Soybean Oil Paves the Way for Dust Control and Road Stabilization at Husker Harvest Days

Aug 30, 2022

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) sponsored an application of DustLock™ surrounding the Husker Harvest Days site. The soy-based product works to improve dust control and assist with road stabilization on heavily trafficked gravel or recycled asphalt roads. The product was applied on August 17 to nearly three miles of gravel roads surrounding Husker Harvest Days.

 

The world’s largest totally irrigated farm show paved the interior streets in 2018 but is still surrounded by gravel roads that need to be watered to control dust. Formulated by Environmental Dust Control of the Midwest, DustLock™ works to not only keep dust down, but also eliminate mud and erosion of gravel. The product is a naturally occurring by-product of the soybean oil refining process. Chemists combined ingredients in DustLock™ to make it non-corrosive and friendly to equipment and environment alike.

 

“We are excited to showcase DustLock™ that uses soybean oil at a marque farmer event,” said Scott Ritzman, NSB executive director. “This product is environmentally friendly and provides economic savings to rural areas. The soybean checkoff is always looking at ways to utilize the entire soybean composition and this product is another way of replacing petroleum oil with soybean oil, adding value to farmers’ bottom line.”

 

DustLock™ penetrates into the bed of the material and ‘bonds’ to make a barrier that is naturally biodegradable. This means that DustLock™ stays where it is applied, ensuring that the surrounding ground and water are not contaminated. It works to keep the road in place and helps solve the problem of washboards, washouts and potholes. Only one application is needed and can last multiple years based on the amount of traffic, winter blading and frost conditions.

 

“It’s definitely going to control dust, it will hold and it will work well,” said Dan Feige of Environmental Dust Control of the Midwest.

Farmers and Nebraska’s economy depend on gravel roads and DustLock™ serves as an economical alternative to asphalt or concrete pavement.

“Producers and researchers are continually advancing commodities around the world, and soybeans are no exception, said Wesley Wach, NSB demand and utilization coordinator. “Soybean oil is extremely versatile and it is incredible to see a product grown by Nebraska’s farmers play such an integral role in improving our quality of life through a sustainable solution.”

 

DustLock™ has been applied in other parts of the state and across the Midwest and farmers say it has improved safety through better visibility, caused roads to lose less gravel and has kept dust from blowing onto crops and into homes. Application locations include heavily-trafficked gravel roads near elevators, hog barns, feedlots and new community developments.

 

The Nebraska Soybean Board sponsored this application, something Husker Harvest Days attendees can check out when visiting Husker Harvest Days September 13-15 and in the coming years. Signage will mark the roads where the product was applied and DustLock™ will have a booth at Lot 507 right behind the Commodities Building on Main Street.

 

Individuals can also learn more online at dustlock.com.

View the :30 trailer of the demonstration here.

 

About the Nebraska Soybean Board: The nine-member Nebraska Soybean Board collects and disburses the Nebraska share of funds generated by the one-half of one percent times the net sales price per bushel of soybeans sold. Nebraska soybean checkoff funds are invested in research, education, domestic and foreign markets, including new uses for soybeans and soybean products.

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Photo Captions

DustLock 1: On August 17, the Nebraska Soybean Board sponsored an application of DustLock™ at Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island, NE.

DustLock 2: The product soaks into the top half inch of the road and bonds with the dirt and gravel.

DustLock 3: DustLock™ was applied to nearly three miles of gravel roads surrounding Husker Har vest Days.