Survey says Farmers are Willing to Plant Oilseed Crops
By: Heidi Werosta
Oilseeds are crops that you can squeeze to get oils...like Canola.
Clark Coleman, Farmer, says, "I'm pretty sure my soybeans would work for their biodiesel program."
Seeds like these get used for biodiesel... it's cleaner than petroleum and it's growing in demand according to the experts.
David Archer, Research Leader, says, "There's a lot of interest particularly in the aviation industry and the military and having an alternate source other than petroleum."
The Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory wanted to find out if producers want to change what they grow in order to keep up with demand.
Research was conducted for oilseed crops -- including North Dakota-- and when it was all compiled together it found out that farmers are willing to plant oilseed crops if the price is right."
Archer says, "Over half of the producers we surveyed were willing to grow it. If they had a favorable contract."
"It depends on what I can get for contract prices," adds Coleman. Clark Coleman doesn't grow any bio seed crops right now, but says he would absolutely grow anything.
Coleman says, "You give me something that can make me a profit and I'll grow it and biodiesel is definitely on the radar...The biodiesel thing it's coming. It's been slow, but when you're dealing against the petroleum, people that don't want it, it's tough."
Archer says that right now, farmers are getting better prices on edible crops than on biodiesel. Archer says, "Profitability is the big thing." But we all know the market can change at any time.
The study also showed that producers with a college education or that use the no-till practices are more likely to switch to the oil seeds.
Source: myndnow.com
