f Garden State Moving Ahead With Ethanol Plans Pa. Introduces Biofuel Bill In Senate DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff BORDENTOWN, NJ. The final planning stages are under way for a New Jersey facility that would produce ethanol and other products from com, according to members of the group working on the project for the past two years. “Everything is down to the wire now,” said David Fink of the Garden State Ethanol (GSE) Board, a group of farmers and agribusiness professionals from the region. Fink, a Lehigh County farmer and member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Commodity Com mittee, said the board is review ing contractor proposals for building the plant and preparing to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for permission to sell stocks to farm ers who want to invest in the project. While a site has not been se lected for the facility, several pro spective locations in South Jersey are under consideration and will be finalized within the next two months, according to project coordinator Ed Stahl. Permitting and construction could potential ly begin on the site within a year, he said. According to Stahl, the pro posed plant would be capable of converting 11 to 14.5 million bushels of corn per year to etha nol and its “co-products” food grade carbon dioxide and dried distiller’s grain. Ethanol is not feasible to pro duce 4n the easterm U.S. without Lancaster Farming's quarterly exclusive booklet, Dairy Plus, begins its 2002 season with the Feb. 23 issue, devoted to manure management issues and techniques. Special features include managing odors, manure handling guides, and other issues important to the dairy producer. Also scheduled: cooperative news and an update on a calf cloning project, in addition to farm calendar and university columns Agricultural Generators Spectrum Detroit Diesel LSKaI -KgkmmmiT i wmwmm i^r^^uur immm 1 L.P. Gas, Diesel, Natural Gas Generators" 25 to 135 KW Units 5 to 2,000 KW In Stock! Service - Rental - New & Used Units In Stock systems ■* •* »•» » > -/ v * **■ >» *•. x Power Generation Systems Specialists Call Leonard Martin '‘•*>>'*<t<*******»**«******«***«**««*«««*»«««********4 *v * **,*.*,*,*, A, ♦,*,•, *, capitalizing on the other two products, according to board member Fink. “The value of the co-products is actually more important than the ethanol,” he said. Carbon di oxide would be marketable in the form of dry ice and in the carbon ization of beverages, while dried distiller’s grain is an “enhanced nutrient livestock feed.” The farmer-owned facility would be capable of producing more than 90,000 tons of dried distiller’s grains and 90,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, according to Fink’s figures. Producing ethanol in New Jer sey would offer economic, agri cultural, and environmental ben efits as well as decreased dependency on imported oil and the gasoline additive MTBE, according to a recent GSE report. Nationwide proponents of ethanol and other biofuels have been expressing their support for a federal Renewable Fuels Stan dard (RFS), as recently intro duced by several bills in Con gress. Such a new RES would would mandate the increasing use of re newable fuels in motor vehicles. Additionally, Pennsylvania Senator Mike Waugh (R-28) re cently introduced legislation call ing for support of the production and use of biofuels. If adopted. Pa. Senate Bill 1253 would mandate direct pro ducer payments to encourage bio fuel production in the state, a capital investment program to encourage the development of production facilities, an agricul- 0330 Fonderwhite Road, Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-4544 Fax 717-273-5186 tural fuels tax rebate, and prohi bition of MTBE. Meanwhile, agricultural and economic development leaders from York County and the sur rounding region have been ex ploring the possibility of ethanol production in the area. At a Jan. 17 meeting of the Southcentral Pennsylvania Young Farmers Association, York County Ag Economic De velopment Specialist Scott Welsh spoke on the potential of ethanol production in southcentral Penn sylvania. “The meeting was positive,” Welsh said, estimating that about 50 farmers were in attendance. Some who buy grain for their livestock expressed concern that a local ethanol plant would drive up com prices. Ethanol production, however, would provide investment oppor tunities for farmers rather than “directly impact com prices,” Welsh said. A feasibility study begun late last year is still looking at a nine county area for a possible ethanol production site. Results of the $30,000 study should be available in early March, according to Welsh. The ethanol steering commit tee, originally