Agricultural Engineering

September 20 2007
Extension Conference To Flow with Rainwater Harvesting Info 
BOERNE – An upcoming conference in Boerne will help people tap into harvesting rainwater for indoor and outdoor use, according to Texas Cooperative Extension organizers.

September 14 2007
Cow Power: System Could Let Cows Produce Milk AND Electricity 
COLLEGE STATION – Contented cows may be giving more than milk these days. Their manure could help to turn the lights on at farms, thanks to a project being undertaken by the Texas Water Resources Institute and Texas Cooperative Extension.

September 12 2007
Texas Cooperative Extension to Offer Rainwater Harvesting Seminar 
McKINNEY – A day-long conference in McKinney will focus on harvesting rainwater for use around the home, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

August 23 2007
New Extension Publication Gives the ‘Poop’ on Manure 
COLLEGE STATION – Proper management systems are needed to handle, store, treat and utilize animal manure in a safe and environmentally sound manner, a Texas Cooperative Extension expert said.

June 14 2007
Air Emissions Project to Get Under Way at Oklahoma Swine Operation 
AMARILLO -- Determining how much air emissions area hog facilities release from their buildings is a two-year project for a local Texas Agricultural Experiment Station air quality engineer.

June 01 2007
Gray Water Alternative for Sub-irrigating Landscape Plants 
COLLEGE STATION – When the weather turns dry, Texans may start thinking about the best ways to avoid high water bills and still maintain their landscaping. Gray water may be one option, said Dr. Bruce Lesikar, Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural engineer.

May 23 2007
Cleaner Manure Burns Hotter in Ethanol Processing 
HEREFORD – Clean manure may sound like an oxymoron, but Dr. Brent Auvermann is working with feedyard owners to help them get the most "spark" from it as a fuel source.

May 10, 2007
Dry Spring May Make Rainwater Harvesting Systems Even More Attactive 
COLLEGE STATION - With the news that La Nina may bring another dry spring to the state, Texans may be looking at installing rainwater harvesting systems to help water landscapes and ease utility bills, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural engineer.

February 28, 2007
Researchers ‘Sniff Out’ Emissions from Feedyards 
AMARILLO – Setting up an air quality trailer in the midst of cattle pens at a feedlot will help measure gaseous emissions, said a Texas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher.

February 27, 2007
Specialist Says: Producer’s Challenge is to Match Crop with Water 
AMARILLO – A tendency to plant more crop than available water will make scheduling of water applications vital this year, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

January 19, 2007
Extension Expert: Irrigation Opportunities Must Be Accompanied by Proper Planning 
AMARILLO -- Excitement and anxiety are building as irrigation producers look at the first opportunity in many years to have profitable spring crops, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.

December 26, 2006
New Publication Available on Converting Manure to Energy 
COLLEGE STATION – In the wake of higher gas prices, interest in renewable and green energy has been fueled tremendously. This led to the publication of a Texas Cooperative Extension publication called "Manure to Energy: Understanding Processes, Principles and Jargon."

November 24, 2006
What’s Your Order? I’ll Take a 60-Day Drought 
SAN ANTONIO – Tests with a new drought simulator in southern San Antonio will help determine the toughest turfgrass in Texas. The 5,000-square-foot simulator built by the Texas A&M University System's Irrigation Technology Center will help test turfgrass' ability to survive and recuperate from drought.

September 27, 2006
Composting May Be Alternative in Wake of Horse Slaughter Bill 
AMARILLO – The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, making its way from the U.S. House to the Senate, could leave thousands of horses with no final resting ground.

July 28, 2006
Texas A&M System Agencies Join Forces to Hasten Bioenergy Revolution 
(College Station, TX) - The Texas A&M University System has the scientific expertise in engineering and agriculture to become a national leader in the development of clean, renewable bioenergy – when cars run on some refined form of grease, garbage or grain – or scores of other plant and animal products.

