20 Nov 2008

Cooperative Ownership

by | Date: 20 Nov 2008 | posted in: agriculture | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Increasingly, a small handful of corporations control inputs, credit, elevators, processing facilities, and markets necessary to grow and distribute agricultural products. Since the last half of the 19th century, farmer owned cooperatives have provided farmers a stronger presence in the marketplace and greater bargaining power to control the costs of inputs and the value of outputs. These new forms of agricultural cooperatives are commonly referred to as "value-added coops" or "new generation coops." In 1994, 2,200 marketing coops sold 31 percent of all U.S. farm commodities and 29 percent of the nation’s farm supplies.… Read More
15 Nov 2008

Report: Energy Self-Reliant States – Homegrown Renewable Power

by | Date: 15 Nov 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

How much energy could be generated by states tapping into internal renewable resources? This November 2008 report by David Morris and John Farrell presents preliminary data that suggests that at least half of the fifty states could meet all their internal energy needs from renewable energy generated inside their borders, and the vast majority could meet a significant percentage.

… Read More
5 Aug 2008

Report: Rural Power – Community-Scaled Renewable Energy and Rural Economic Development

by | Date: 5 Aug 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This August 2008 report by David Morris and John Farrell was sponsored by the Ford Foundation. The next 20 years could generate as much as $1 trillion in new renewable energy investment in rural America. The report is a policy roadmap for states and the federal government that would redesignpolicies to encourage a highly decentralized and dispersed renewable energy industry that is significantly locally owned. Doing so would multiply the number of rural areas that benefit from burgeoning renewable energy industries, and would create a sustainable asset whose wealth and revenue will largely remain in revived local communities and regions.

… Read More
12 May 2008

Cellulosic Biofuels: Another Opportunity for Washington to Marry Agriculture and Energy Goals

by | Date: 12 May 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Today, cellulosic ethanol can no longer be ignored. Even as the quantity of ethanol from corn increases, the age of corn ethanol is drawing to a close. Few new corn-to-ethanol plants will be built beyond those currently in the ?nancing and construction pipeline. The opportunity to build on the farmer-owned corn-to-ethanol biore?nery model is over. But the opportunity for local ownership is just beginning for cellulosic biofuels.  This piece by David Morris was originally published in Ethanol Today magazine. … Read More
16 Mar 2008

New Report Argues For A Renewable Energy Policy That Puts Rural Communities First

by | Date: 16 Mar 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: 612-276-3456 NEW REPORT ARGUES FOR A RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY THAT PUTS RURAL COMMUNITIES FIRST   Minneapolis, MN—(September 8, 2008).  The next 20 years could generate as much as $1 trillion in new renewable energy … Read More
5 Feb 2008

Report: Ethanol and Land Use Changes

by | Date: 5 Feb 2008 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, environment | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This February 2008 report by David Morris criticizes the authors of two recent studies published in Science for advancing a conclusion not supported by their own studies. The paper notes that the vast majority of today’s ethanol production comes from corn cultivated on land that has been in corn production for generations. Since little new land has come into production, either directly or indirectly, the current use of ethanol clearly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

On February 7, 2008, Science published two studies that examined the greenhouse gas impact of land use changes caused by the growing demand for biofuels. Within hours, news of the studies was carried by a remarkable number of media outlets. Reporters summed up the findings indire terms. National Public Radio declared, "Study: Ethanol Worse for Climate Than Gasoline." The New York Times headline read, "Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat."… Read More
4 Dec 2006

Group Calls on Congress to Correct Its Mistake on Cellulosic Ethanol Mandate

by | Date: 4 Dec 2006 | posted in: agriculture, Energy, Press Release | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 4, 2006 Contact: David Morris, 612-276-3456 x208 – dmorris [@] ilsr.org Group Calls on Congress to Correct Its Mistake on Cellulosic Ethanol Mandate Minneapolis, MN – In an article published December 4, 2006, in RenewableEnergyAcces.com, … Read More

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