Manitoba's Green Leap - Major funding for Renewable Fuel facility

Dec 21, 2023

In a landmark move, the Manitoba government has announced a significant investment in renewable fuel production. Partnering with Azure Sustainable Fuels Corp., the government will contribute $2.9 million over two years. This funding is through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) and will support a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

This initiative marks a turning point for the agricultural sector in Manitoba. Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn highlighted the project's role in promoting sustainable farming practices and generating economic growth.

The plan involves using Canadian crops like canola and soybean oils to produce an estimated one billion liters of SAF annually. This approach not only supports local agriculture but also contributes significantly to environmental conservation.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay emphasized the dual benefits of this project: It opens new economic avenues for farmers and plays a crucial role in reducing emissions. The FEED study is a critical step to ensure all engineering and development requirements are met before construction begins.

SAF is a vital component in the aviation industry's efforts to cut CO2 emissions, with the potential to reduce up to 80% of emissions. Azure's project ambitiously aims to contribute up to 65% of the emission reductions required for the aviation industry to achieve net-zero by 2050.

Douglas Cole, CEO of Azure, expressed gratitude for the funding and enthusiasm for the project’s potential. He emphasized the initiative's role in achieving net-zero targets and adding value to Manitoba's agricultural sector.

The project also involves close collaboration with the local government, indigenous groups, and stakeholders in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, ensuring adherence to environmental standards. The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments, backs this initiative, reflecting Canada's commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

We're a 6th generation family farm in southeast Iowa showing the real ups and downs of pig farming and row crop farming. No script, just the work. Subscribe and follow along.

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