Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, July 05, 2007
Support ethanol plant
I attended the Sparta Butterfest and was interested to learn about the ethanol plant that Sparta’s elected officials are considering. I have been the general manager of the Farmers’ Co-op in northeast Iowa for the past 25 years. I have personally been using ethanol for 35 years.
I like the fact that wherever ethanol is produced, there are livestock and healthy farm economies. Some people talk about the rising price of corn. Let me tell you — this will happen no matter where the plants are built. But the traffic (and use of fuel) is less when transportation distance is reduced by having a local market. Corn will be on the road no matter where the plants are located.
High slopes, like you have in your area aren’t good for soil conservation. And soybeans aren’t good for conservation either. But converting soybean fields to cornfields makes for good conservation.
What I have seen in Iowa is one town denying the approvals to build an ethanol plant. Guess what happened. The plant was built in a neighboring community and that community is enjoying the huge economic advantages (and not having any of the predicted problems with odor or traffic congestion). If the city of Sparta doesn’t open its doors to this opportunity, some other community very close to you will.
I hope that when I come to Butterfest next year, I will see construction under way for an ethanol plant that will be a source of pride to the area.
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