Members of the Farm Energy Conservation and Efficiency Initiative Task Force include (from left to right) David Warrington, Alliant Energy; Jay Harmon and Gerald Miller, Iowa State University; Kent Mowrer, Alliant Energy; Paul Brown, Iowa State University; Claudia Smith, Central Iowa Power Cooperative; Mark Hanna, Iowa State University; Reggie Goodale, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives; Dave Stineman, Consumers Energy; Richard Walker, MidAmerican Energy; Bill Haman, Iowa Energy Center; Jane Flammang, Iowa State University; Kevin Nordmeyer, Iowa Energy Center; and Denny Harding, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Members not pictured include Teresa Bomhoff, USDA Rural Development, and Bob Mulqueen, Office of Energy Independence.
AMES, Iowa -- A new task force is coordinating efforts across
the state to increase energy conservation and efficiency efforts on
Iowa farms.
It met for the first time Oct. 6 at the Iowa State University
campus in Ames.
The task force will be overseeing the new statewide Farm Energy
Conservation and Efficiency educational initiative. The purpose is
to increase farmers' awareness of opportunities for improving
efficient use of farm energy.
The initiative also will help farmers explore alternatives to
reduce farm energy demand and to improve their farms' overall
profitability in a rapidly changing energy environment.
Iowa State University Extension received a grant from the Iowa
Energy Center to carry out the initiative. Extension and the Iowa
Energy Center are cooperating with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation,
Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO), the Iowa Association of
Electric Cooperatives, Consumers Energy, Alliant Energy,
MidAmerican Energy, Office of Energy Independence and USDA in the
effort.
According to Paul Brown, assistant director of ISU Extension to
Agriculture and Natural Resources, the energy industry has
developed all kinds of materials to help homeowners and
manufacturers adopt energy conservation and efficiency
measures.
But similar materials for agriculture are rare.
As part of the initiative, ISU Extension will be creating a "new
generation" of educational materials to fill this gap. Targeted to
livestock and crop producers, the materials will build awareness
about all aspects of energy use on the farm and boost farmers'
"energy literacy."
The goal is to help Iowa's agricultural producers make better
decisions about managing energy inputs in the farm business and
make choices that are sustainable long-term and good for their
farm's bottom line, Brown said.
As the new educational materials become available, ISU Extension
will share them with extension specialists, energy sector personnel
and other interested parties who work with farmer clients, added
ISU Extension program coordinator Jane Flammang.
Start exploring magnificent places with our weekly travel newsletter.
Related to this story
Members of the Farm Energy Conservation and Efficiency Initiative Task Force include (from left to right) David Warrington, Alliant Energy; Jay Harmon and Gerald Miller, Iowa State University; Kent Mowrer, Alliant Energy; Paul Brown, Iowa State University; Claudia Smith, Central Iowa Power Cooperative; Mark Hanna, Iowa State University; Reggie Goodale, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives; Dave Stineman, Consumers Energy; Richard Walker, MidAmerican Energy; Bill Haman, Iowa Energy Center; Jane Flammang, Iowa State University; Kevin Nordmeyer, Iowa Energy Center; and Denny Harding, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Members not pictured include Teresa Bomhoff, USDA Rural Development, and Bob Mulqueen, Office of Energy Independence.
