Grants: Agriculture/Pollution Prevention
Page 5 of 5 pages « First < 3 4 5
Local Provenance Encouragement Project
May 1999SVSU demonstrated that native plants are an attractive, low maintenance, environmentally preferable alternative to traditional landscaping. SVSU, working in partnership with staff from Dow Gardens, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and local nurseries established model gardens to educate residents and visitors about the economic, environmental and aesthetic benefits of native plants. The plantings also serve as a seed source for plantings elsewhere, and showcase plants indigenous to watershed prior to 1800s and of local provenance.
Saginaw Bay Watershed Pollution Prevention/Chemical Collection Program
May 1999This was a joint project of the Saginaw County Department of Health and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to construct a permanent facility to collect pesticides from farmers, homeowners, nurseries, etc. Any end user of pesticides will be able to dispose of unwanted materials at the facility at no cost. The collection facility was completed in 1999.
Demonstrate Effectiveness of Biodegradable Two-Cycle Engine Oil
May 1999IF have secured a patent on a soy-based oil that can be used instead of petroleum-based oil in jet skis, outboard motors, snowmobiles, and other engines. The soy-based oil is environmentally preferable to traditional oil because it is 96% biodegradable, and does not emit pollutants into the air and water. The product also will provide a value-added product for Michigan’s soybean farmers. IF will used WIN funds to field test the oil to demonstrate to the market that it is safe for engines and performs well, and to document reductions in emissions into the environment. IF raised $70,000 to fund the overall project.
Alternative Energy from Agriculturally-Derived Pellet Fuel
Saginaw Valley State University analyzed the technical and economic viability of manufacturing a renewable and environmentally benign pellet-fuel that competes with wood pellets for heating residential and light industrial buildings. The research included a study of the economic and environmental impact of the long-duration performance of a commercially available biomass combustion furnace that will be set up to heat a light industrial building in the region. The project will included a web-based interface that provides real time telemetry information to both the researchers and the general public.
Conservation Tillage Risk Protection Program
The program demonstrated the use of conservation tillage in two subwatersheds of the Tittabawassee River. The project offered the expertise of a certified crop consultant, and financial protection against economic loss on the enrolled conservation tillage corn acres during the term of the project. Conservation Tillage equipment was leased by the Shiawassee Conservation District and provided to farmers who are participating. In similar experiments in Illinois and Indiana, the poor economic impact concerns of new practices were unfounded, as protection dollars were never spent.