Wisconsin Essay Contest Winner Announced

Isabel Cupino of Oconto Falls, Wis., has been named the Wisconsin winner of the 2009 GROWMARK essay contest for FFA members. The theme of this year’s contest was “Homegrown Fuels: Good for American Agriculture.”

In her contest entry, Cupino said: “Ultimately, the increased usage of these alternative fuels decreases the demand for oil. Reducing our dependency on this non-renewable resource will offer America the opportunity for an economic boost through the advancement and development of the biofuel industry on our own soil.”

Cupino is a student at Oconto Falls High School and a member of the Oconto Falls FFA chapter. Her FFA advisors are Crystal Retzlaff and Beth Porior.

As the contest winner, Cupino will receive a $500 scholarship from GROWMARK at the Wisconsin FFA State Convention, held in Madison during June. The Oconto Falls FFA chapter will also receive a $300 award in honor of her accomplishment to help future students.

Four state runners-up will each receive a $125 scholarship. The runners-up and their FFA chapters are: Sarah Henderson, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau FFA; Brad Hesebeck, Clinton FFA; Ben Julka, Laconia FFA, and Breanne Wieser, Elk Mound FFA.

Students were asked to describe renewable homegrown fuels made with agricultural commodities and the benefits they provide.

This is the sixteenth year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues in agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives.

Cupino's essay is below.

BIOFUELS: GOOD FOR COOPERATIVES, GOOD FOR AMERICA

“Homegrown fuels will help America reach our goal of a more domestic fuel source. The use and production of E diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol will essentially add to U.S. gasoline supplies and strengthen our independency from foreign oil.”
-Lewis Bowman
Servco FS Cooperative
Antigo, WI

E diesel, biodiesel, and ethanol are three of the most advantageous types of biofuels. E diesel is composed of diesel, ethanol, and other additives that prevent the ethanol and biodiesel from separating at very low temperatures. This biofuel helps unmodified diesel engines to burn cleaner. Currently, E diesel fuels are considered experimental, but they can be used in off-road application and have shown to release considerably less greenhouse gas emissions.

Biodiesel is a clean-burning fuel that is produced from domestic and renewable resources. It is derived from natural oils like soybean oil. It contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. In 2008, the United States was estimated to have produced 700 million gallons of biodiesel.

Ethanol is a renewable alcohol fuel made mostly from agricultural resources such as corn, switch grass, and sugar cane. Mid-level blends of ethanol like E20 and E50 are less expensive than standard gasoline, but have been shown to increase the gas mileage on many vehicles. According to a study from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, ethanol production has also caused retail gasoline prices to be $0.29 to $0.40 per gallon lower than what would have otherwise been the case. The United States is the leading producer of ethanol, producing 6,498,600 gallons of the grain-based alcohol in 2007.

However, this amount has yet to make a dent in the world oil consumption of 4,000 million tons of oil per year.

Today the U.S. imports more than half of its oil, leaving American consumers at the mercy of other oil-exporting nations. The use of E diesel, diesel, and ethanol reduced our dependence on these foreign and non-renewable oils, enhances our energy security, and contributes to our own economy. These domestic biofuels also create thousands of new American jobs that cannot be outsourced, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support rural communities and farmers.

So what do the major engine manufacturers say about these alternative fuels? When I asked Mr. Bowman, he mentioned the recent ethanol mandate in Washington D.C. to increase the blend rate of ethanol from the current 10 percent to 15 percent. Mr. Bowman said that the major automakers are behind this mandate as it would be a way to reduce reliance on petroleum imports and give a needed boost to the future of the industry.

Mr. Bowman also put an emphasis on the importance of cooperatives, saying that, “Cooperatives matter to our country in the current energy crisis because biofuels are the fuel source of the future. Cooperatives help farmers to produce the crops necessary to manufacture these biofuels by giving them a better price for their product and by making it easier for them to buy more inexpensive equipment and supplies. And, since cooperatives are member-owned, the whole community benefits instead of one or two individuals.”