July 27, 2006
MEDIA ADVISORY: Bioenergy to be Focus of New Texas A&M System Alliance 
NOTE TO EDITORS AND NEWS DIRECTORS: Working together to develop clean, renewable bioenergy is the goal of a new Texas A&M University System alliance to be formally recognized on Friday afternoon.

June 20, 2006
Air Quality Issues Publication Now Available for Animal Agriculture 
COLLEGE STATION - To help inform operators of animal feeding facilities about state and federal air quality regulations, a brochure titled "Air Quality Standards and Nuisance Issues for Animal Agriculture" has been published by Texas Cooperative Extension.

June 12, 2006
Fort Hood Ponds being Surveyed 
TEMPLE – For Jason McAlister, charting unknown waters is part of his day-to-day routine.

June 05, 2006
Student Interns Returning to Mexico With Improved Irrigation Skills 
WESLACO – Two students from Mexico have completed a four-month irrigation internship here and say they are anxious to return home with their newfound knowledge.

May 29, 2006
Irrigation Timing, Method Affects Producers' Bottom Line 
LUBBOCK – When does irrigation produce the most bang for the buck invested? Can farmers improve their irrigation water-use efficiency by simply changing their irrigation strategy or timing?

April 07, 2006
Economic Boost May be Fueled by Agriculture 
AMARILLO - While no single source of fuel will take the place of foreign oil, agriculture offers many opportunities to make a dent in its use and provide economic benefits at the same time, speakers said during a recent meeting.

March 14, 2006
Proper Disposal of Dead Animals Needed After Wildfires 
AMARILLO – Ranchers across the Texas Panhandle must take care in disposing of animals killed by wildfires that ravaged almost 700,000 acres, Texas Cooperative Extension experts urged.

March 07, 2006
Crop Rotation Adds Value to Irrigation 
HALFWAY – It has been awhile since agricultural researchers discovered and then proved the benefits of crop rotation. Since then, most farmers have embraced the practice of switching a piece of ground from one crop to another to improve yields, reduce erosion potential, and break insect and disease cycles.

February 23, 2006
Fort Hood, Texas A&M University System Celebrate Partnership 
KILLEEN – Appreciation for those in the military services is nothing new for the Texas A&M University System, said a Texas Cooperative Extension military program representative at a Feb. 20 luncheon in Killeen celebrating Fort Hood.

February 15, 2006
Challenging Year Lies Ahead for Cotton Producers 
AMARILLO – Cotton producers have some challenges ahead in raising this year's crop, said one Texas Cooperative Extension specialist. And conquering some of the challenges may take some different management techniques.

January 05, 2006
Irrigation Engineer Pumped Up About Afghanistan Assignment 
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Guy Fipps, a Texas Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist, gets pumped up when he's asked about his new assignment.

November 22, 2005
Improved Irrigation Scheduling Network Helps Make Every Inch of Moisture Count 
AMARILLO – With high fuel prices, no producer wants to pump more water than necessary to raise a crop.

November 17, 2005
Researchers Test Drip Irrigation Design And Returns 
HALFWAY – Crop producers on the Texas High Plains have long considered subsurface drip irrigation systems the "Cadillac" of irrigation technology. They maximize water use efficiency, boost crop yields in most cases and require less labor during operation due to automation.

October 03, 2005
Environmental Quality Management Training Now Online 
COLLEGE STATION – Dairy producers can now take mandatory training for confined-animal feeding operations without leaving their homes.

September 02, 2005
Water Team Harvests Award 
COLLEGE STATION – A team of water experts from the Texas A&M University System has won the "Blue Ribbon Award" recently.

August 29, 2005
Valley Irrigation Districts Prepare for the Next Drought 
HARLINGEN – Wayne Halbert knows it's a matter of when, not if, the Lower Rio Grande Valley suffers another drought.

