Page 20—Ag Progress Section 2, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 12, 2000 Field Day Proves ‘Tree-Free’ Paper Products Possible From Kenaf ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff HOLTWOOD (Lancaster Co.) Under a tent in the pour ing rain recently, Mississippi State University Agronomist Brian Baldwin held up a packet of tissues with some Japanese writing intermixed with English. The English was clear: “We Love The Earth.” Japanese writing indicated the product was made from kenaf. Kenaf is a fiber crop and a re newable raw material that can be used in a variety of household products. Its use is almost unparalleled in paper products. Pulp paper can be manufactured from the shredded whole stalk of kenaf, shown here. www.kramerallrad.com With a consistently customer-oriented product policy, KramerAllrad has been going strong for 75 years and has over 450 machines running in North America. Today the enterprise ranks #1 in the prominent manufacturers of all wheel construction machines. The assortment covers wheel loaders, excavator loaders and mobile excavators of up to 100 HP performance strength. In foundation engineering, above ground construction and agriculture industry, KramerAllrad machines pro’ through their agility, stability and perfon Kramer machines have the tightest turnii industry and our tipping loads never chan straight ahead, PERIOD. • 418 Telescopic • 60 HP 320 (55 HP), 418(60 HP), 4187(60 HP), 420 (60 HP), 420 T (60 HP), 520 (72 HP), 520 HR (72 HP), 620 (82 HP), 620 HR (82 HP), 720 (100 HP) Why is it so popular in Japan? Because, Baldwin said, a Japa nese federal mandate dictates that 20 percent of all paper products in use must be “tree free” by the year 2002. Strict clean water standards require that paper production be less “dirty,” Baldwin noted. With kenaf, there is little waste because the kenaf paper doesn’t require bleaching. Baldwin spoke at the 7th annual farm field day recently at the Steve Groff Family Cedar Meadow Farm near Holtwood. One grade of kenaf (pro nounced ka-NAF) produced from the long fibers in the bark Models Available: of the East Indian hibiscus plant is used to make pulp paper, used in newsprint (such as this news paper). The whole stalk kenaf is used for pulp for newspapers not the highest quality. The purest kenaf (“bast”) goes into making book and letterhead grade paper. Baldwin provided samples of Crane letterhead paper made with bast at the field day. Some product (two-thirds, which is the core) goes into making fiberboard and other molded products, noted Baldwin. But the Japanese use kenaf in fast food wraps even coffee filters. “The Japanese are great at doing this,” Baldwin said. An economically viable crop, of which 15,000 acres are soon /cninjg^a DependaWt farm equipment since 1945 CENTRELINE BAGGERS See Us At AG PROGRESS DAYS Aug. 15,16,17 W sth Street ADAM’S SUPPLY P 0, Box 821, Brownslown, PA 17508 717-656-6508 going into full-scale production in South Carolina, a variety called Tainung II seems the most economically feasible, ac cording to Baldwin. (That vari ety leaf also bears a resemblance to the Marijuana plant leaf.) The seeds are supplied from Mexico and south Texas. Baldwin works on a project, begun in 1989, on kenaf product development research. The project, which began with 3,000 acres, includes 1,000 acres in Mississippi (from a high of 6,000 acres in 1993, Baldwin noted). Interest in kenaf peaks when newsprint paper goes up and kenaf producers can find mar kets. The high-grade kenaf is used in letter quality paper. The paper is about 50 percent kenaf and 50 percent cotton the MILLENNIUM MAGNUM New! 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L HCRR & 8A(5% 310 Park Ave., Quarryville, PA 17566 717-786-3521 • MAINTENANCE WORK AT LARGE INTERVALS • ENGINE ACCESSIBLE FROM ABOVE • PROMPT SPARE PARTS DELIVERY • EXTREMELY HIGH PAYLOADS •TIPPING LOADS NEVER CHANGE - THEY STAY CONSTANT same combination used in making ball caps. One ball cap on display with kenaf was pro duced for the MSU Bulldogs. The cap was manufactured in the U.S. by Strohm Manufactur ing, Clarksdale, Miss. Other household products on display at the field day included burlap made in Guatemala; “Lizard Litter,” for snakes, tor toises, and arachnids, made in Charleston, Miss.; “Delta Dri,” small animal bedding, also made in Charleston, Miss.; and fiber board with laminated wood layers. Ford uses kenaf in pressed car panels. Some kenaf is mixed with plastics or resin to be molded to any shape. The kenaf-based newsprint is acid-free, so it won’t yellow over time. Even with lower-grade (Turn to Pago 22) Bar Height 97“
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers