Bioenergy Conference Discusses Sustainability

Truman’s 2nd Annual Bioenergy Conference will take place Dec. 4 and will highlight the role of farms and farmland in a sustainable energy future.

This conference is targeted to anyone interested in a sustainable energy future, including high school and college agriculture faculty members, extension personnel, natural resource and conservation agency personnel and community leaders.

Recent trends in energy prices, coupled with developments in energy policy, have made it clear that agriculture will play an important role in America’s energy future. However, concerns over the growing use of biofuels and biomass, their impact on food availability and price, and their broader environmental impact, have generated debate about the sustainability of current bioenergy developments.

Dr. John Hagler, Director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture and Truman graduate, is one of the distinguished speakers presenting at the conference. He will speak at the Luncheon, which will begin at 11:50 a.m. in the Student Union Building in Georgian Room B.

The Bioenergy Conference will address production and handling of dedicated biomass feedstocks, algae oil production and utilization, alternative oilseed production, farm-level oilseed processing and biodiesel production, methane digesters and recent developments in energy policy.

Several presentations will be on going throughout the day, including hands-on bioenergy demonstrations and exhibits at the University Farm, and a demonstration of the Mobile Oilseed Crusher. There will be a free pre-conference tour of Crystal Peak Fertilizer in Green City, Mo., Dec. 3.

Funding for the conference is provided by a Professional Development Program grant from USDA’s North Central Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. For more information, contact Michael Seipel at mseipel@truman.edu or 785.4316 or go online to http://bioenergyconference.truman.edu.

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