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Texas Agriculture Archive

May 3, 2002

TFB testifies on energy issues...

As we move closer to the 78^th Legislative session, legislators have been traveling throughout the state gathering information on issues that will be at the forefront of next session.

The Senate Committee on Natural Resources met recently in Amarillo to hear testimony on interim charge number five, "to study and make recommendations on the research and use of alternative fuels and fuel additives in Texas. The Committee shall assess the cost-benefit of innovative technology in converting solid and agricultural waste into fuel and fuel additives."

Ned Meister, Director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, testified on behalf of Texas Farm Bureau on a system currently being developed to help the dairy farms in the North Bosque watershed.

"For the past two and one half years, the Texas Farm Bureau has been investigating the feasibility of an on farm manure handling process that abates air and water environmental problems, returns revenue to the farm, and attracts the private sector as funding sources for the system," he said.

The system is composed of an anaerobic digester that will process manure for the extraction of methane gas to power an electrical generator, a water clarifying system that will remove a large amount of the phosphorus, and a composting process that finishes the digestate for commercially usable compost applications.

The system will be financed in part by a grant awarded to TFB by the Philip Morris Shared Solutions Program, the contractor, and the dairyman.

Meister concluded his testimony by sharing with the committee some of the opportunities that the system would have to offer including improving in the dairy's net income, reducing nutrient loads to water sources, reducing water consumption through reuse, producing power for sale to utilities to meet "Green Power" requirements, and producing compost for agricultural use.

Rep. David Swinford, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, testified at the hearing on the importance of having a state program that encourages the use of alternative fuels and fuel additives such as ethanol. Rep. Swinford said that not only would the use of ethanol provide a cleaner burning fuel for the environment, but producing it in Texas would provide a much needed boost to the rural economy.

To keep Texas Farm Bureau members better informed on legislative issues, the Austin legislative staff continues to post on our website (www.txfb.org) interim charges, committee hearings, and testimony given on issues important to agriculture and rural Texas. You can access this information by going to the Texas Farm Bureau website and clicking on the legislative link.