatively impacting crop performance.

“There is also a lot of enabling technology that goes along with the five key areas listed above. Things like remote sensing, GPS tracking, climate stations, integration with field prescriptions and on-the-go sensing all enable impact technologies like auto guidance and machine section control to take hold.”

Blades pointed out.

What does the data say?

In consultation with several environmental groups, AEM identified five areas with the most potential to impact the environment. The study shows that farmers consistently using various precision agriculture technologies achieved the following:

• 4% increase in crop production
• 7% increase in fertilizer placement efficiency
• 9% reduction in herbicide and pesticide use
• 6% reduction in fossil fuel use
• 4% reduction in water use

How do all of those improvements add up from an environmental standpoint?

• 2 million acres of cropland avoided due to more efficient use of existing land
• 30 million fewer pounds of herbicide
• 100 million fewer gallons of fossil fuel
• Enough water saved to fill 750,000 Olympic-size swimming pools

While the AEM study shows significant gains in each area, the potential for additional improvement is even more impressive.

Blades pointed out.

 “Now we can show the world that American commodities are grown sustainably, and precision agriculture is a big part of that. The great thing about these technologies is that no matter what kind of farmer you are, precision agriculture technologies have substantial value.”

said AEM Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs and Ag Policy Nick Tindall.

With respect to fertilizer use, an additional efficiency gain of 14% is possible through broader adoption.

“More efficient fertilizer use comes down to the four R principles: the right time at the right rate with the right source in the right place. Precision agriculture is absolutely necessary for all four of those principles to take place.”

Blades explained.

With respect to herbicide and pesticide use, the 9% gain already realized could be followed by another 15% gain through full adoption. That means another 48 million pounds of product could be avoided.

“These are amazing statistics to share. The crop protection industry has a lot of arrows on its back. We want to reduce the amount of product that’s on the ground. If farmers can employ technologies like auto guidance, variable rate technology and section control, it’s pretty amazing what is possible in terms of usage reduction.”

Blades said.

The potential for additional gains in water savings is perhaps the most impressive. Full adoption of technologies like variable rate precision irrigation and soil moisture sensors could result in another 21% reduction in water usage.

With fossil fuel usage, a number of things come into play. “Engine technology has come a long way,” Blades said. “But the big drivers in agriculture are auto guidance and machine telematics.” By leverage those two technologies, the industry could achieve another 16% reduction through full adoption.

Along with a reduction in fossil fuel usage is a discussion about CO2 emissions. Precision agriculture technologies are making an impact here as well.

Blades said:

“In all the data we have seen thus far, current adoption equates to roughly 10.1 million metric tons avoided. Another 17.3 million metric tons could be avoided through broader adoption of precision agriculture. This takes into consideration the more efficient use of land, herbicide reduction, fertilizer efficiency, water usage, and fossil fuels from machinery. All of these things come together to tell a really great story.”

The story could get even greater with more widespread adoption of precision agriculture technologies.

What will I take to increase adoption?

According to Blades, four key components will help accelerate adoption:

• Government policies that reward innovation
• Increased farm income to help facilitate investments
• Improved infrastructure (i.e., wireless networks over cropland)
• Improved consumer communication to build trust in the science

“Technology isn’t something we should be afraid of. Technology is something we should fully embrace to meet the challenges that are in front of us.”

Blades said.

One example of supportive government policy is the PAL Act (Precision Agriculture Loan Act) that has been introduced by senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) AEM will continue to keep an eye on this important piece of proposed legislation.

It should also be noted that embracing precision agriculture can also create additional economic opportunity for farmers. Nick Tindall, AEM senior director of regulatory affairs and ag policy, said significant outreach to organizations like the EPA, USDA and NRCS has been made as a result of this study.

“Now we can show the world that American commodities are grown sustainably, and precision agriculture is a big part of that. The great thing about these technologies is that no matter what kind of farmer you are, precision agriculture technologies have substantial value”

said AEM Agricultural Services Manager Austin Gellings. 

