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CapitalPress.com
November 11, 2016
People & Places
Invention cleans air in spud cellars
Garry Isaacs finds
a method to add
humidity, take
particles out of air
Capital Press Managers
Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager
Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
Capital Press
Invented in 1985
Isaacs, founder of Isaacs
Hydropermutation Technol-
ogies, developed the pro-
totype of his invention in
1985, initially planning to
use it for industrial emissions
control.
“I put it on a (power
plant) smoke stack, and it
turned the water into ink,
which indicated I was onto
something,” said Isaacs, a
self-educated inventor who
previously built and managed
sawmills.
For several years, he li-
censed humigation to a Penn-
sylvania hazardous waste
incineration business, which
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Garry Isaacs stands inside his Chubbuck, Idaho, shop with a humigation machine. The machine, popular in potato storages, rids the air of
particulates while increasing humidity.
never took it to market. He
also entered discussions with
a Missouri coal-fired power
plant.
Isaacs, who holds two pat-
ents on the technology, ulti-
mately found his niche within
the potato industry.
Growing market
His son, Blake Isaacs,
said about 50 units have been
sold to potato growers in sev-
en states and two Canadian
provinces. The machines sell
for $9,000 to $25,000 each,
depending on the size. A cou-
ple of carrot growers have ex-
pressed interest in humigation
recently, and Blake sees po-
tential markets within green-
houses and urban agriculture.
Humigation has also proven
effective at removing pow-
dery mildew spores in testing
at a Colorado marijuana grow
house.
Western Innovator
Garry Isaacs
Age: 75
Education: Self-educated
Business: Isaacs Hydropermutation
Technologies in Chubbuck, Idaho
Hometown: Pocatello, Idaho
Innovation: Humigation machines that remove pathogens and
particulates from the air while adding humidity
Family: Wife, Linda, and children: Brandon, Blake, Darren, Heath,
Merritt, Kyle, Seve and Ben
“Almost two years ago,
Dad approached me about
joining the business and tak-
ing it over because he felt
like it had a lot of potential
to grow,” said Blake, an elec-
trical engineer who worked
for several years in consum-
er electronics but now holds
a controlling interest in the
business his father started.
“I agreed with him that the
technology has huge po-
tential in multiple markets
— certainly starting with
agriculture.”
How it works
Isaacs explained his in-
vention mimics the natural
process by which rain drop-
lets form, cleaning the atmo-
sphere of spores, bacteria and
particulates.
His machine uses an im-
peller to suck in the air, blend-
ing it with fine water droplets.
He relies on the Venturi effect
— a reduction in fluid pres-
sure that occurs when liquid
flows through a pipe with a
constriction — to form sever-
al low-pressure zones where
water vapor can merge with
particles.
The moisture accumulates
in a tank for disposal, while
the remaining humidified air
is cleaned of 99.65 percent of
particulates down to 0.4 mi-
crons.
They plan to market their
invention at trade shows be-
ginning next year.
The company and Idaho
State University microbiol-
ogist Pete Sheridan have ap-
plied for an Idaho Global En-
trepreneurial Mission grant to
further research the efficacy
of humigation.
Washington rancher Richard ‘Dick’ Yoder dies
March 16, 1934-Oct. 29, 2016
Dick Yoder, 82, of Custer,
Wash., passed away on Satur-
day, Oct. 29, 2016. Dick was
born in Los Angeles County,
Calif., on March 16, 1934,
to Lester and Vivian (Strain)
Yoder.
After graduating from
Hemet High School in Hemet,
Calif., he joined the Navy in
1952.
He married Karen Bounds
in 1956 in Hemet, Calif.
He was a salesman for Ford
Tractor in Hemet and later,
after moving his parents to
Custer, Wash., he and Karen
Calendar
decided to move their family
to Blaine, Wash., where he
worked for Intalco.
Dick and Karen started
and continued to dairy and
row crop farm for many years
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Through Saturday
Nov. 12
Tri-State Grain Growers Con-
vention, Coeur d’Alene Resort, 100
Sunrise Blvd., Coeur d’Alene, Ida-
ho. www.wawg.org/convention/
Friday-Sunday
Nov. 11-13
Saturday, Nov. 12
Molalla FFA Alumni Annual Auc-
tion and Dinner. 4:30-9 p.m. Molalla
High School, 357 Frances St., Mo-
lalla, Ore. The silent auction begins
at 4:30 p.m. It will be followed at 6
with a full tri-tip dinner and an oral
auction at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20.
