NCGA Staffers Attend “Energy from Agriculture” Conference (12-19-05)

The potential of U.S. agriculture to supply significant amounts of renewable energy was among the main topics discussed at the “Energy from Agriculture” conference in St. Louis last week. The event, attended by several National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) staff, was sponsored by the Farm Foundation and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The conference featured several insightful discussions on potential market impacts of increased ethanol production, use of dried distillers grains in livestock diets, methods for energy conservation in agricultural production, and rural development success stories.

NCGA Director of Commercialization and Business Development Geoff Cooper said the conference showcased the important role agriculture is playing in meeting U.S. energy needs.

“With more than 4 billion gallons of grain-based ethanol capacity online today, America’s farmers are already making an important contribution to the U.S. energy supply,” Cooper said. “This conference underscored the fact that an increasing share of our energy will come from agriculture as we continue to look for alternatives to imported oil.”

Several sessions brought attendees up to date on current USDA programs and efforts.

USDA Rural Development also held a session on its energy programs and explained how farmers and ranchers can secure federal grants for renewable energy projects.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight and USDA Rural Development Undersecretary Tom Dorr spoke at the event. Knight explained his agency’s role in educating rural America about energy conservation, and Dorr moderated a panel discussion on rural development success stories.

Panelists from the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency discussed current efforts regarding implementation of the renewable fuels standard established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.