PROMOVENDO EFICIÊNCIA NA SECAGEM DE GRÃOS DE MILHO: UMA ABORDAGEM EXTENSIONISTA PARA ANÁLISE DE CUSTOS NOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DA AMÉRICA E BRASIL

Among the extension activities that the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG) offers to academics is The Ohio Program, as a part of The Ohio State University, which supports students seeking international experience. With regard to the institution’s Agronomy course, in interacting with farmers from different coun-tries, extension workers are most often challenged to systematize information by comparing crop management in different regions. As a result of extensionist activities, farmers elected as a goal for academics to compare the cost of drying corn grains (Zea mays) in the US and Brazil. For analysis of the corn drying system in the United States of America (USA), the property Frahm Farmland Inc., located in the city of Colby in the state of Kansas, (39°20’13.58”N 101° 8’20.00” was chosen O and altitude of 1,000 meters from sea level). The reference data for Brazil were based on the average amount invested in programming the storage unit on the Fazenda Cachoeira property, in the municipality of Ivaí in the state of Paraná (24°56’29.29”S 50° 47’36.36”W and an altitude of 846 meters at the sea level). The sampled data took into account the drying efficiency of both countries, being based on the information contained in the technical specification catalog and drying costs according to the conditions of the properties. It is concluded that corn grain drying costs in Brazil are 4.7 times lower than drying costs in the United States of America. The disparity in value per ton was increased by fuel and operating cost variables. The operating cost in the North American country was high mainly due to the embedded technology and better remuneration of professionals. The results were disseminated to those invol-ved through reports, presentations and publications. With the information, USA and Brazilian farmers were able to analyze the similarities and differences between the two countries, the post-harvest strategies chosen in the nations involved and the impact of costs on the product sold in an international market. The importance of extensionist activities in the formation of students is sedimented; surpassing in rural areas the limits between countries, languages and cultures. Dentre as atividades de extensão que a Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG) oferece aos acadêmicos está o The Ohio Program, que dá suporte aos alunos que buscam a experiência internacional. No que se refere ao curso de Agronomia da instituição, na interação com agricultores de