You never know who is listening

Last week, we hosted two successful Brownfield Farm Forums at the Missouri State Fair. The topics were ethanol and animal identification, issues getting a great deal of attention of late. Just a couple of days after Gene Millard, member/investor in Golden Triange Ethanol Cooperative near Craig, Missouri, told those attending our first Missouri State Fair Brownfield Farm Forum that he and other investors are determined to keep a farmer-owned plant, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt announced his committment to farmer-owners of bio-fuels plants in the state.

Rachel Gantz with Oil Price Information Service posted this story the morning of Friday, August 18:

Apparently building on the sentiments felt by some in the ethanol industry, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) announced Thursday that only majority farmer-owned biofuel plants would receive discretionary state tax incentives.

"I am firmly committed to helping Missouri's farm families take advantage of the burgeoning ethanol and biodiesel industries," Blunt said. "Companies that are not farmer-owned are more than welcome to locate in Missouri, but I want to make clear that our state's commitment is primarily to our farm families who have been the bedrock of our state's economy for generations," he said.

According to an Associated Press report, Blunt made the announcement at the Missouri State Fair. That is the same fair where Gene Millard, a member of Missouri-based ethanol plant Golden Triangle, told the audience on Monday he was concerned with the current ethanol investment trend. "There are so many large investment capital firms that are trying to raid our plants right now," Millard said. Well, our farmers didn't invest in this plant...for a quick buck. We state that we're in it for the long haul and we will...not send our Midwest dollars to Wall Street," he added.

It was unclear if Blunt was influenced by Millard's remarks.

Missouri has three ethanol plants online, with a fourth -- Missouri Ethanol LLC in Laddonia -- expected online this fall.

Rachel Gantz, rgantz@opisnet.com, Oil Price Information Service
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Tom Steever authored a similar story for the Brownfield website. Who knew that comments made during a Brownfield Farm Forum streamed live on our website could cause such a stir?