By Melissa A. Nagel, Valley Ag Voice Contributor

The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) was among the many exhibitors on-hand at the World Ag Expo’s 55th show in Tulare, CA this February. The Expo is the largest agriculture exposition in the world and hosts upwards of 100,000 guests each year, bringing a large influx of revenue to Tulare and its surrounding areas. Valley Ag Voices’ own Russell Johnson had the opportunity to talk propane one-on-one with the council and get some feedback on how propane benefits the agriculture industry.
The majority of farm equipment is powered by diesel fuel, but there has been a push in recent years to find cleaner sources of energy to decrease emissions and improve air quality. On one side of that initiative, you will find new electric options for farming equipment and on the other side, you will find propane. While many will argue that electric options are the way to go, the Propane Council aims to educate the public about how using propane-powered equipment can actually be a ‘cleaner’ solution.

When asked how propane can deliver solutions in California and agriculture across the board, the Council’s response is that propane products such as propane forklifts are “…cleaner than the electric grid can produce power here in the state of California.” This all boils down to the fact that propane is clean energy that is being burned at the source, while electricity must be produced off-site and transferred from the power plant to the needed source through power lines and is less efficient all-around.
Propane is a clean energy source that meets EPA regulations, is approved under the Clean Air Act, and provides a reliable source of energy for farms across America. There are many propane equipment options available from forklifts and generators, to heating systems and grain dryers, and more. The Propane Education & Research Council also has an incentive program that can save producers up to $5,000 for qualifying purchases. If you would like to learn more about PERC and how they are helping the Ag industry, as well as offering solutions for the home, visit www.propane.com.