Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources / Oklahoma State University

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Promoting profitability...

Stored Product Research
and Education Center planned

by Don Stotts

Annual grain and seed storage losses exceed $50 million in Oklahoma and more than $300 million in the nation's wheat belt. Finding new ways to help promote profitability in the grain and seed industries in an era of increasing regulation is a primary focus of the proposed Stored Product Research and Education Center at Oklahoma State University.

"Without a major infusion of new stored-product technology, increased losses will be incurred under the pressure of new regulatory constraints on storage and handling," says Gerrit Cuperus, Integrated Pest Management Coordinator for OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

"It will help increase world grain market leadership by assisting local and terminal elevator grain managers and workers; grain, seed and cereal processors; cattlemen; and feedlot operators," Cuperus adds.

He says the proposed center also would support applied research, technology transfer, and technical training for the grain and processing industries. Nor do the benefits end there.

Ron Noyes, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service agricultural engineer, says worker safety and consumer preference were key points of discussion during planning committee meetings for the center proposal.

Ron Noyes, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension agricultural engineer,
is concerned with using natural conditions to improve grain
storage while using as few pesticides as possible.

"If we can find ways to improve grain storage using natural conditions as opposed to pesticides, then agriculture ends up with products that are more desirable to consumers," Noyes points out.

Pesticides and fumigants have been the traditional method of controlling stored grain pests over the past 30 to 40 years, but now many of those tools are being threatened.

"Phosphine is under fire. Methylbromide is on the way out. Malathion is being discontinued for grain use. Reldan is available, but is relatively expensive," Noyes explains.

The expense of reducing or removing residues from the crop is of concern to food manufacturers, and increasing constraints due to food safety and environmental concerns are reasons for reducing the use of many chemicals. As these tools go by the wayside, new methods must come on line to maintain current levels of safe foodstuffs.

"Applied research directed toward making better use of available fumigants will be vital in helping to promote future profitability in the grain and seed industries," Noyes says.

Not only will the proposed OSU center provide a place to further develop more effective fumigation models as well as other management and safety practices, plans are to cooperate readily with Kansas State University and the U.S. Grain and Marketing Research Laboratory at Manhattan, Kansas, in order to facilitate research findings and avoid duplication of effort as they conduct research in food processing.

Once the research is completed, transferring it into industry becomes the key to success.

"Technical information is not of much use if it cannot be transferred for public application," Noyes says. "Our focus is to help people simplify processes, reduce costs, increase safety, and make an operation more profitable while turning out a quality product."

Cuperus agrees, saying the center will be a boon to economic development, enhance OSU's working relationships with various industries, and be a training facility for agricultural professionals, university students, OCES specialists, and county agents.

Over $480,000 for the OSU Stored Product Research and Education Center has been approved in the federal budget for this year, contingent on raising matching funds from the private sector for the project.

"We hope to get half the matching funds from in-state sources and half from national organizations," Cuperus says. "Oklahoma needs this center. The whole philosophy and function of the OSU Stored Product Research and Education Center just makes sense."

Agriculture at OSU is provided for online viewing by the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications, and 4-H Youth Development, Division of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University.