Home Page

Opinion

Biodiesel plant could be reality

To the editor:

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced Dec. 11, 2003, the grantees of the value added agricultural product market development grants, including a $500,000 award to Farmers Union Marketing and Processing Association (FUMPA) of Redwood Falls, Minn.
The grants will foster the development of new products and markets for agriculture-based products.

FUMPA applied for the grant to provide working capital funding for a proposed bio-diesel plant to be constructed in Redwood Falls. Biodiesel is a domestic renewable fuel that can be manufactured from a variety of fats and oils, including animal fat produced in the rendering process.
FUMPAís major operating division is Central Bi-Products, a full-service rendering company, with complexes located in Redwood Falls and Long Prairie, Minn.

The plan to build a 2.8 million gallon biodiesel facility utilitizing animal fat produced by Central Bi-Products has been under consideration for over a year and with the grant approval, construction and completion could become a reality in 2004.

FUMPA is a 5-state Farmers Union co-operative organization. Our goal is to produce a new source of energy from agriculture bi-products.
This organization will provide jobs in our country, so we will be less dependent on foreign oil.

Harold Eklund,
Isanti County Farmers
Union president
Dennis Sjodin, MN Farmers Union president,
both are FUMPA
board members

Top of Page

©ECM Post Review

6448 Main Street
North Branch, MN 55056
Telephone: 651-674-7025
Fax: 651-674-7026
E-mail: editor.postreview@ecm-inc.com