Austin Gellings, AEM agricultural services manager, has presented the study’s findings to various stakeholder groups around the country. One such group was a gathering of state directors of agriculture.

“Everyone was very receptive of the data we’re bringing out. There’s almost a thirst for these kinds of numbers as justification for a modern way of producing food. We’re not saying every farmer across the U.S. will implement all of these technologies. But if we can edge closer to 95%, we’ll make a big difference.”

Gellings stated. Gellings also presented the study’s findings to a gathering of farmers.

“They really appreciated this information, too. For those already using precision agriculture, these numbers validate what they are doing. Also, if they have a neighbor who is on the fence or skeptical about some of these technologies, they can point to these numbers as proof. Not only can you make a difference in the world, but you’ll also benefit from reducing herbicide application, for instance. That’s dollars and cents, and a farmer’s eyes light up every time”

said Gellings.

Source: AEM

The post The Road for Environmental Sustainability Passes through Precision Agriculture appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Resource Innovation Institute (RII) has assembled a council of global business and environmental leaders to advise the non-profit on its efforts to serve the needs of agricultural producers facing climate risk and technology adoption.

The new Strategic Advisory Council–composed of senior leaders from business, investment, government and philanthropic communities–will shape RII’s strategic plan, which will be announced this fall.

“Agriculture is changing. Many producers are shifting toward various forms of ‘indoor’ cultivation, which is driving a need to holistically quantify resource impacts and support farmers of all kinds,”

said Derek Smith, Executive Director of Resource Innovation Institute.

“Governments, utilities, investors and producers need data-driven solutions to identify the most efficient, productive and profitable cultivation approaches. Our role as a trusted non-profit organization with five years of expertise on these issues is to lead the measurement, adoption and celebration of the most efficient agricultural ideas. We are appreciative of the commitment of our Strategic Advisory Council to help guide our planning.”

RII recently began work on a three-year USDA Conservation Innovation Grant designed to advance a data-driven market transformation strategy that targets greater resource efficiency in emerging ‘controlled environment’ horticultural sectors, including greenhouses and vertical farms growing a range of crops, from microgreens to tomatoes to berries. RII is developing the strategy in partnership with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Since its founding as a non-profit organization in 2016, RII has established:

• The world’s largest privacy-secured data framework containing standardized and comparable cultivation facility environmental performance data
• A multi-sector funding model, including governments, foundations, utilities and industry leaders
• A subject matter expert network, which provides peer-reviewed technical guidance on resource-efficient cultivation practices

Now, with global partnerships under development, RII is poised to be a leader in the development of international standards to guide decision-makers toward a resilient agricultural future.

The Strategic Advisory Council is providing input on key strategic issues including:

• Serving producers – Fine-tuning a model to support producers with data- and privacy-secure resource benchmarking services to accelerate efficiency, productivity and profitability
• Aligning funding – Leveraging global public, private and philanthropic dollars to magnify returns on impact investments ranging from climate resilience to advancement of racial and social equity
• Engaging the value chain – Establishing transparent market mechanisms to provide credible asset valuation, leadership recognition and consumer education

The organizations represented by RII’s Strategic Advisory Council members include:

• Budding Solutions
• Equilibrium Capital
• Farmers Conservation Alliance
• Fifth Season
• Fluence by OSRAM
• Ford Foundation
• LegacyWorks Group
• Lomo Plateado
• Greenwich Biosciences
• Grodan
• HortAmerica
• MAPS
• McGill University
• Poseidon Partners
• Schneider Electric
• The Sustainable Finance Company
• Tress Capital
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• World Wildlife Fund

Source: Resource Innovation Institute

The post Resource Innovation Institute and Global Leaders Together to Guarantee a Resilient Future for Agriculture appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

With this collaboration, SHI will evaluate the soil health at selected UPL research and development field stations around the world (including UPL’s OpenAg Farm in Brazil), provide soil health training for UPL field agronomists, and help establish R&D protocols for evaluating the impacts of management practices on soil health.