Ultimately, the increased usage of these alternative fuels decreases the demand for oil. Reducing our dependency on this non-renewable resource will offer America the opportunity for an economic boost through the advancement and development of the biofuel industry on our own soil. Cooperatives further the production of biofuels by significantly helping member-owners to produce the crops needed. By asserting our energy independence and taking control of our fuel supply and demand, it could also positively impact our national security and foreign policy.

The grassroots efforts of cooperatives, such as Servco FS in Antigo, are helping Americans take control of ever unstable energy prices. I believe that farmers and cooperatives are ready, willing, and able to lead the United States toward energy security and independence.

Illinois Essay Contest Winner Announced

Kaitlin Magsamen of White Heath, Ill., has been named the Illinois winner of the 2009 GROWMARK essay contest for FFA members. The theme of this year’s contest was “Homegrown Fuels: Good for American Agriculture.”

In her contest entry, Magsamen said: “This is a perfect example of the full circle that American dollars would go in because the farmers are the ones growing the crops to make the fuels, and if Americans are the ones buying the fuels, more of the U.S. money is staying in the United States and not leaving the country to buy as much foreign oil, which in turn would help our economy.”

Magsamen is a student at Monticello High School and a member of the Monticello FFA chapter. Her FFA advisor is Bryce Hoffman.

As the contest winner, Magsamen will receive a $500 scholarship from GROWMARK at the Illinois FFA State Convention, held in Springfield during June. The Monticello FFA chapter will also receive a $300 award in honor of her accomplishment to help future students.

Four state runners-up will each receive a $125 scholarship. The runners-up and their FFA chapters are: Savannah Bradford, Leroy FFA; Jamie Kruenegel, Vandalia FFA; Thomas Marten, Lincolnwood FFA; and Amelia Martens, Orion FFA.

Students were asked to describe renewable homegrown fuels made with agricultural commodities and the benefits they provide.

This is the sixteenth year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues in agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives.

Magsamen's essay is below.

Wouldn’t you rather the money you spend on fuel come round trip back to the United States rather than it going to another country? I think that many of us would; it would help our nation’s economy, save the world’s oil supply, and also save you money.

It would help the economy because instead of sending your money overseas it would be coming back to U.S. ethanol producers. It would also lessen our dependence on foreign oil, because ethanol (corn based fuel), biodiesel (soybean based diesel), and E-Diesel (ethanol based diesel) are grown in our country and therefore we would have to import less oil. Matt Busby (Piatt County FS manager) explains perfectly “…our only challenge is that today we can’t produce all we need, but anything that we can produce, it sure limits the amount of foreign oil that we have and the dependence on it.”

Since American famers would be the ones growing the crops for our fuel, you would be supporting the local economy by purchasing homegrown fuels. It would also reserve our oil supply, which statistics show is greatly needed, since oil is a nonrenewable resource and corn and soybeans are renewable. So as long as we have farmers growing corn and soybeans we will always have a source for our fuels.

Most car manufacturers are being very supportive of the move to use ethanol and biodiesel. They have made it so all cars are able to run on at least a 10 percent ethanol blend in any vehicles and at least a 5 percent blend in the diesel. Since car manufacturers are becoming more familiar with the grain based fuels they are continuing to make an attempt to raise the amount of ethanol and biodiesel in all fuels. They are also making a great effort to make cars that run on E-85. There is research being done, so that we could use up to a 20 percent blend of ethanol which would nearly double the amount we would use, and that would be great for the farm economy.

Cooperatives like FS play a big role in the current energy crisis, because as Matt said “we are owned by our customers and those are the same customers that grow corn and can help produce ethanol and probably have an interest in trying to make sure that ethanol usage continues.” With farmers being the most supportive of using these fuels, they would be more likely to care about it versus another customer that doesn’t care as much about agriculture and therefore wouldn’t care what type of fuel they use. This is a perfect example of the full circle that American dollars would go in because the farmers are the ones growing the crops used to make the fuels, and if Americans are the ones buying the fuels, more of the U.S. money is staying in the United States and not leaving the country to buy as much foreign oil, which in turn would help our economy.

Homegrown fuels can and will save the nation’s oil supply and save you money, but it’s up to you to use them!