based in York County, is expanding to include members from a wider area, in cluding Adams, Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Franklin, and several Maryland counties. According to Welsh, ethanol facilities in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania would not be detri mental to the success of either project. “We feel the total area could sustain two plants,” he said. While ethanol production to date has mostly occurred west of the Mississippi River, plans me under way for several plants in more easterly states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee, according to informa tion provided by Garden State Ethanol. Bradford County Holstein Club Conducts Annual Meeting CAROLYN N. MOYER Bradford Co. Correspondent ATHENS (Bradford Co.) An enthusiastic group of Brad ford County Holstein breeders braved winter weather conditions Saturday, Jan. 19, to elect board members and review plans for the coming year. Newly elected as directors for 2002 are Joe Kenyon, Keith Thomson, and Dean Jackson. They join continuing board mem bers A 1 Calkins, Jeff Jenkins, Scot Walrath, Sandy Crawford, Dick Packard, and Linda Kisner. Junior Pennsylvania Holstein members are also planning a busy year. As a fundraiser, junior members plan to auction them selves off to work on a farm for a day. Suggested duties include catching up on registrations, fieldwork, and bam cleanup. Bradford County junior mem bers are also scheduled to com pete in the Pennsylvania Dairy Quarry ville To Host Grazing Conference Innovative Producer/Marketers On Slate QUARRYVILLE (Lancaster Co .) Focusing on “opportuni ties for small farms,” a southeast Pa. grazing conference set for Feb. 11 and 12 will offer the chance to leam about grazing and marketing from those who are doing it. Mike Hartman of Minnesota and Wilmer Newswanger, Frank lin County, will discuss their ex periences with on-farm process ing and marketing. David Kline, Amish farmer from Holmes County, Ohio, and author of several books, will de tail the profitability of small farms. “Bigger isn’t always better” will be the first of Kline’s presen tations on Monday. On Tuesday, he will discuss the future of small farms and how they can stay ahead. Billy Wayson from Virginia will take us with him on the jour ney from a financial planner to a small seasonal family dairy oper ation. He has much practical ex perience in thinking “outside of the box.” Jerry Brunetti from northeast Pa., back by request, will discuss ...ring Sysi>, _ Systems • Utility Augers • Gram Bins • Gram Dryers We Install Total Package. ' Parts & Motors Or We Provide Free Bin-Jack Use With Your New Bin Purchase • Transport Augers aParmaster 2 Ton Mini Feed Bin w/ladder and unloading slide. Unloading clearance 35” Ideal for Small Application. #790113 $ 599 00 «*.*»«•*,*,*, *, «, *, *, 4 * * * ****** *********** *********** Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 26,2002-A25 Bowl competition. Serving on the junior team are Courtney Slater, Sierra Slater, Ben Miller, and Crystal Miller with Heidi Miller as the alternate. The senior team consists of Joshua Ford, Justin Ford, Angela Adams, and Bobby Sue Adams. The teams will com pete Feb. 9 in Altoona. In other business, the North east Holstein Championship Show will be Aug. 20 at the Troy Fairgrounds. Jim Burdette will officiate. Roger Kingsley, a Bradford County Holstein member, enter tained the group with a slide show featuring some of his favor ite pictures. Kingsley is a field ed itor for Country, a national mag azine. He has also had several photos published in the Hoard’s Dairyman calendar and other farm publications. He also of fered some tips to the group about improving their own pic tures. how healthy soil contributes to success with grass. A round table on direct mar keting is set for Monday at 6:30 p.m. The discussion will be led by Newswanger, Hartman, and Doug Gunnick from Minnesota. Tuesday starts with Gunnick detailing grass and portable fence management. Art Thicke from southeastern Minnesota will talk about uncon ventional and low-cost methods of operating a grazing farm. In the afternoon, Brunetti will ex amine the basics of grass nutri tion and how to supplement cows on pasture to maintain a healthy rumen and good milk flow. Both days will allow plenty of time to ask questions and discuss with speakers various aspects of this business opportunity for small farms. Exhibits will also be displayed related to grass and grazing. Registration is $30.00 per per son and includes lunch both days. Space is limited and early regis tration is encouraged. To register, contact Arden Landis at (717) 529-6644.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers