Using Energy Wisely on the Farm and Ranch
There’s no avoiding this reality in farming: Energy is one of the more expensive components of raising crops and livestock. In fact in 2006 direct energy expenitures in agriculture accounted for 5-7 percent of farm expenditures. An earlier USDA study found that nearly half the cost of production was for spent for energy. Ag Success Stories
A new report from the Environmental Law & Policy Center relays stories of farmers and rural small businesses that are making clean energy their newest cash crop. Farm Energy Success Stories highlights clean energy projects that were made possible with grants and loan guarantees from the Farm Bill’s Rural Energy for America Program. A $26,000 grant for a drip irrigation system in Juniata, Nebraska is highlighted in the report.
Agricultural Information Center for Farmers
The USDA Energy Matrix is a search tool designed to help farmers and rural residents find energy-related USDA programs which span across agencies and mission areas. Users may search by a combination of agency, program group, energy type, and assistance type.
Groundbreaking Research Begins in Iowa
A team of researchers in Ames, Iowa, are undertaking a groundbreaking study of multi-crop, high yield plant combinations for the simultaneous production of biomass, feedstock, and grains. Seventy-five test plots are underway for this multi-year investigation. The researchers, in cooperation with the Ecology Initiative of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, hope to develop biomass cropping system plans that are profitable, environmentally sound, and resilient. Videos, a press release, and a detailed description of the project can be found on the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture website.