Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

As climate change concerns creep into new laws, a recent study shows farm policy is already aiding the cause and has potential to further curb gases that cause global warming.

“Mitigating Global Warming through the Farm Bill,” a study released by the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), is the first to examine the potential greenhouse-gas savings as a result of the farm bill's energy title programs.

“This study shows how robust clean-energy programs in the farm bill can counteract global warming while helping farm families and rural communities,” said Charles Kubert, the study's co-author and ELPC's senior environmental business specialist.

In a conference call, researchers cited energy crops, wind power, solar power and other clean-power sources as reasons the energy title and on-farm efforts already are making a difference in reduced emissions and has the potential to reduce emissions more if fully supported in the farm bill.

For example, among other figures, the study found:

€ Grain-derived ethanol potentially reduces relative greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent to 29 percent compared with gasoline emissions;

€ Cellulosic ethanol has the potential to displace 85 percent to 90 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with gasoline;

€ Biodiesel has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 80 percent compared with petroleum diesel fuel;

€ Wind power generated by a 1-megawatt turbine can displace about 1,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year and generates no greenhouse gas pollution; and

€ Anaerobic digesters that process livestock manure waste can capture methane and generate up to 2,900 megawatt hours of electricity, potentially displacing about 4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.

Among others, these are an example of farm projects already making a difference and have the potential to do more, notes John Moore, senior ELPC attorney.

“The energy title, with only a couple of really well-funded programs, has already been a huge success,” he said.

Kubert says if all programs in the upcoming farm bill's energy title are fully taken advantage of and supported, the programs have the potential to displace about 57 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution per year.

“That number - 57 million metric tons - is per year. These are not one-time savings, they would continue through the life of the programs,” he said.

To accomplish that feat, the study suggests lawmakers allot $1 billion to the energy title, Moore says.

“We assume, over the next five years, at $1 billion per year (designated for the energy title) that is still less than 2 percent of total farm bill budget,” he said. “Let's hope Americans look back later and are grateful for the foresight of this Congress.”

The researchers noted every bit of funding helps the cause.

“Even with the relatively modest funding of less than $100 million a year in the last few years, several programs from the 2002 farm bill are encouraging farmers and rural businesses to invest in clean energy production and efficiency improvements, which also results in greenhouse gas savings,” the study states.

Overall, researchers hope Congress will note the potential effect of the farm bill on energy projects and displacing emissions. They hope to see an increase in funding.

“Between the House and Senate, we think they both have a ways to go to meet $1 billion per year,” Moore said.

Fully funded programs will not only help the United States meet its reduction in emissions' goals, but farmers will benefit, too.

“We believe that it would be a win-win-win for everyone,” Moore said.

The study's authors used their findings to note the opportunity the next farm bill presents.

“Global warming is the single biggest challenge of our times,” Moore said.

“We know that for global warming concerns, the next five years are important,” he said, noting the next farm bill will cover the same period. “The farm bill is the next big opportunity to tackle this.”

Comments »

Freddy wrote on Jan 22, 2008 12:29 PM:

" Welch's foods which is a cooperative organization owned by grape growers who are farmers and in partnership with NanoLogix are producing hydrogen thru a bioreactor from sugar waste water,grape waste and plant waste,which will be delivered for less than $1.00 == to a gallon of gasoline.Approve them for grant money under the farm bill. Thank you, We the people!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

*j@rie* wrote on Dec 19, 2007 9:42 AM:

" I think this movie will help us to realize, how to become aware of this situation that happen now or soon as possible. Maybe we should think and think more, how can you help about the "Global Warming" from solving this kind of problem. I hope that every will cooperate and support this kind of situation. Maybe we can survive. "

Caley wrote on Dec 14, 2007 8:06 PM:

" I think that any effort is worthwhile to curb greenhouse gases and should be adopted. I also think that each new building erected for business, commercial, or residential should be built to encompass current energy technology and that all new structure should have at least one generating device for electricity that is dumps it's output into the energy grid, and that those owning that structure should be credited for that energy production towards their electric bills. "

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