FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/25/2008

 KIRKSVILLE, MO – Recent trends in energy prices and 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. 

 National experts will confront these issues at a Bioenergy Conference to be held December 5, 2008, at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.  The conference will provide professional development training targeted to high school and college agriculture faculty members, extension personnel, natural resource and conservation agency personnel, community leaders, and anyone interested in a sustainable energy future. 

 Speakers will address a range of bioenergy topics.  Dr. David Bransby (Auburn University), Dr. John Hay (University of Nebraska), and Dr. Jack Juvik (University of Illinois) will cover production and utilization of grassy biomass sources.  Woody biomass sources will be covered by Dr. Gregg Johnson (University of Minnesota), Roger Korenberg (MO Dept. of Natural Resources), and Dr. Hank Stelzer (University of Missouri).  Thomas Feighny, J.D. (Underwood Attorneys and Counselors at Law; Amarillo, Texas) will discuss what landowners need to know when negotiating wind energy leases.  Thomas Suffield (Cedars Capital, LLC; Houston, Texas) will lay out options for financing bioenergy projects.  Bioenergy entrepreneur Steve Flick (Flick Seed Company/Missouri Bioenergy) and bioenergy consultant Bill Belden (Prairie Lands Bio-Products, Inc.) will share lessons learned from bioenergy projects that are up and running.

 Conference organizer Michael Seipel, chair of the Truman Agriculture department said, “Farmers, landowners, and young people entering agriculture need current and accurate information to help direct agriculture’s role in our energy future.  This conference brings together a set of bioenergy researchers, consultants, entrepreneurs, and financiers that you don’t often see on one conference program.  Attendees will walk away with the information that they need to answer landowner and student questions.” 

 Conference registration is $50 and includes a resource notebook, DVD, lunch, and refreshments.  Additionally, a waiver of the registration fee plus a travel scholarship of $200 will be awarded to each of 40 applicants who plan to use this information in educational or outreach activities.  Funding for the conference is provided by a Professional Development Program grant from USDA’s North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE).

View the full conference program and download a registration/scholarship application at http://bioenergyconference.truman.edu.  Registration deadline is October 25, 2008.  Scholarship application deadline is October 1, 2008 and scholarship recipients will be notified by October 25, 2008.

For more information, contact Michael Seipel at mseipel@truman.edu or 660-785-4316.