Soil is the basis of our world’s agroecosystems that provide food, feed, fiber, and fuel. By 2050, the world will be challenged to feed nine billion people while also managing limited natural resources and the impact of climate change. UPL, with its mission to make every food product more sustainable, collaborates with partners, farmers, and key stakeholders to meet the future demand of agriculture, and improving soil heath will be essential to achieving that goal.

Farmers adopting regenerative soil health systems can help our nations grow food for an expanding population, mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve water quality, and increase biodiversity. The partnership with SHI will advance understanding of the most beneficial and scalable regenerative practices agriculture can employ to meet the challenges of tomorrow, while at the same time, improving productivity and farmer livelihoods.

“Our collaboration with SHI is a step towards understanding our soil in a much deeper way to provide the right solutions for farmers to enhance soil health, a key element for sustainable agriculture,”

said Adrian Percy, Chief Technology Officer, UPL.

“It exemplifies our belief in activating connections across the world’s agriculture system and ​powering new levels of sustainable growth, in line with our OpenAg purpose, an agriculture network that feeds sustainable growth for all. No limits, no borders.”

“Our research and training programs are focused to provide useful outcomes for farmers, the environment, and society,”

said Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, CEO of the Soil Health Institute.

“So far, most of our work has been in North America. This collaboration with UPL will allow us to further explore and translate soil health science into actionable management practices in other regions of the world, too,”

said Honeycutt.

Source: UPL

The post UPL Announced an Agreement with Soil Health Institute appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Nutrien also launched six commitments to address the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing global population while protecting the planet. The Feeding the Future Plan has action pathways to help transform agriculture by the year 2030:

• Enable growers to adopt sustainable and productive agricultural products and practices on 75 million acres globally
• Launch and scale a comprehensive Carbon Program, empowering growers and the agriculture industry to accelerate climate-smart agriculture and soil carbon sequestration while rewarding growers for their efforts
• Achieve at least a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1 + 2) per tonne of our products produced*
• Invest in new technologies and pursue the transition to low-carbon fertilizers, including blue and green ammonia
• Leverage our farm-focused technology partnerships and investments to drive positive impact in industry and grower innovation and inclusion
• Create new financial solutions for growers to strengthen social, economic and environmental outcomes in agriculture

The world’s population is expected to reach 10 billion people by the year 2050, and innovation is needed to increase food production for generations to come. The Feeding the Future Plan reflects Nutrien’s commitment to drive systemic change by helping to scale sustainable and inclusive agriculture. It also includes Nutrien’s commitment to set science-based climate emissions targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Nutrien’s 2021 ESG Report is a valuable tool for investors and other stakeholders to review Nutrien’s key material ESG risks and opportunities.

Executive Commentary

Chuck Magro, President and CEO, Nutrien, said,

“Nutrien is focused on meeting the United Nations’ Zero Hunger Sustainable Development Goal in the coming decade by helping growers increase food production in a sustainable manner. Our 2030 commitments and ESG performance targets are ambitious, but necessary, which is why we are dedicated to working across our value chain on initiatives like our comprehensive Carbon Program to build a pathway forward that will help lead the next wave of agriculture’s evolution. This effort drives at the core of our strategy to feed more people, using less resources and with fewer emissions.”

“We know a collaborative effort is required to address climate change and feed the world. With a long-term goal to scale our programs and create real, lasting change, Nutrien is encouraging stakeholders to come together to evolve the systems and policies needed to address these challenges. As we strive to transform our food system, we encourage the sharing of information and pooling of resources for a new generation of systems-based solutions.”

“We take our role in feeding the future seriously. Our direction is clear. Join us on our journey,”

added Magro.

Nutrien will host an ESG stakeholder update to speak in more detail to our ESG plans and our comprehensive Carbon Program on May 17, 2021 in association with our Annual General Meeting.

Source: Nutrien

The post Nutrien ESG Report and Six Commitments for a Sustainable Agriculture and Impact Climate Change appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is the most widely-used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence.

