The National Farmers Union and The Climate Network kick off a green energy tour today in Millbank, South Dakota at the Midwest Dairy Institute.
NFU President Roger Johnson said the tour’s purpose is to teach family farmers and ranchers that opportunities in renewable energy could be a boon to their operations. Johnson said benefits of renewable energy include additional revenue for rural communities and farmers, less dependence on foreign oil and a smaller environmental footprint.
NFU seeks to promote renewable energy in a sustainable environment. The tour will provide information to farmers and policymakers on the benefits of renewable energy, its role in rural economic growth and the opportunity for an extra revenue stream for farmers as well as attendant environmental benefits. The tour will allow for firsthand dialogue with a German farmer and renewable energy expert. Findings will be summarized in a policy report that will be released in Washington, D.C., at the end of July. The first stop of the tour in Millbank will include a tour of a biogas digester and a panel discussion.
“There are many, many possibilities for renewable energy, and this tour seeks to show just what some of those possibilities are,” said Johnson. “Today’s events in Millbank include a tour of a biogas digester, which can take a variety of waste products and transform them into energy. Later this week, there will be a variety of presentations on wind energy, biomass gas, advanced biofuels, and many other renewable sources of energy.”
Leave a Reply