WBA issues a Legislative Action Alert

Nearly 50 were in attendance at the monthly meeting of the Wisconsin Biodiesel Association that was held Wednesday in Madison. It was an informative session including presentations focused upon "Wisconsin Biodiesel: Growing a Renewable Energy Industry."

The challenges that confront the biodiesel industry in Wisconsin were explored. Production and distribution of biodiesel, feedstock issues, and market development within the state were examined. John Wilson, lobbyist from Michael Best & Friedrich, talked about the items included in the legislative initiative that has been advanced by WBA, along with an explanation of the way in which passage of these budget items will address the concerns outlined.

It's now "crunch time" in the State Budget process. A WBA Legislative Action Alert has been issued that explains how you can most effectively contact your state legislator and the Governor's office to encourage their support for the biodiesel industry initiative in this budget. We encourage you to do so this week as budget deliberations in the Legislature's Joint Conference Committee show promise of soon coming to a close.

Fortenbery to speak at Biodiesel/Biofuels Seminar in Madison November 6th

MADISON,, WISCONSIN – September 28th, 2007 – T. Randall Fortenbery, Ph.D, will keynote the "Biofuels Seminar" in Madison on November 6, 2007. Fortenbery is the Renk Professor of Agribusiness and Director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute in the Dept. of Applied Economics at UW-Madison. He will be addressing the "Future of Biodiesel/Biofuels Industry, Feedstock and Project Execution Considerations.

WBA President Jeff Pieterick is also scheduled to address the Seminar in a break-out session that will examine "Biodiesel Project & Commission Considerations."

This Seminar is sponsored by Emerson/Novaspect and will be held at the Monona Terrace Convention Center from 8:00am until 4:00pm. Click here for Registration information.

Evansville declared "Soybean Capital of Wisconsin"

"Soybean Festival" scheduled for October 20th

Evansville is proud of their heritage as the center for most of the soybean production in the State of Wisconsin. The community is sponsoring a "Soybean Festival" in the schools the week of October 15-20th, with a community-wide celebration to be held at the High School on Saturday, October 20th.

This festival is focused primarily upon education and promises to have something to offer the entire family. Attendees will learn about soybeans and soy products, with ample opportunity to taste various food items made from soybeans. Tours will be conducted to local farm fields to witness the soybean harvest, with a swing past the construction site where North Prairie Productions is building a 45 million gallon per year capacity biodiesel plant that will convert soy oil into renewable biodiesel.

Pack up the kids and join with us on October 20th as we help celebrate Evansville's heritage as "The Soybean Capital of Wisconsin."

100+ bu/acre soybeans? Pioneer Hi-Bred to market new variety

DES MOINES, Iowa -- DuPont Co. said Friday it will introduce new varieties of soybean seeds next year that could increase yields by as much as 12 percent per acre.

The announcement comes as soybeans are becoming more prized because of their use in diesel fuel and as health-conscious consumers warm to the idea of soy-based foods.

DuPont's Iowa-based subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred, will commercialize the five new varieties of soybeans pending final trial results this fall, the company said.

Read complete article here

Just a Reminder: WBA Meeting Wednesday in Madison

"Wisconsin Biodiesel: Growing a Renewable Energy Industry."

9:30 until Noon
Downtown Madison
Hope to see you there!

Farm Tech Days a Great Success for Wisconsin Biodiesel!

The Wisconsin Biodiesel Association sponsored a very successful presence for biodiesel at this year's Farm Tech Days, held September 18-20 at the Plain View Stock Farm near Albany. Many farmers and others interested in Wisconsin agriculture stopped by to learn about biodiesel and to share their excitement about "Home Grown Fuel for a Better Wisconsin."

Our thanks to the many volunteers who made possible the participation of WBA in this very impressive event.

Open House at Sanimax marks milestone for Wisconsin biodiesel

Sanimax held an Open House at their new biodiesel plant in Deforest on Tuesday, September 18th. At 20 million gallons per year capacity, this facility is the first major producer of renewable biodiesel to come online in Wisconsin. Sanimax's proprietary technology allows them to manufacture biodiesel from soy oil and other vegetable oils, as well as from waste oils and animal fats.

Click on the link to read and/or view a WISC News 3 "Going Green" report on the Sanimax Open House and plant tour.

WBA at 2007 Farm Tech Days

WBA welcomed many visitors to the biodiesel display that was arranged in the UW-Extension Applied Technology tent at this year's Farm Tech Days. The Expo continues through Thursday. We encourage you to visit the event at Albany, and stop by to see us as you take it all in!