“As a leader in the industry with high standards for quality and innovation, we are extremely proud to receive LEED Gold certification and have our headquarters reflect those values,”

said Mike Ballweber, president of Doosan Bobcat North America.

“Our goal is to provide a space that operates sustainably and supports our employees with a healthy and inspiring workplace.”

Achieving the gold certification, the second highest rating available, makes the Doosan Bobcat facility one of 12 structures in the state of North Dakota to achieve LEED Gold and the second Doosan Bobcat building in the state to earn LEED recognition. The Doosan Bobcat Acceleration Center in Bismarck, North Dakota – a key engineering research and development facility for Bobcat equipment – received LEED certification in 2018.

In 2017, Doosan Bobcat completed the $9.5 million expansion and remodeling of its North America headquarters, which was originally built in 2000. The most recent project doubled the square footage of the office building to 110,000 square feet, providing an open, modern office environment to house employees working in administrative, finance, IT, engineering, product management, sales and marketing functions.

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED certification ensures buildings employ design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health. Fargo-based Shultz + Associates Architects served as the architect for the remodeling and expansion of the headquarters building and delivery of LEED features that earned the project LEED Gold certification.

Specific sustainability highlights of Doosan Bobcat’s LEED Gold certification include:

• Upgrades to geothermal HVAC and installation of ventilation monitoring systems for indoor environmental quality
• Decreased energy consumption by 35 percent through high-performance building systems, operating methods and light automation
• Use of green power renewable energy to offset 53 percent of the building’s energy costs
• Implemented a new irrigation system for all landscaped areas and low-volume interior fixtures, resulting in a 41 percent reduction in water use
• Incorporated a walking path and open green space with native prairie grasses and trees to encourage public use and pedestrian activity
• Utilized recycling practices to divert 77 percent of onsite generated construction waste from the landfill and utilized recycled materials for 12 percent of building materials

Ballweber added,

“We continue to make investments in our people and facilities. This award represents our commitment to serve as a community partner and manage our environmental footprint where our employees, dealers and customers live and work.”

Nationwide, Doosan Bobcat continues to demonstrate its commitment to its facilities, employees and the communities in which it operates. In 2019, the company invested $26 million into expanding its production facility in Litchfield, Minn., $11 million in Statesville, N.C., and more than $17 million at Gwinner, N.D.

Source: Bobcat

The post Doosan Bobcat North America Headquarters Gets LEED Gold Certification appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Bioethanol is the ethyl alcohol (ethanol) obtained from the fermentation process of agricultural products or vegetable biomass.

Bioethanol can also be used as a biofuel for fireplaces and boilers but is mainly used as a fuel, in the form of pure bioethanol, or blended with petrol. It is therefore considered a biofuel, such as biodiesel, biogas, and vegetable oils.

Among biofuels, bioethanol is the most widespread also because it is quite easy to produce.

How is bioethanol produced?

To produce bioethanol there are 2 possible alternatives, which are characterized by the raw materials used:

First-generation bioethanol

Sugar-rich agricultural products can be used, as the fermentation process takes place thanks to the glucose contained in starch-rich cereals such as maize or using sugar cane. Bioethanol produced in this way is called first-generation bioethanol. Maize is widely used in the United States, for example, while sugar cane is mainly used in Brazil.

To produce bioethanol from these products, it is necessary to process the parts containing the sugars to which yeast is added to promote alcoholic fermentation, and then proceed with the extraction of the ethanol.

The production of first-generation bioethanol has its limits, however, because it requires the use of edible plants to obtain fuel, which is therefore diverted away from their use as food.

Second-generation bioethanol

The alternative is to use another glucose-rich resource such as cellulose. This method also makes it possible to exploit plants without commercial use or waste plants, including algae, without taking land away from food crops. Also in this case the yeast ferments the glucose, which is found in cellulose. This is how second-generation bioethanol is obtained.

