Leon Schumacher's Home Page

Welcome!

I recently moved and I now work at NDSU and reside in Fargo, North Dakota. I previously taught courses to Agricultural Systems Technology majors for the Division of Plant Science and Technology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. My hobbies include hunting and fishing (mostly fishing) and other related outdoors activities.

My research at the University of Missouri focused on energy conservation and the use of alternative fuels for diesel engines. I have demonstrated to Missouri farmers that standard maintenance procedures to the engine and proper ballasting of farm tractors can increase their efficiency, saving them both time and money (and energy). Since 1992, I researched the use of a biodegradable, non-toxic, cleaner burning fuel for diesel engines- biodiesel. Biodiesel is made from mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids. The fuel is derived from renewable lipid sources. Operationally, it performs similar to low-sulfur diesel (LSD) in terms of power, torque, and fuel economy. Biodiesel has good lubricity when compared to LSD. I anticipate that economically, the production and use of biodiesel will enhance both rural and urban economies.

During the last few years I have researched ideas pertaining to digital systems that will be part of smart farms, and how the internet of things (IoT), along with precision agriculture, will bring about the adoption of these technologies. It is our belief that the farms and food processing facilities of the future will be more sustainable as these digital systems are adopted.