Home-Grown Prosperity "Energized" in MT
Monday, June 25, 2007
Many Montana farmers and ranchers feel "energized" this week after Congress approved an energy bill with incentives for home-grown fuel like bio-diesel and ethanol. Helen Waller is a long-time wheat farmer in Circle. She says energy crops are seen as a savior for stagnant rural economies.
“This allows us to become a vital part in energy production by growing the crops that we need for ethanol and biodiesel.”
A push by several energy companies for competing "liquid coal" technology incentives was voted down. It was seen as too expensive, too slow and too polluting. Waller notes that economic analysis shows investments in biodiesel and ethanol plants create three times as many jobs as "liquid coal" investments.
He adds that biofuel crops may also help recruit new farmers and ranchers who have been reluctant because of falling crop prices..
“This is what we call home-grown prosperity. This gives them an opportunity to get into the development by building small-scale plants.”
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