August 19, 2005
Just Like Your Car: Winterize Your On-Site Wastewater Treatment System 
COLLEGE STATION – Many people think about getting their cars or home furnaces checked out before winter. Those with onsite wastewater or septic systems may want to do the same, said an expert with Texas Cooperative Extension

August 09, 2005
Casey Selected to Fill Air Quality Position 
AMARILLO – Dr. Ken Casey steps into the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station laboratory here with one goal – to help clean up the air.

July 05, 2005
Settling Dust Around Feed Yards a Matter of Management 
AMARILLO – Cattle move, dirt stirs, dust rises – it's an inevitable part of the livestock industry.

June 24, 2005
Researchers Show Air Quality Task Force How To Settle the Dust with Technology  
AMARILLO – The merger of research and applied technology was demonstrated here this week during the quarterly meeting of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Air Quality Task Force.

June 21, 2005
Texas AgrAbility Helps Impaired Ag Workers Increase Productivity 
GONZALES – The Ehrigs are not the average farm ranch couple. Larry Ehrig, 55, works from a wheelchair due to a degenerative spinal condition and multiple sclerosis. His wife, Norma, suffered two strokes in one year.

June 20, 2005
Mexicans Encouraged by Valley Water Tours 
WESLACO – Enthusiasm for improving water delivery systems in northern Mexico is running high. That's the assessment of Texas Agricultural Experiment Station officials who have hosted Mexican stakeholders on a series of recent tours of the Rio Grande Valley's agricultural community.

May 31, 2005
Lower Cooking Temperatures May 'Chill' Fried Food Carcinogen 
COLLEGE STATION – A potential cancer-causing chemical has been found in some fried food items, but it's not time yet to throw out the potato chips and french fries. Texas A&M University research is showing that cooking temperatures and storage times may decrease the carcinogen acrylamide in these products.

May 13, 2005
Plug Abandoned Wells 
COLLEGE STATION – An estimated 150,000 abandoned water wells exist in Texas, and each one poses a threat to water safety, said Dr. Bruce Lesikar, Texas Cooperative Extension agricultural engineer here.

April 15, 2005
Titan Corporation Transfers Electron Beam Equipment to TAMU System 
COLLEGE STATION - Texas Agricultural Experiment Station has a new addition to its research capabilities. The agency recently signed an agreement with Titan Corp. accepting ownership of all equipment housed in the National Center for Electron Beam Food Research, located on the Texas A&M campus.

September 30, 2004
Liquid Asset: Water Site Wins Web Award 
COLLEGE STATION – A team of water experts from Texas A&M University have won the Blue Ribbon Award from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers for the Texas Water Resources Education Web site.

September 15, 2004
Researchers Investigate Cotton Irrigation Strategies 
HALFWAY – Is there a better way to water cotton using subsurface drip irrigation?

September 10, 2004
Texas A&M Student Placed Third In The 2004 – K.k. Barnes Student Paper Award 
COLLEGE STATION -- Lindsay Birt, a senior at Texas A&M University, placed third in the 2004 K.K. Barnes Student Paper Competition.

September 06, 2004
Understanding Basis Is Fundamental To Wheat Marketing Success 
ABILENE – Wheat producers who understand basis are more likely to be successful and profitable marketers, according to a Texas Cooperative Extension economist.

September 03, 2004
National Farm Safety And Health Week: Protect Children 
COLLEGE STATION – Children who grow up on farms and ranches contribute to overall productivity. Family farms also contribute to children's development of responsibility, sense of accomplishment and work ethic.

August 09, 2004
Auvermann Receives Engineering Society Award 
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Brent Auvermann, an associate professor in biological and agricultural engineering is the recipient of the 2004 Nolan Mitchell Young Extension Worker Award presented by the American Society of Agricultural Engineering. He was honored at the organization's annual meeting in Ontario, Canada in ceremonies held Aug.

August 05, 2004
Experiment Station Research Focus For School Teachers 
BUSHLAND – Dr. Brent Auvermann's environmental systems laboratory doesn't look like a typical research facility. There's not a white lab coat to be seen anywhere.

