Grower plans on running the farm with camelina biodiesel
Washington Ag Today August 11, 2010 Fifth generation wheat and barley farmer, Steve Camp, of Lacrosse, Washington has dedicated part of his farm to the oilseed crop camelina with a specific goal in mind. Camp: “ I have been interested in alternative fuels the last few years and I have been toying with biodiesel. At this particular point I am embarking on a venture to be 100% sustainable by growing my own oilseed crop and making my own biodiesel.” Camp has expanded his camelina production from 50 acres at the start to 200 acres. On average he yields between 11-hundred to 12-hundred pounds per acre, compared to only 900 pounds per acres of mustard or canola. And Camp says the inputs are a whole lot less. Camp: “This is one of those areas where I think you really need to look at more than the bottom dollar. I mean it has to pay yes. But even if it broke even, even if you didn‘t make a dollar off of it, you would be able to guarantee yourself you own fuel every year. By handling my own product I am my own middleman. I am my own end user. I am my own producer. So I get to take all those pluses that come from that crop belong to me. I don‘t pay anybody else to do it.” Camp sees producing his own fuel as a national security issue too. He argues disrupting transportation and agricultural production would be a lot more difficult if farmers are producing their own fuel in smaller batches around the U.S. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
