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Frank Lessiter

Frank Lessiter has served as editor of No-Till Farmer since the publication was launched in November of 1972, and is the Lessiter Media grower division editorial director. Raised on a six-generation Michigan Centennial Farm, he has spent his entire career in agricultural journalism. Lessiter is a dairy science graduate from Michigan State University.

lessitef@lesspub.com

Articles

ARTICLES

Shipping Out, Part 8: Panama Canal Expansion Makes Upper Mississippi River Updates Even More Critical

By Frank Lessiter posted on November 17, 2010

It's hard to believe how much grain needs to be shipped down the Mississippi River to keep the massive elevators in New Orleans working at full capacity. If we're going to double yields over the next few decades, we've also got to invest in new facilities to get these valuable grains to market around the world.

Shipping Out, Part 7: 'In 28 Days, I Only Went 10 Miles on the Mississippi River'

By Frank Lessiter posted on October 28, 2010

River delays cost time and money. With smaller locks on the Upper Mississippi River, we can expect to lose as much as $500,000 a day until problems are addressed.

Shipping Out, Part 6: Barges are Quickest, Cheapest Way to Move Grain to Export Terminals

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 28, 2010

Barges move 1 ton of grain 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel. Compare that to semi trucks that moves 1 ton of grain only 60 miles on a single gallon, and you'll see why grain barges still hold the keys to grain export.

Shipping Out, Part 5: Filling Tow Boat with Diesel Fuel May Cost Over $200,000

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 28, 2010

Keeping costs under control keeps the tow moving downriver season after season.

Shipping Out, Part 4: Mississippi River Transportation System Gets D-Minus Grade

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 2, 2010

Many locks on the Mississippi River were built to last 50 years. Those locks are now 70 years old. What happens to river transport if the U.S. doesn't invest in its infrastructure?

Farm Equipment Re-Caps In-Combine Reports from Palouse

By Frank Lessiter and Mike Lessiter posted on August 17, 2010 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

Farm Equipment editors Mike and Frank Lessiter just returned to the office after a 5-day tour through Washington and Idaho’s Palouse country.

Shipping Out, Part 3: Moving Bushels South at 3 MPH

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 12, 2010

When aging infrastructure brings barges to a standstill for as long as 12 hours, all the design in the world can't save what amounts to $100 million in delay-related costs.

Farm Equipment Editors Providing Updates of Trip to Palouse for 2010 Wheat Harvest

By Frank Lessiter and Mike Lessiter posted on August 8, 2010 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

Mike Lessiter, Frank Lessiter to share real-time updates of their travels to Washington and Idaho for this year's wheat harvest.

Shipping Out, Part 2: Bound for New Orleans

By Frank Lessiter posted on July 19, 2010

Farmers effectively grow and market their crops, but the grain still has to be transported to its final destination. Sometimes, this is a food processing plant 89 miles away, a local ethanol plant or an export market that requires barging grain down the Mississippi River.

Shipping Out, Part 1: The Rising Tide on Yields

By Frank Lessiter posted on June 29, 2010

With considerable talk taking place about the possibility of boosting average yields to 300 bushels of corn and 100 bushels of soybeans per acre by 2030, there are plenty of agronomic questions on how we can make this happen.

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