Chickasha site of OSU ‘Fuel from the Field’ day on Oct. 13
Oct 2, 2008 9:51 AM, By Donald Stotts
On Oct. 13, Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will showcase some of its most recent advances designed to enable Oklahoma to take advantage of the coming bio-based economy.
Division scientists will host the “Fuel from the Field – Oklahoma Grown” biofuels field day from 8:30 a.m. to just past noon at the organization’s South Central Research Station in Chickasha. There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided.
The Chickasha station, part of the division’s statewide Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station system, is located at 1105 E. Iowa St., a half mile south of Highway 62 on the edge of the city.
“For the general public, the bio-based economy has only been a talking-point after President Bush mentioned it during his 2006 State of the Union address; we’ve been working toward it for several decades, realizing the potential for enhancing Oklahoma’s status as both an agricultural and energy leader,” said Brent Westerman, director of the division’s Field and Research Unit.
Westerman said a bio-based economy is exciting for some, frustrating for others and generates questions from just about everybody.
“We’re going to concentrate on five key areas of agricultural-related technologies at the Oct. 13 field day,” he said.
Participants will see firsthand storage techniques for forage crops and lignocellulosic biofeedstock, in-field production for ethanol from sweet sorghum, agronomic considerations for sorghum production and conversion of biomass to ethanol.
Westerman also will host an industry perspective of equipment needs for the future, with discussion led by a panel of representatives from John Deere, Livingstone Machinery Co., Case IH and New Holland Inc.
Field day sponsors include the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center; Sun Grant Initiative, South Central Region; Chickasha New Holland Inc.; Livingston Machinery Co.; Standridge Equipment Co. and Bob Lowe Inc.
Anyone seeking additional information about the “Fuel from the Field – Oklahoma Grown” biofuels field day should contact Westerman at 405-744-9607 or Don Hooper of the OSU South Central Research Station at 405-224-4476.
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