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One of the crops used to produce biodiesel is soy bean*. Currently Virginia fanners bring in over $100 million in annual soybean sales. Another exciting part of this market will be making ethanol out of cellulose - wood chips, switchgrass and other materials abundant in Virginia - which will have a higher value than the corn-based ethanol currently being produced in the US.
In addition to supplying the crops needed for biodiesel and ethanol, farmers across the Commonwealth could also get monetary compensation for farming practices that reduce emissions and store carbon in soils.
This new economic opportunity would ripple throughout Virginia’s rural economy. With Virginia’s potential to be a leader in the alternative fuels movement, businesses would be encouraged to locate there biodiesel , productioh facilities near soybean farms, creating high-skill-level, highwage jobs in our small towns and rural communities.
Throughout our history Virginia’s farmers have shown that they can compete and win if given the opportunity. Now is the time for government to get out of the way and give them the ability to reap the benefits of tackling global warming.
Rob Jones is the Director of the Virginia Climate Initiative
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