Using the same principles that have been used to scrub smoke stacks for decades, hog and poultry producers now have access to technology that can reduce in-barn dust levels by between 60 and 80 percent.

"The new technology is called EPI and that stands for electrostatic particle ionization. What we do is we charge the airspace in a confined feeding structure. We charge it with negative ions. Those ions quickly polarize any particle in the air, making that dust particle into a little magnet. It then wants to ground out to any grounded service," explains John Baumgartner, president of Baumgartner Environics.

Lower dust levels lead to improved animal health.

"If for example, we're removing 60 percent of the dust. We're going to, at the same time, be removing about 55 percent of the ammonia and other gases that adsorb to the dust particle. We're also going to remove about 65 percent of pathogens, like bacteria, that also attach or adsorb to a dust particle," he explains.

He says a 3 years of research work shows that a 20 thousand bird broiler flock raised with EPI earns an extra 4.5 cents per bird per cycle, due to increased meat gain. Studies also indicate that average daily gain in nursery pigs increases by around 13 percent.

Baumgartner notes reduced dust levels also create an improved environment for farmers and farm employees.

"We have employees now who flip coins to see who gets to work in the EPI treated area, so it does provide a better working environment," he says.

The system has no moving parts and Baumgartner says you can treat the air in an 8 thousand square foot barn with roughly the same the power used by a single 100 watt light. The system costs about $1.25 per square foot.

Baumgartner is working with Steinbach-based Paradigm Agri-Solutions to introduce the technology to western Canada.