Biodiesel boom scares seed growers

MOUNT VERNON -- With Washington poised to become a national leader in "green" fuel, fields of bright-yellow canola flowers soon may be as common a sight as golden wheat in parts of the Palouse and other farm-rich areas east of the Cascades.

For struggling farmers, burgeoning demand for oil-rich canola could make it a cash crop for the long haul. For the rest of us, it's supposed to be a feel-good embrace of biodiesel, proudly stamped "Made in ... Full Story »

Posted by Paul Stambaugh
Tags Help
Subjects: Sci/Tech, U.S., Other, Business
Topics: Environment, Farming
Member Tags: biodiesel, energy crop
Editorial Help
Posted by: Posted by Paul Stambaugh - Feb 21, 2007 - 8:37 AM PST
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Fabrice Florin - Feb 21, 2007 - 9:35 AM PST

To:


Separate email addresses with commas.
25 recipients max.

Note:

Reviews

Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Fabportrait_smallsquare_180x180_thumb
3.8
by Fabrice Florin - Feb. 21, 2007

Interesting and well-reported article. I was not aware of the cross-pollination problems associated with growing canol. As bio-fuels become more important to our economy, this kind of information becomes that much more worthwhile.

See Full Review » (11 answers)
Member_photo_thumb
3.9
by Aldon Hynes - Feb. 21, 2007

The story fairly presents a balanced view of aspects of the rush to biodiesel that doesn't haven't been covered elsewhere.

See Full Review » (11 answers)
N628474479_7734_thumb
4.6
by Joel Kulenkamp - Feb. 21, 2007

This article tries to expose both sides of the proverbial coin in the biodiesel debate. While showing much promise, there remain lots of bugs to be work out, as this article aptly illustrates.

See Full Review » (7 answers)
Silhouette_sml
4.1
by Bob McInnis - Feb. 21, 2007
See Full Review » (12 answers)
Member_photo_thumb
3.8
by Kaizar Campwala - Feb. 21, 2007
See Full Review » (11 answers)
Silhouette_sml
3.0
by Nick Pollitt - Feb. 25, 2007
See Full Review » (1 answer)
Silhouette_sml
4.0
by Paul Stambaugh - Feb. 21, 2007

An good right up about what is happening to the local farmers due to the rapid change in how things are done. This piece shows the postive effects of Biomass techonolgy and the downsides, which will have a major effect on the farmers. ...(I have to cheer for the farmers who for once can make some money, and could bring about a return to large numbers of people working the earth.)

See Full Review » (2 answers)
Silhouette_sml
2.9
by Lewis Shadoff, Ph.D. - Feb. 21, 2007

This article discusses some the advantages and disadvantages of a farming area converting to an energy crop. It points out the economic and environmental advantages of growing canola oil in Washington state. It points out the possible deleterious effects on farmers who grow seed crops. It does not discuss how a single biodiesel manufacturer is dictating what crop is required to manufacture biodiesel. It does not discuss the possibility of alternative crops which are being used to ... More »

See Full Review » (7 answers)
Silhouette_sml
5.0
by Ed Good - Feb. 21, 2007
See Full Review » (1 answer)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

3.8

Good
from 9 reviews (50% confidence)
Quality
3.8
Facts
4.0
Fairness
3.5
Information
4.0
Sourcing
3.7
Style
4.3
Accuracy
4.0
Balance
3.8
Context
3.8
Popularity
3.9
Recommendation
4.1
Credibility
3.8
# Reviews
4.5
# Views
3.0
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!