EPA "Grow & Go" Program matches Shippers with Truckers using biodiesel

An expanded federal initiative and growing customer demand for “green” shippers are expected to accelerate biodiesel use in the trucking industry.

Through its new “Grow and Go” program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is educating the industry about biodiesel benefits and matching product shippers with truckers that use the bio-based fuel.

Grow and Go is part of EPA’s SmartWay program, which encourages technologies and strategies aimed at improving fleet energy efficiency while reducing air pollution.

NBB Report: Biodiesel Helps Environment, Food Supply

Sept 12 , 2007 -In May of 1998, the US Department of Energy (DOE) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the results of the Biodiesel Lifecycle Inventory Study. It compared findings for a comprehensive "cradle to grave" inventory of materials used; energy resources consumed; and air, water and solid waste emissions generated by petroleum diesel fuels and biodiesel in order to compare the total "lifecycle" costs and benefits of each of the fuels. This 3.5-year study followed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and private industry-approved protocols for conducting this type of research.

It found that for every unit of energy that goes into making biodiesel, 3.2 units are gained. That’s a very high energy balance, especially compared to diesel. For every unit of energy that goes into making diesel fuel, only .88 of a unit is gained, for a negative energy balance.

"Biodiesel Harvest" Promoted at Farm Tech Days

ALBANY, WISCONSIN – September 17th, 2007 – Wisconsin’s biodiesel industry is meeting with farmers at this week’s Farm Tech Days to promote biodiesel use during this year’s harvest. The farm exposition is being held September 18-20 in Albany.

Jeff Pieterick, President of the Wisconsin Biodiesel Association (WBA), acknowledges that Wisconsin farmers are already among biodiesel’s biggest advocates and therefore don’t need to be sold on the benefits of using the alternative to petroleum diesel. “Promoting the use of biodiesel to Wisconsin farmers is a bit like taking coal to Newcastle,” says Pieterick. “The Wisconsin Soybean Association and others in the state ag industry understand biodiesel and have historically promoted the home grown fuel as a value-added agricultural product that supports this nation’s energy independence.”

The WBA “Biodiesel Harvest” promotional effort at Farm Tech Days, however, is designed to take the state’s biodiesel industry to the next step in its development by increasing availability of the product for consumers. WBA is asking farmers to request biodiesel from their local fuel distributor to help fuel this Fall’s harvest. By demanding biodiesel from their suppliers, farmers will encourage distributors to make biodiesel more available not only to their farm customers, but to all retail purchasers of diesel fuel.

Complete article here

Additional information from United Soybean Board here

Research shows biodiesel greatly improves health impacts of diesel exhaust

Science Daily — Researchers at Deakin University have found that diesel exhaust is far more damaging to our health than exhaust from biodiesel, the plant-based fuel.

Associate Professor Leigh Ackland, Associate Head of Deakin's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, led a team of researchers who compared the effects of diesel exhaust and biodiesel exhaust on human airway cells. They found that diesel exhaust damaged and killed the cells, while biodiesel exhaust had little effect.

read entire article here

Landmark advances soybean crush effort for Evansville

Landmark Willing to Build Soy Crush Facility with State's Help
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 09/14/2007

The city of Evansville, which was recently proclaimed as the Soybean Capital of Wisconsin, has even more news to boast about in the world of bioenergy. On Thursday, Landmark Services Cooperative announced they are willing to partner with the state of Wisconsin and the city to begin the financing process on a long awaited soybean crushing facility--but lawmakers have to make the first move. Landmark said it is committed to matching any investment made by the state toward a soybean crushing plant in Evansville, up to a maximum of $4 Million.

See complete article here

WBA will be at Farm Tech Days

Wisconsin's Farm Tech Days is being held this year at the Plain View Stock Farm near Albany Wisconsin. The show will run from Tuesday, September 18 through Thursday, September 20.

This premier farm show presents an excellent opportunity to discover what's new in agribusiness in Wisconsin. The WBA will have an exhibit in the Applied Technology tent where we will be encouraging farmers to request biodiesel for their equipment as they engage this year's harvest.

"Wisconsin Biodiesel: Growing a Renewable Energy Industry" is topic for WBA Meeting in Madison September 26th

The WBA will present an overall look at Wisconsin's bodiesel industry at our meeting in September. This meeting - open to the public with free admission - will offer four presentations from industry representatives that will explain the opportunities and challenges that confront the industry. In addition, we will explore ways the WBA is attempting to promote and advance the growth of biodiesel in Wisconsin.

Please join us as we look to the future with an eye toward establishing biodiesel as a "Home Grown Fuel for a Better Wisconsin."

A full agenda and meeting details are available here