Bioethanol-based fuels

Bioethanol is a fuel that has certain advantages, including a high octane count and a lower cost than other traditional fuels. It can be used in pure form or blended with petrol, obtaining fuels that are characterised by the percentage of bioethanol present. They have for example:

• E10: 10% bioethanol and 90% petrol
• E20: 20% bioethanol and 80% petrol
• E85: 85% bioethanol and 15% petrol
• E100: 100% bioethanol

Having Physico-chemical characteristics similar to those of petrol, bioethanol is used in petrol as an additive with the aim of improving performance in terms of octane and reducing emissions of certain pollutants. Fuels that blend petrol and bioethanol up to 10% can be used in normal petrol engines of the main manufacturers.

Compared to petrol, however, it must be considered that bioethanol has a lower energy content and therefore more fuel is needed to achieve the same results.

To use fuels based on bioethanol in higher percentages, or in the form of pure alcohol, vehicles fitted with a flex engine are required. This solution is now widely available in Europe, in the United States, and especially in Brazil, where a switch to this fuel has been particularly encouraged by the oil crisis.

Which countries produce the most bioethanol?

The main producers of bioethanol are:

• United States
• Brazil
• European Union

Top bioethanol producers worldwide in 2019 (data in millions of gallons) [source: Statista].

Appropriate tractors are needed for grain production and for all agricultural needs, which guarantee the necessary performance and power.

Source: McCormick

The post McCormick presents Bioethanol, a new Fuel Extracted from Agricultural Products appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

As Head of Sustainability, he is responsible since April 1, 2020 for the strategic direction and worldwide steering of all sustainability projects, and in this role reports directly to Christian Kötz, Head of the Tire business area and Member of the Executive Board of Continental AG.

Claus Petschick has worked at Continental for over 30 years, initially holding various positions in R&D and product development for the original equipment (OE) business before assuming the management of the tire plant in Hanover-Stöcken in 2007. Most recently, the 58-year-old construction engineer was responsible for global quality assurance within the tire sector as Vice President Quality Management for over ten years.

“We are underscoring our commitment to sustainable business models and innovative products and services along the entire value chain.”

– Christian Koetz, Head of Tires Business Area and Executive Board Member.

“With the creation of a dedicated sustainability organization under the leadership of Claus Petschick, we are consolidating our far-reaching activities and research projects and underscoring our commitment to further systematic expansion of sustainable business models and innovative products and services along the entire value chain,”

explains Christian Kötz, Head of the Tires business area and member of the Executive Board of Continental AG.

“We are confident that sustainable and responsible management enhances our capacity for innovation and our future viability, and that we can make an important contribution to society and toward shaping our future through our commitment.”

For many years, sustainable and responsible management has been an integral part of Continental’s corporate strategy and development. The focus of the sustainability strategy is on the four strategic topics of climate change mitigation, clean mobility, circular economies, and sustainable supply chains. In order to make the tires of the future even more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly in terms of production, use and recyclability, Continental is systematically investing in the research and development of new technologies, alternative materials, and environmentally compatible production processes.

This includes, for example, the extension of product service life through retreading. Back in 2013, Continental already built the globally unique ContiLifeCycle plant in Hanover, Germany, for this purpose. Here, specially designed machine fleets with integrated retreading systems set new standards in the field of tire recycling.

A further central concern for Continental is to cease importing natural rubber exclusively from the tropics, but to produce it as close as possible to the tire plants in order to prevent the ongoing deforestation and reduce the CO2 emissions generated through long transport routes. In future, the multiple award-winning, long-term Taraxagum project from Continental and the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) will supply natural rubber from dandelion plants, which can be used for producing motorcycle, car and commercial vehicle tires. The Urban Taraxagum bicycle tire is Continental’s first series-produced tire manufactured using natural rubber from the dandelion plant.

Continental is committed to sustainability in the natural rubber supply chain and is striving to provide the greatest possible transparency and to establishing a traceable and sustainable supply chain via an electronic system. Continental is also a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), an association of the major players in the natural rubber sector from business and civil society, who are working jointly to improve global sustainability in the natural rubber sector.

Source: Continental AG

The post Continental Tires Bundles Sustainability Activities in New Department appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.