EB-Foragmg Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 19, 2003
From Grass To Gas: Growing
Switchgrass For Energy In The Northeast
Paul R. Adler,
Matt A. Sanderson,
R. Howard Skinner,
and Curtis Dell
USDA - ARS
University Park
Switchgrass has received
much attention as a model
perennial energy crop for the
U.S. The use of native warm
season forage grasses as an en
ergy crop may provide a crop
ping alternative for farmers.
Attributes of switchgrass de
sirable for bioenergy cropping
include its demonstrated high
productivity across many en
vironments, suitability for
marginal land, relatively low
water and nutrient require
ments, and positive environ
mental benefits.
Currently, the costs of pro
ducing energy from switch
grass and other biomass feed
stocks exceed the cost of
fossil-fuel derived energy.
However, the potential envi
ronmental benefits of bioener
gy may offset the higher costs.
Environmental benefits in
clude increased soil quality,
soil carbon sequestration, re
duced losses of soil nutrients,
protecting riparian zones and
surface water quality, recy
cling nutrients from sewage
sludge and livestock manure,
and increased wildlife habitat
value. By using biomass-de
rived fuels instead of fossil
fuels, there is a potential for
sequestering significant
amounts of carbon in the soil.
Several studies have reported
increases in soil organic car
bon under switchgrass grown
RINKLEMURST 133 "ssssr Rd - »
fIOAC THlfi i Lititz, PA 17543-0395 ~
W IWW. —' (717) 626-4705 p „ n
Fax 717-626-0996 1-800-414-4705 tel A Sff»ie of FPCFman i»l
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❖ Special Report ❖
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as a biomass feedstock in the
U.S.
Switchgrass can be integrat
ed into cropping systems and
could be used either as bio
mass feedstock or as forage
for livestock. Producers
knowledgeable of forage man
agement could readily adapt
these practices to switchgrass
in bioenergy cropping. Forage
producers already have the
machinery, technology, and
infrastructure in place to es
tablish, manage, harvest,
store, and transport the crop.
The principal constraints to
switchgrass production in the
northeast are reliable and eco
nomic establishment tech
niques and efficient use of ex
ternal nitrogen inputs.
Another issue is the potential
use of Conservation Reserve
Program (CRP) lands as a
source of biomass feedstock.
In fall 2002 we began a survey
of CRP and other grasslands
in the northeast as part of a
resource inventory.
Our research unit is con
ducting a research program
on biomass energy production
as part of an overall national
effort by the USDA-Agricul
tural Research Service. Specif
ically, our research unit fo
cuses on determining the
biomass production potential
of perennial grasses (for ex
ample, switchgrass), evaluat
ing alternative cropping sys
tems for biomass production,
and evaluating the economic
and environmental effects of
these cropping systems. This
research is primarily field-
Senate Backs Conservation Security Program
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Leaders of the full U.S. Senate
and Senate Agriculture Com
mittee agreed in February to
restore full funding to the new
Conservation Security Pro
gram (CSP), which was
slashed by nearly one-half
during final negotiations for
the 2003 federal budget, to
offset $3.1 billion in weather
related crop and livestock
losses over the last two years.
Senate leaders reportedly
pledged that the funding cuts
will not affect the program
during the current farm bill,
M l 4#;
based and will include an on
farm research component. We
have established large-scale
plots on a cooperating farm in
Westmoreland County on
which we will be investigating
how seasonal harvest time and
frequency affect both switch
grass biomass yield and quali
ty as a biofuel and how these
management practices affect
its value as wildlife habitat.
We will also measure soil car
bon changes and atmospheric
carbon exchange.
U l\\ V | VWM Pull-Type 1345
JL 1 \AJLH Mower-Conditioner
A Nobody knows hay like
Ahession
SEE YOUR DEALER TODAY!
ZIMMERMAN’S FARM SERVICE MARSHALL MACHINERY, INC.
School Road, Rt. 1, Bethel, Pa. Honesdale, Pa.
717-933-4114 570-729-7117
UMBERGER’S OF FONTANA, INC.
RD 4, Box 545, Lebanon, Pa.
C.J. WONSIDLER BROS.
Finland Rd., Quakertown, PA
215-536-1935 / 215-536-7523
Rts. 309 & 100, New Tripoli, PA
610-767-7611 /570-648-2088
due to expire in 2008, and
they will use the “first appro
priate vehicle” available to re
store full funding as set forth
in the 2002 Farm Bill.
The CSP would reward
farmers and ranchers who
practice land, water, and wild
life stewardship as part of
their ongoing work, with
“green payments” of up to
$50,000 per year (Reuters,
Feb. 14, www.planetark.org).
Full funding, estimated at
$7.7 billion through 2012,
2003 PFGC Supporting Members
The following businesses
support PFGC through their
memberships and involvement
in many PFGC-sponsored ac
tivities:
• Cargill Animal Nutrition
• Chemgro Seeds
• Delmhorst Instrument
Co.
• Doebler’s Hybrids, Inc.
• Ernst Conservation Seeds
• Farmshine
• Cenex Cooperative, Inc.
• King’s AgriSeeds
PULL-TYPE MOWER CONDITIONER
Model 1345 that combines center-pivot
maneuverability with a 12-foot cut.
would pay for all producers
with approved conservation
plans who want to participate
in the program; currently,
without additional funding
from Congress, the program is
capped at $3.8 billion.
Opponents of the program
cuts said that raiding manda
tory farm bill programs to pay
for natural disasters sets a
poor precedent, especially
since conservation initiatives
like CSP may help to lessen
the effects of drought and
flooding.
• Lancaster Farming
• New Holland N.A., Inc.
• Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s
Associaton
• P.L. Rohrer & Bro. Inc.
• Pioneer/A DuPont Com-
pany
• Seedway, Inc.
• Solienberger Silos Corp.
• Skyview Laboratory, Inc.
• Timac, USA, Inc.
• W-L Research
The 1345 offers the quality, convenience
and reliability features that Hesston has a
reputation for providing, like a modular spur
gear design, which allows each gear assem
bly and adjacent idler gear to be individually
removed and serviced. Thanks to the gear
to-gear drive, Hesston’s modular design also
offers a lower profile for closer cutting.
Featuring a unique eccentric linkage that
allows the conditioner roils to temporarily
separate, eject a slug and reset - automati
cally - to save you time and hassle.
717-867-2613
STANLEY’S FARM SERVICE
RD 1, Box 46, Klingerstown, Pa,
570-648-2088