July 13, 2004
Motorists, Farm Equipment Can Share The Road Safely 
LUBBOCK -- The 2004 crop season is in full swing. That means motorists traveling Texas highways and rural roads may find themselves sharing the road with the large, slow-moving farm equipment.

July 01, 2004
Moreira Named Director Of Center For Food Processing And Engineering At Texas A&M 
COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Rosana Moreira has been named director of the Center for Food Processing and Engineering at Texas A&M University, replacing Dr. Elena Castell-Perez.

June 25, 2004
College Mold Class Offered On The Internet 
WESLACO -- Biology and engineering students will meet on the Internet this fall to take a unique college-level course about mold and how it affects buildings and public health.

June 25, 2004
Evaporation Taking Its Toll On South Texas Reservoirs 
WESLACO -- After months of gradual increases from beneficial rainfall, lake levels at Falcon and Amistad Dams are beginning to drop, not from use by municipalities and farmers, but from evaporation.

April 07, 2004
Precision Ag Meeting Set For April 15 In Lubbock 
LUBBOCK – Farmers and agribusiness representatives can update their knowledge of precision agriculture and global positioning systems technology at an April 15 meeting at The Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension center.

April 02, 2004
Economist: Consider All Stakeholders In Water Transactions 
SAN ANTONIO – Thirsty Texas cities are looking for more sources of water to meet the needs of growing urban populations. And exporting groundwater from rural areas to the city is one way to meet that need.

February 26, 2004
Koziel Honored By Engineering Peers 
CORPUS CHRISTI – Dr. Jacek Koziel, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station assistant professor of air quality engineering at Amarillo, will receive the Texas Section of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers' Agricultural Engineer of the Year Award at the group's annual meeting this week.

February 05, 2004
Fipps Named Director Of Irrigation Technology Center 
COLLEGE STATION - Dr. Guy Fipps, professor and agricultural engineer with Texas Cooperative Extension, has been named the director of the Irrigation Technology Center.

September 25, 2003
Enciso Joins Texas A&M Faculty In Weslaco 
WESLACO -- Dr. Juan M. Enciso has joined the faculty at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Weslaco, in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, as an irrigation engineer.

September 02, 2003
Texas A&M Agricultural Engineers Garner Top Awards 
COLLEGE STATION – Sleep isn't just kid stuff. It's not a luxury or a guilty pleasure or something to be outgrown.

July 15, 2003
Irrigation Maps Available 
COLLEGE STATION – Rehabilitation for outdated and leaky irrigation canals and ditches in the lower Rio Grande Valley just got a little easier with the release of Geographical Information Systems database maps by Texas Cooperative Extension.

May 30, 2003
Water Leases Need To Be Written Carefully 
COLLEGE STATION – The law as it pertains to groundwater leases may not be concrete, but one thing is crystal clear: A groundwater lease needs to be written carefully to protect everyone – and everything – involved. That's according to speakers at a Texas A&M University conference on buying, selling and exporting groundwater.

May 02, 2003
Groundwater Conservation District Seminar Set May 28 
COLLEGE STATION – Groundwater district managers, landowners and others will have the opportunity to learn how to buy, sell and export Texas groundwater at a seminar on May 28 at the at the George Bush Presidential Conference Center in College Station.

April 24, 2003
Groundwater Conservation District Seminar Series Set May 28 
COLLEGE STATION – Buying, selling and exporting Texas groundwater will be the topic of a May 28 program at the George Bush Presidential Conference Center in College Station. The program will also be telecast to the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in San Angelo.

April 14, 2003
Parnell, Sweeten Reappointed To National Air Quality Task Force 
COLLEGE STATION – U. S. Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has named Drs. Calvin B. Parnell and John M. Sweeten of Texas A&M University and Robert V. Avant of the Texas Food and Fibers Commission to the national Agricultural Air Quality Task Force for 2003-2004.

