Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- September 23, 2008
Camelina shows promise as biofuel feedstock (:50)
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Suggested Intro:
AS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS CONSIDER GROWING CROPS FOR BIOFUELS, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR VARIETIES THAT WON'T INTERFERE WITH THE PRODUCTION OF FOOD AND FEED CROPS. SOME PENNSYLVANIA FARMERS MAY HAVE FOUND ONE, WITH HELP FROM PENN STATE EXTENSION. CHUCK GILL HAS DETAILS:
Story:
(:11) ABOUT A DOZEN FARMS IN CRAWFORD COUNTY THIS YEAR GREW CAMELINA, AN OILSEED CROP THAT SHOWS PROMISE AS A BIODIESEL FEEDSTOCK. OIL FROM THE SEEDS WAS DESTINED FOR A BIOFUELS PLANT IN NEARBY ERIE COUNTY.
(:11) THE PROJECT WAS SPEARHEADED BY PENN STATE EXTENSION EDUCATOR JOEL HUNTER, WHO SAYS CAMELINA CAN BE PLANTED EARLY AND THEN FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER CROP -- FITTING WELL INTO MOST DAIRY FARMS' CROP ROTATIONS:Hunter Actuality:
(:16) "THIS YEAR, WE TRIED IT KIND OF IN A BIG WAY -- SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3- AND 4-HUNDRED ACRES. WHAT WE REALLY HOPED FOR WAS A TON OF SEED PER ACRE, AND CAMELINA SEED HAS ABOUT 40 PERCENT OIL. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE TWO BARRELS OF OIL PER ACRE."(:12) HUNTER SAYS AFTER THE OIL IS PRESSED FROM THE CAMELINA SEEDS, THE MEAL THAT REMAINS IS HIGH IN OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS, AND PENDING F-D-A APPROVAL, IT WILL MAKE A NUTRITIOUS LIVESTOCK FEED. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.
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