503-651-3302
California Women for Ag Din-
ner, 5-8 p.m. On Broadway with
Two Guys, 153 S. Broadway, Tur-
lock, Calif. Keynote speakers will
be John Duarte of Duarte’s Nursery,
and the Pacific Legal Foundation.
(916) 441-2910 or statecwa@
gmail.com
Tilth Conference, Wenatchee,
Wash., Convention Center, 121 N.
Wenatchee Ave. The Tilth Confer-
ence brings together hundreds of
farmers, producers, researchers
and food system professionals to
network and learn. This is a great
way to meet others in your field,
enjoy locally sourced meals and
participate in fun evening events
around Wenatchee. http://www.se-
attletilth.org/
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Holiday Inn
Express, 707 Montague Road, Yre-
ka, Calif. Sponsored by the Califor-
nia Wolf Center.
Friday, Nov. 11
Tuesday, Nov. 15
Wolves, Livestock and Peo-
ple meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Fort
Jones Library, 11960 East St.,
Fort Jones, Calif. The essential
relationship between stockman-
ship and stewardship will steer
discussions about people, wolves
and livestock in Northern Cal-
ifornia and Southern Oregon.
Sponsored by the California Wolf
Center.
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester ..........................President
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Sid Freeman .................. Outside director
Mike Omeg .................... Outside director
Corporate officer
John Perry
Chief operating officer
By JOHN O’CONNELL
CHUBBUCK, Idaho —
Reed Searle says he’s found
a cost-effective way to rid
potatoes in storage of diseas-
es without using additional
chemicals.
The Shelley, Idaho, farmer
has installed machines called
humigators — invented by
businessman Garry Isaacs and
manufactured in a small, local
shop — in all seven of his po-
tato cellars.
Isaacs’ invention contin-
uously recirculates the air,
removing pathogens and par-
ticulates while boosting hu-
midity, which also reduces
losses to tuber shrinkage.
Searle, who raises red and
yellow potatoes, once strug-
gled to protect spuds in long-
term storage from silver scurf
and black dot.
“Since I’ve used (humi-
gation), I have not had that
problem,” Searle said. “This
is about the only thing that
really gives you season-long
control.”
Capital Press
Monday, Nov. 14
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Holiday Inn
Express, 565 Clover Lane, Ashland,
Ore. Sponsored by the California
Wolf Center.
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Bonanza,
Ore., Community Center. Spon-
sored by the California Wolf Center.
Tuesday-Wednesday
Nov. 15-16
North State Precision Ag Expo
and Farm Business Forum. 8 a.m.-
6 p.m. Glenn County Fairgrounds,
221 E Yolo St., Orland, Calif. Sem-
while raising their family.
Over time Dick, Karen,
and son Dale started a small
Registered Polled Hereford
ranch, as that herd got bigger
the dairy herd got smaller and
smaller until the dairy cows
were gone.
Dick was a member of
the American Polled Her-
eford Association, Ameri-
can Hereford Association,
Whatcom County Agricul-
tural Advisory Committee,
Whatcom Conservation Dis-
trict board, Whatcom Coun-
ty Cattlemen’s Association,
and the Washington State
Cattlemen’s Association.
Dick is preceded in death
by parents, Lester and Viv-
ian Yoder; brother, Charles
Yoder; and daughter, Sharin
Yoder.
Dick is survived by his
wife of 60 years, Karen Yo-
der; children, Alan (Joan)
Yoder, Renetta (Patrick) Pol-
lock, Dale (Tammy) Yoder,
Deborah (Jay) Johnson, and
Nadine Weatherby; grandchil-
dren, Jeff Yoder, Chris Yoder,
Victoria Pollock, Cabel Pol-
lock, Katie Yoder, Clark Yo-
der, and Megan Weatherby;
and sister, Betty (George)
Borlace. He will be missed
by his entire family and many
friends.
