Bingaman, Vilsack to open virtual Renewable Energy Education Field Day
OAK BROOK, IL:- New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will open the Virtual Renewable Energy Education Field Day, a webinar planned for Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011
The webinar will focus on the technical, environmental and economic factors involved in the use of anaerobic digestion systems on livestock operations. The program is specifically targeted to the Southwest, where dry climatic conditions present technical challenges to digester operations.
In videotaped remarks, Sen. Bingaman, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, will discuss renewable energy options in the Southwest. Secretary Vilsack will discuss USDA's focus on digesters and eco-services markets.
This virtual Field Day is targeted to dairy and beef producers in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The program will provide information producers can use in deciding whether to incorporate an anaerobic digester into their operation. Representatives of environmental and agricultural organizations working with livestock producers, as well as staff from state and federal agencies, are also encouraged to participate. There is no charge to participate but registration is required.
Farm Foundation, NFP is organizing this webinar in collaboration with USDA Rural Development, USDA's Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, USDA Farm Service Agency and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Other speakers featured on the Oct. 26 webinar program include livestock producers with experience in operating an anaerobic digester, industry leaders working with various technologies used in anaerobic digestion, university researchers with technical expertise, staff from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, and representatives from government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AgStar program. Click here to review the agenda. Session topics include:
Producer experiences with anaerobic digester systems.
Digesting manure under dry climate conditions.
Using a digester to manage livestock manure/nutrient issues.
Potential revenue streams from an integrated digester system.
Financing options for installing an anaerobic digester.
Webinar sessions will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. MDT. The sessions are being taped and will be available for viewing for one year after the event. There is no charge to participate in the webinar but registration is required. Here are three ways to participate in the Oct. 26 webinar:
You can participate by being part of the audience at the webinar's origination site at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, N.M.
Attend at one of the eight viewing sites. These are opportunities to view and discuss the webinar with other producers, producer group representatives or agency staffers. Locations are: Lamar Community College Equine Center, Lamar, Colo.; Otero County Extension Office, Rocky Ford, Colo.; Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus, Mesa, Ariz.; the U.S. EPA Region 9 Office, San Francisco, Calif.; the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Amarillo, Texas; Southwest Regional Dairy Center, Stephenville, Texas; the Grady County Extension Office, Chickasha, Okla.; and the USDA Whitten Building, Room 107A, Washington, D.C. Visit the project Web site for specific addresses and contacts.
You can view the event from your office or home computer.
To register for the webinar, visit the Farm Foundation, NFP web site. There is no charge to participate in this webinar, but registration is required.
This is the second Renewable Energy Education Field Day presented by Farm Foundation, NFP and USDA agencies. Biomass was the subject of the first Field Day in November 2010.