SoyFoam on Display During AgroExpo

A retired firefighter says farm fires could have better outcomes if SoyFoam was used to fight them.

Pat Butler says he’s made it his mission to get fire departments to stop using foams containing PFAS chemicals after surviving cancer following his 30-year career in the fire service.

“We gotta quit using this stuff because it’s bad for you,” he says. “It’s bad for the environment. It’s bad for our firefighters’ health.”

He says rural fire departments often rely on expansion foams to reduce the amount of water needed for calls to remote areas. Switching to the biodegradable foam, Butler says, could prevent forever chemical contamination.

“Say we have a barn we’re storing hay in, and it catches fire, if we go in and we spray the hay with the SoyFoam, put the fire out, the hay that got the overspray on it isn’t ruined,” he explains. He says SoyFoam could also limit PFAS use on field fires and wildfires.

Butler and the Michigan Soybean Committee demonstrated the product with local firefighters this past week at the AgroExpo in St. Johns, Michigan.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

SoyFoam is a great example of a plant-based product that is better for human health and the environment, and also has the potential to significantly expand the market for soybeans. It is effective in snuffing out fires and certainly lowers the risk of harmful chemicals causing cancer in humans or long-term impacts to the environment. People should listen to Mr. Butler because he has first-hand knowledge as a firefighter and someone who has experienced the harmful effects on his own health.

By the way, TCAG was in attendance at AgroExpo to promote AgPack® and CAD members to the roughly 5,000 farmers in attendance. Even better, a huge number of people actually sought us out to share how much they appreciate what TCAG and CAD dealers like you are doing to help agriculture. Spread the word and keep up the great work out there!