Biodiesel survey goes to farmers

San Juan Biodiesel Cooperative tests alternate-fuel supply




The San Juan Biodiesel Cooperative wants to know if anyone is interested in a biodiesel facility in the Four Corners. SJBC mailed surveys to farmers and crop growers in hopes of garnering more enthusiasm for a facility.
Biodiesel Meetings
• Pleasant View Fire Station, 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• San Juan County (Monticello, Utah) Courthouse, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.
• Dolores County Courthouse, 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8.
• Lewis-Arriola Community Center, 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23.


Approximately 800 inquiries were mailed out last Tuesday through Thursday to irrigated and dryland farmers in Montezuma, Dolores and San Miguel counties in Colorado, in addition to growers in San Juan County, Utah, according to Project Manager Jeff Berman, of the SJBC.

“Questions are geared toward determining growers’ interest in raising sunflower and canola,” said Berman, who added that surveys, consisting of 18 or 19 questions, are due back to the cooperative no later than Feb. 10.

Berman indicated some other queries from the survey include whether assistance would be needed for crop storage, anticipated yields of individual farms, and whether farmers would be interested in becoming part owners of a potential biodiesel facility or if contracting would be a better option.

Biodiesel is a nonpetroleum fuel made from refined vegetable oils or animal fats. When purchased at the pump, the fuel is generally a mix of 20 percent pure biodiesel and 80 percent regular diesel.

SJBC plans to initiate operation of a regional oil extrusion/biodiesel production facility by summer 2007, using oil-seed feedstocks stored from the fall 2006 harvest.

“We’re moving ahead,” Berman said. “Much of this (idea) depends on the interest of the agriculture community to make it happen, and if people want to partake in the growing of renewable fuel in the area.”

The new business park located in Dove Creek has been recommended as the building site for the biodiesel facility.

Berman said Dove Creek would be a prime location to construct a biodiesel station mostly because of the town’s proximity to oil-seed crops such as sunflowers, safflowers and canola and the area’s potential growing capacity.

Overall, there are 102,912 acres of cropland in Montezuma County and 68,413 in Dolores County, according to the 2004 version of Colorado Agricultural Statistics.

In a related topic, San Juan biodiesel is slated to have a booth during the Four States Agricultural Exposition, March 9 to 11, at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. An educational presentation about biodiesel is to be announced at the event.

sounds interestig, I would have guessed that soybeans would be on the list, but I am sure those boys know the what yield per acre is off of what they listed.

Average elevation in the counties listed is 6000 feet plus.
Not a good climate for soybeans, too cool at night.

I've been thru the Dove Creek/Cortez area several times. The first time, I was surprised at how much farming there was in that area. Overall, it would not be a bad place to live at all. You're very close to fishing, hunting, mountain treks, skiing and the desert.

Reason there is so much agriculture is because much of the area is encompassed by a huge Bureau of Reclamation irrigation project.

I almost bought a 80 acre peach orchard about 20 miles NW of Cortez in 1999. Almost on the Utah line. Beautiful place but way to far out in the boonies for me, 12 miles to a paved road.
The weather there is quite mild, very little snow and not too hot summers. Big
drawback is the wind.
The orchard even has a website http://www.kivaorchard.com/ko/www/about.htm

Reason there is so much agriculture is because much of the area is encompassed by a huge Bureau of Reclamation irrigation project.

I almost bought a 80 acre peach orchard about 20 miles NW of Cortez in 1999. Almost on the Utah line. Beautiful place but way to far out in the boonies for me, 12 miles to a paved road.
The weather there is quite mild, very little snow and not too hot summers. Big
drawback is the wind.
The orchard even has a website http://www.kivaorchard.com/ko/www/about.htm

You should have done it! It may be a little windy, but not near as cold as Montana. I've only been to Wyoming and Montana in the summer, and I still got cold. [laugh]

i lived in Farmington, NM for three months. I agree with the previous statement that it would almost too cold to run it in high concentrations!

But, Farmington got it's name from it's large number of fields!!

Why would they convert pinto bean fields to soybean? Montezuma to Cortez and Farmington is the largest concentration of pinto bean farms in the USA. We raise them in Wyoming too, but nothing like UT/CO/NM.

Crobtex: We keep it cold to keep the outsiders at home. Come and visit, but don't buy any property.

You should have done it! It may be a little windy, but not near as cold as Montana. I've only been to Wyoming and Montana in the summer, and I still got cold. [laugh]The cold has it's advantage in keeping the riff-raff away. Not as cold as it used to be though, haven't had real winter in about ten years. Guess there might be something to global climate change.

Think they would grow soybeans in the four corners area if they could. Like I said, too cool at night in the high elevations.

The cold has it's advantage in keeping the riff-raff away.

You callin' me riff-raff? [laugh]