Success Stories

Mustard Oil for Power and Pests
Peacock Industries Develops Two-Fold Market

Funding from ACS through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Biofuels for Producers Initiative (BOPI) will have double the impact for Peacock Industries of Hague, which recently utilized the funding to complete the bio-diesel portion of a two-fold business plan to produce two very different bio-products.

The company is now securing funding to build a $4-million oriental mustard seed processing plant in Saskatoon’s north end. Two products, a bio-pesticide and a bio-diesel additive, will be the first to roll off the assembly line. The pesticide is derived from mustard meal and the fuel additive is a by-product of de-oiling the meal.

“The bio-pesticide works on the same premise as mustard gas, but in a very small dose that is non-toxic to humans, with no residual effects,” says Peacock Industries’ Neil Wagner. “We use an ultra-cold press system to retain the meal’s specific qualities. It’s lethal to nematodes (microscopic worms), fire ants, and even some bacteria. We’ve done about 1,000 field trials and 95% of the time, 95% of the pests were eliminated. The product is only 1% active, so 99% of the product is nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and makes for a nice compost mix.”

Wagner is developing his bio-pesticide product, Mustard Organic Soil Stabilizer (MOSS), specifically for use on golf courses in the United States, a market recently vacated when Wagner’s only two competitors were stripped of their EPA registration because of ground water issues. The bio-diesel product will also find a home south of the border.

“Bio-diesel is a nice sideline that comes as a result of de-oiling the mustard for the bio-pesticide,” Wagner explains.

What results is a bio-diesel additive that is becoming increasingly necessary in an era of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. While protecting diesel engines from premature wear, the mustard-borne additive also has some intriguing qualities that keep it one step ahead of its competition.

“When compared to canola oil additives, mustard oil has a higher lubricity and superior cetane-enchancing qualities, which help to improve engine performance and efficiency,” Wagner says. “Not to mention the fact that a mustard oil additive winds up costing considerably less than canola oil because it does not have an edible oil market.”

Once Wagner’s regulatory paperwork is complete, his high-performance diesel additive (named BURN) has a huge market ready and waiting. An agreement has been secured with a NASCAR-level motorsports giant to distribute BURN throughout the United States as part of its retail automotive product line.

For more information on MOSS, BURN or Peacock Industries, contact Neil Wagner: phone (306) 225-4691; email neilwagner@mustardproducts.com.

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