October 18, 2002
Better Closure, Safer Environment 
COLLEGE STATION - A new publication from Texas Cooperative Extension will help livestock and poultry producers with closure. Closure of unused or temporarily out-of- commission lagoons and earthen manure storage structures, that is.

September 27, 2002
Pecos County Water District Public Planning Meetings Set 
FORT STOCKTON – Two public meetings are set for Oct. 7-8 in Iraan and Fort Stockton, respectively, to lay the groundwork for a proposed new Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District. Both meetings start at 7 p.m. in the towns' civic centers.

September 12, 2002
Tropical Storm Fay Helped, But Valley Needs Much More Rain 
WESLACO -- Scattered heavy rains in extreme South Texas from remnants of Tropical Storm Fay are providing some relief to the parched Lower Rio Grande Valley, but much more rain is needed to provide significant drought relief, water experts say.

August 21, 2002
Bruce Lesikar Named Winner Of Ag Extension Worker Award 
ST. JOSEPH, MICH. - The American Society of Agricultural Engineers has named Dr. Bruce Lesikar, agricultural engineer with Texas Cooperative Extension, the winner of one of its most prestigious honors, the Nolan Mitchell Young Extension Worker Award. The award was presented recently at a society luncheon at the Chicago Hyatt Regency Hotel.

July 24, 2002
Repairing Valley's Water System Cheaper Than Desalting Or Pipelines 
WESLACO - After four years of studying the Lower Rio Grande Valley's vast irrigation and water distribution system, Texas A&M engineers say improving the antiquated system will produce less expensive water than building desalination plants or water pipelines from other areas.

May 30, 2002
A&M Students Get First-Hand Look At Variable Seeding Technology 
COLLEGE STATION -- Agriculture students at Texas A&M University are taking precision agriculture from the classroom to the field.

May 21, 2002
Cotton Module Builder To Be Dedicated As Historical Landmark 
COLLEGE STATION -- A dedication of the cotton module builder as a historical landmark of agricultural engineering will be held at 3 p.m., May 29, in Room 208 of Scoates Hall at Texas A&M University.

May 07, 2002
Auvermann Promoted At Texas A&M's Amarillo Center 
AMARILLO -- Dr. Brent W. Auvermann has been promoted from assistant professor to associate professor in biological and agricultural engineering at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Amarillo.

April 29, 2002
Irrigation Technology Center Needed, Study Says 
COLLEGE STATION - The proposed Irrigation Technology Center is not only needed to conserve water in Texas, but it will also generate income to the state through its activities, according to a recently-released study. Plans are to build the center, which is part of the Texas A&M University System, in or near San Antonio.

January 31, 2002
Here’s Inside Poop On Most Popular Extension Publication 
COLLEGE STATION -- Quick -- what's the hottest publication flying off the shelves at county offices of Texas Cooperative Extension?

January 23, 2002
SAWS, Extension Partner To Help Folks In San Antonio Conserve Water 
SAN ANTONIO -- Water, or the lack of it, has been a major issue in San Antonio for years, a situation underscored most recently by the droughts of 1996 and 1998.

January 23, 2002
A&M’s Biological And Agricultural Engineering Announces New Department Head 
COLLEGE STATION - Dr. Gerald Lee Riskowski has been named head of the department of biological and agricultural engineering at Texas A&M University.

March 08, 2001
Extension Recommendations Playing Key Role in Reducing Ag Water Demand 
COLLEGE STATION – Recommendations by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are playing a key role in achieving a projected 20 percent decrease in water demand by agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley over the next 50 years, according to a recently-released study.

