The first research grant in conjunction with California Polytecnic State University (CalPoly) in San Luis Obispo, California, was completed in late September. That first effort was focused upon applying hitgh energy x-rays into soil samples and then detect and quantify the amount of ozone created by x-ray radiation. esults from those experiments provided us with information that allows us to move forward to the goal of replacing methyl bromide with ozone as the principal agent for soil fumigation. This research was conceived from the concept that ozone would be an excellent fumigant when applied to preplanting soils.The literature on this subject clearly indicates that ozone is effective in killing nematodes, bacteria, fungi and weed seeds found in agricutural soils. Ozone, when appliied to planting beds, was effective in killing these organisms to a degree even better than methyl bromide, with the added beneifit of not leaving any chemical residue in the soil. Only diatomic oxygen remains after a period of time when ozone loses ionization.

Ozone is l.isted as a biocide by Federal and State EPA agencies. That classification allows its use in agriculture without any permiting from pesticide agencies.

The second phase of this research will take place this summer, focusing on designing and developing equipment capable of producing copious amounts of ozone in the field.

Below is a copy of a facility layout to be constructed in San Luis Obispo, California. This facility will house the X-ray his facility will operate as an x-radiation demonstration marketing tool. Here will be demonstrated to growers, producers of the agriculture-food industry precisely how x-radiation processing benefits specific commodities ang the value added to those commodities.

This facility will be in part dedicated to research and development of improved x-radiation processing and its numerous applications in solving specific problems in the agriculture-food industry.

AgSCAN will operate the overall facility in support of improving food safety and food preservation, and for support of consumers information regarding this process.

FACILITY WILL COVER NEARLY 50,000 SQUARE FEET. THE LAND AREA WILL COVER NEARLY FOUR ACRES. COLD STORAGE, BOTH FREEZER AND COOLERS, FOR SHORT TERM STORAGE OF FOODS AND PRODUCE.

LABORATORIES FOR RESEARCH OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY, NUTRITION, AND OTHER CHEMISTRIES WILL SUPPORT THE OVERALL PROGRAMS AT AGSCAN.

A FULL ENGINEERING STAFF WILL UNDERTAKE THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO THE OVERALL GOALS OF FOOD SAFETY, PRESERVATION AND THE NEW AREA OF SOIL REMEDIATION BY X-RADIATION.

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A SECOND DESIGN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR AgRAD LLC, AND IS PLANNED FOR CONSTRUCTION AT NOGALES, ARIZONA. THIS FACILITY IS MUCH LARGER, AND INTENDED FOR FULL COMMERCIAL SCALE OPERATION OF X-RADIATION PROCESSING FOODS ARRIVING FROM MEXICO. THE ANNUAL THROUGHPUT OF THIS FACILITY MAY REACH OVER ONE BILLION POUNDS PER YEAR. ALSO, AT THE NOGALES LOCATION, AgRAD LLC WILL PROVIDE X-RAY IMAGING OF EACH PALLET OF FOOD PASSING THROUGH THE SYSTEM IN THE SEARCH FOR CONTRABAND, INCLUDING WEAPONS OR THEIR COMPONENT, EXPLOSIVES, AND VARIOUS MATERIALS AND DEVICES UTILIZED BY TERRORISTS AGAINST TARGETS IN THE U.S.

THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE A COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, PROVIDING NEARLY A 100% INSPECTION OF FOOD COMMODITIES ARRIVING AT OUR BORDERS.

AgRAD LLC IS A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SPECIFICALLY ORGANIZED TO BUILD THE STATE OF THE ART X-RADIATION FACILITY AT NOGALES.

e-mail info@agscan.net Tel: 805-528-1492

Prepared by AgSCAN Inc. 2006