A celebration of his
life was planned for Fri-
day, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m. at
Hope Lutheran Church, 900
East Grover St., Lynden,
Wash.
In lieu of flowers, if de-
sired, please make donations
in his honor to the Washing-
ton Cattlemen’s Endowment
Fund, P.O. Box 96, Ellens-
burg, WA 98926.
Please share memories at
www.molesfarewelltributes.
com
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
inars will focus on such topics as
the best way to use soil monitors,
drones for spraying and other ap-
plications and agriculture-related
phone and tablet applications.
Topics at the business forum will
include succession planning, family
consulting, financial planning, lead-
ership development and creating a
successful business culture. http://
bit.ly/2fkmjOA
Tuesday-Thursday
Nov. 15-17
Willamette Valley Ag Expo. 9
a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m.-9
p.m. Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Thursday. Linn County Fair and
Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte
Road E, Albany, Ore. http://wvaex-
po.com
2016 Washington Farm Bureau
96th Annual Meeting & Trade Show,
Yakima, Wash., Convention Center.
http://wsfb.com/2016-wfb-96th-an-
nual-meeting-trade-show/
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Yamhill Soil & Water Conserva-
tion District annual meeting. 5:30-9
p.m. McMinnville Community Cen-
ter, 600 NE Evans St., McMinn-
ville, Ore. The annual meeting will
include the annual report, honor
community members for their ac-
complishments and include a silent
auction. www.yamhillswcd.org
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. McCloud
River Mercantile Hotel, 241 Main
St., McCloud, Calif. Sponsored by
the California Wolf Center.
20 Northwest Locations
Wednesday-Thursday
Nov. 16-17
Pacific Northwest Vegetable
Association meeting. Three Rivers
Convention Center, 7016 W Gran-
dridge Blvd., Kennewick, Wash.
Sessions on onions, vegetables,
pest management and organic will
be featured. The keynote speaker
will be Eric Olson on the “Current
State of Beekeeping.” www.pnva.
org
Oregon Water Law Conference,
8 a.m.-5 p.m., Downtown Portland
Embassy Suites. www.theseminar-
group.net
Thursday, Nov. 17
Oregon Tall Fescue Commis-
sion meeting. 6-8 p.m. Cascade
Grill restaurant, 110 Opal St. NE,
Albany, Ore. www.oregontallfescue.
org
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Heritage
Room, Inter-Mountain Fair, 44218 A
St., McArthur, Calif. Sponsored by
the California Wolf Center.
Thursday-Saturday
Nov. 17-19
West Central States Wool
Growers Convention. Sun Valley
Lodge, Sun Valley, Idaho. The an-
nual Wool Growers convention for
Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.
Friday, Nov. 18
Denim and Diamonds Dinner
and Auction, 5-10 p.m. Oregon
Convention Center, 777 NE Mar-
tin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland.
1-800-765-9055
Oregon Aglink presents its annual
celebration of agriculture. www.
aglink.org
Wolves, Livestock and People
meeting. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Serpilio
Hall, Plumas-Sierra County Fair,
204 Fairground Road, Quincy, Calif.
Sponsored by the California Wolf
Center.
Saturday, Nov. 19
Forest Insect & Disease Field
Day. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. North Idaho Col-
lege Parking Lot “A” near Hubbard
Street, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Par-
ticipants will get first-hand exposure
to a wide range of organisms that
impair the growth of trees and for-
ests in North Idaho. Those wishing
to participate should pre-register at
the University of Idaho Extension
Office in Kootenai County by Fri-
day, Nov. 11. Cost: $15. http://www.
uidaho.edu/extension/forestry
Friday-Saturday
Nov. 25-26
Open Alpaca Barn. 10 a.m.-4
p.m. Alpacas of Oregon, 21345
SW Aebischer Road, Sherwood. In
Washington County’s wine coun-
try, just off Highway 99. Meet the
summer’s alpaca babies and their
mothers.
www.easygofarm.net/
AOOThanksgiving
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Hearing on proposed changes
to agricultural worker protection
standards. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Pine
Grove Grange, 2900 Van Dorn
Drive, Hood River, Ore. www.oro-
sha.org
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Index
California ...............................11
Idaho .................................... 10
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Oregon .................................. 9
Washington ........................... 8
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