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Mississippi State University: Walking The Talk |
More than a decade ago, Mississippi farmers recognized that the big-three rotation - corn, cotton and soybeans - needed another crop to make Delta agriculture more viable into the next century. Acting to add agricultural diversity, a program was created at Mississippi State University to research the agronomics and economics of a crop called kenaf.
Today, Mississippi State boasts a 15-member team of research scientists exploring many facets of this crop that was identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the most viable agricultural source of fiber for paper.
"We're pretty confident in our years of work in the agronomics of kenaf," said Eugene Columbus, coordinator of kenaf research at MSU and president of the American Kenaf Society. "We've developed varieties that will allow farmers to grow kenaf in different soils and locations. The big challenge now is to develop viable uses for kenaf in established industries."
Columbus said that in addition to papermaking, kenaf is being used to develop new plastics, absorbents, nonwovens, and textiles.
"We need to find as many commercial applications as possible in order to create more economies of scale for kenaf," said Columbus. "If we can do that, kenaf can compete on a more even footing with other mature sources of fiber."
At Mississippi State, Columbus said kenaf is not merely an academic exercise, noting that several departments at MSU use paper made from kenaf.
"Kenaf paper is particularly environmentally friendly," said Columbus. "Not only is kenaf annually renewable, but the processes used to make it into paper are more environmentally friendly that paper made from trees."
Even kenaf scientists have to deal with the academic world of "publish or perish," so in the fall of 1999, the book "Kenaf Properties, Processing and Products" is scheduled for release. MSU kenaf scientists Dr. Terry Sellers and Dr. Nancy Reichert edited the 500-page reference book detailing the history of research on kenaf. Columbus is an associate editor.
And, yes, all 1,500 copies will be printed on Continuum kenaf paper. "We believe in what we do," said Columbus.
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