News 11's Valeria Rodriguez spoke with John Beckett and the University of Arizona about what the future holds for rubber production in Yuma.
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A Yuma man is growing a plant that naturally produces rubber, commonly known as the rubber vine.
He believes it could help Yuma County economically.
This small factory can produce rubber that can be used to make a variety of things, including tires and gloves.
Rubber grower John Beckett shows how easy it is to remove rubber.
He got all his knowledge from his father.
“He ran a USDA experimental farm in Bird, California in the '20s,” Beckett said.
Beckett has been doing this for about 40 years and said it's all about patience.
“Honestly, it took me several years to discover the problem of growing it, shaping the vines, harvesting, processing, and making the final product,” Beckett explained.
In the 1980s, Beckett and his father started growing rubber grapes in Yuma.
“They grew quite a bit, but it never became a big product because they didn’t have a harvester and I didn’t have a harvester,” Beckett said.
Having worked with the plant for many years, they found another source of natural rubber, the guayule plant, but Beckett said, “The quality is nowhere near the quality of this rubber.”
The University of Arizona has been experimenting with guayule since 2012 to see what else it can produce.
“It's called bagasse, and it's what's left over after extraction. You know rubber. I think it can be used for biofuels and other on-site products,” said Diaa Elshikha, assistant irrigation specialist at the University of Arizona. he explained.
Elsika explains why this type of plant won't catch on quickly in Yuma County.
“They grow vegetables in a range that covers most of the United States and Canada, so it's a big industry. And all of a sudden they're growing vegetables in guayule compared to another crop that they've been growing for at least 80 years. “To ask them to move, they are familiar with guayule and they can make a lot of money from it. It's very difficult,” Elsika said.
Although it hasn't been a success, Beckett still has high hopes that farmers will connect with him and start growing rubber grapes on their fields.
