Among the new opportunities available to Iowa’s farmers is the production of clean, agriculturally based renewable energy (RE). In a time of skyrocketing energy costs, Iowa Farmers Union supports legislation that promotes the advancement of RE technology to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels and gives farmers the opportunity to own the means of production. New legislation should include:

>>Provide $6 million per year for five years in research funds for renewable energy research at the Iowa State University experiment station. Provide state funding for the Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON) facility in Nevada, IA.
>>Give priority to encouraging cooperative, farmer-owned and locally owned production facilities. Give incentives to projects that are 51% or more locally owned.

• Suport a state rural electric standard that is targeted toward locally owned facilities.
• Adopt methods of net metering and simplified interconnection for locally owned wind projects.
• A road tax exemption for small biofuel producers. Farmers or other individuals who wish to transport up to 800 gallons per year of biodiesel or ethanol for personal use should be exempt from road use tax on the fuel they produce themselves.
• Encourage the environmentally responsible production and use of biofuels; support the expanded use of ethanol-blended fuels and biodiesel and make E85 and biodiesel readily available statewide. Promote R & D and development of new “greener” production of biofuels focusing on cellulosic materials.

For information on evaluating a wind lease, please see our article about the Wind Lease Energy Tool