Air Quality Engineer Joins Texas A&M Center at Amarillo 
- March 05 2001 -

Texas A&M Building Renamed in Honor of Price Hobgood
- November 30 2000 -

Irrigation Technology Update, Workshop Set Nov. 27
- November 15 2000 -

Historic Landmark Dedication For Chisel Plow Oct. 17 in Amarillo
- October 13 2000 -

Web Site Offers Irrigation, Water Help For Texans
- September 13 2000 -

Noted Texas A&M Agricultural Engineer Will Retire Aug. 31
- August 30 2000 -

Cotton Precision Agriculture Meeting Set on Aug. 1
- July 27 2000 -

Hopkins Producer Wins Bet Award For Outstanding Leadership
- May 30 2000 -

Houston Youth Learning Business Skills through City Farming
- May 29 2000 -

West Texas Water Management Conference June 6
- May 24 2000 -

New Technology Will Make Irrigating Lawns Easier in the Future
- April 20 2000 -

What Would You Do Without It?
- April 20 2000 -

San Marcos Conference Puts Water Puzzle Pieces Together
- April 14 2000 -

Wide-Ranging Opinions Revealed in Texas Water Survey
- March 10 2000 -

Small Cities Need to Plan Carefully For Future Water Needs
- March 06 2000 -

Devin Honored by A&M Agriculture Program
- February 07 2000 -

Plug Abandoned Wells
- January 19 2000 -

Marek Named 'Engineer of the Year' by Peers
- November 03 1999 -

Motorists, Farm Equipment Can Share the Road Safely
- June 28 1999 -

EPA Official to Keynote Conference
- June 23 1999 -

North Plains Ag Network Designers Win State Environmental Award
- May 19 1999 -

Deere & Company Boost Cotton Endowed Chair Effort
- January 20 1999 -

Producers Urged to be Cautious When Modifying Implement Toolbars
- November 12 1998 -

James R. Gilley Receives Massey-Ferguson Educational Award
- October 26 1998 -

Statewide Water Crisis Calls For Conservation
- July 17, 1998 -

Precision Agriculture's Bright Promise, Big Challenge in Texas
- June 11, 1998 -

Texas High Plains Wheat Improvement Results Shown at Ag Day
- May 28, 1998 -

Precision Agriculture Theme For North Plains Ag Day in May
- April 08, 1998 -

Tour Planned For USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force
- March 31, 1998 -

El Paso New Home For International On-Site Wastewater Treatment Training Center
- February 05, 1998 -

Irrigation Conference Serves Needs of Area Growers
- January 01, 1998 -

High Plains to Lead Precision Agriculture Research
- October 22, 1997 -

New Study to Use Cattle Feedlot Runoff in Forage Systems
- August 12, 1997 -

Changes to PET Data Tied to Season's Unusually Cool Weather
- August 08, 1997 -

Four Irrigation Systems Part of Study at Bushland
- June 09, 1997 -

Scientists Make Strides Toward Efficient Water Use
- May 29, 1997 -

Two From Texas A&M Named to National Task Force
- February 14, 1997 -

New Named to AG Consultant's Hall of Fame
- January 31, 1997 -

North Plains PET Network Keeps Watch For Growers
- January 25, 1997 -

High Plains Irrigation Experts Headline Conference Set in Amarillo
- January 02, 1997 -

Lower Rio Grande Irrigation Conference Scheduled
- Sept. 23, 1996 -

ASEE Awards Top Engineering Educators at Annual Conference
- July 19, 1996 -

Information on Plant And Crop Water Needs Available
- July 19, 1996 -

Wetlands, Animal Waste Management Topics For Workshop
- April 11, 1996 -

Nutrient Trading And Water Quality Discussed at Conference
- September 1995 -

Multi-Use Permits Being Issued For Animal Feeding Operations
- September 1995 -

Feedyard Dust Study Shows EPA Pollution Estimates Too High
- April 1995 -

Federal, State Agencies to Review Texas Water Quality Projects
- May 17, 1995 -

Artificial Humidity May Promote Pest Deaths on the High Plains
- April 12, 1994 -

Dust-Suppression Method Should Remain Legal, Expert Says
- November 1993 -