Area Farmers Encouraged to Attend Switchgrass Production Meetings

In association with the UT Biofuels Initiative, county Extension agents have scheduled informational meetings for farmers who are interested in growing switchgrass for use in the planned East Tennessee cellulosic ethanol plant.

The meetings will address the specific incentives, contract terms and requirements for participating in the program.  All potential growers, lenders and other agribusiness leaders are encouraged to attend a meeting at the time and location most convenient to them. 
The meetings should last no more than two hours and will be held at the following locations:

• Monday, January 14, at the Monroe County Farm Bureau at 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 15, at Athens Regional Park Layman Building at 1:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 15, at the Blount County Courthouse room 315 at 7:00 p.m.
• Friday, January 18, at the Loudon County Extension office building at 9:00 a.m.

The UT Biofuels Initiative represents a $70 million investment by the state to decrease dependency on foreign oil while simultaneously increasing rural economic development and domestic energy production.  The focal point of the Initiative is the construction of a 5 million gallon-per-year biorefinery that will produce ethanol from biomass sources such as switchgrass and other forest and agricultural plant materials.

Of the $70 million in funding, more than $8 million has been set aside for a farmer incentive program.  This program will pay farmers on a per acre basis to produce switchgrass in advance of a mature market for the new energy crop.

In order to operate at full capacity, the plant will require approximately 170 tons of biomass per day.  With that in mind, the Initiative’s goal is to plant 800 acres of switchgrass this spring, with an additional 2,000 or more acres to be planted in spring 2009 and another 4,000 or more acres to be planted in spring 2010.  Subsequent rounds of applications will be accepted for switchgrass production in the pilot program for the 2009 and 2010 planting seasons.

Following the informational meetings, requests for Switchgrass Contract Proposals will be opened on January 31.  The selection process is expected to be complete by mid February.  Each proposal will be evaluated on a variety of criteria. 

Contact the Office of Bioenergy Programs or your local Extension office for more information.