BioDiesel. What's the Freaking Hold up?

[r.reid]

North Dakota is building a BioDiesel facility that will consume Canola. It will need 600,000 acres of the stuff per year. It will be online in 2007. The U.S. and E.U. in going "hardcore" on ethenol and other Biofuel factories. Over 13% of the American corn crop is now used to make ethanol, and that number will double before too long.

What's the hold up here. Typical Canada...STAND ON THE FENCE AND WATCH WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING AND WISH IT WAS HERE. STUPID!!!

[Horse]

Didnt you know we cant think or do without the US
Does anyone know the benifit of bio diesel I mean how much fuel does it take to produce a litre of fuel.

[cowman]

Well I think Husky is building an ethanol plant? And someone else is also?
And of course Poundmaker feedlots has been producing ethanol for a long time?
I think the plants in the US have beniffitted from government money and legislation?
In reality ethanol and bio deisel couldn't compete with petroleum in the past...not so sure today? With crude oil at $60 a barrel it might be feasible...but what happens if crude falls to $40 a barrel?

[cowman]

I think if you look deeper into this you will find the USA has a program that really backs their entrepreneurs on these energy ventures? I do know they have funded a lot of bio gas plants with a lot of support?
In Canada it almost seems government, both federal and provincial, does everything in its power to discourage alternate energy supplies! I don't know why...but suspect a list of contributors to the political parties might be interesting?

[greybeard]

The North Dakota plant is the ADM plant at Velva. It’s on Soo Line, owned by CPR. ADM has a collection facility at Watson. They run unit trains to Velva.
Again, we are primary producers with the value added somewhere else

[SASKFARMER3]

I agree that it is a good idea. With all the tree huggers out their biodiesel is cleaner burning.
But typical canada we look at what every one else is doing and just sit back and wait.
Farmers in the USA with a healthy bottom line because of their subsidies have extra cash to put into these ventures.
But dear old canada with our BS system farmers have no money left for projects.
Their is a new one being started in our area they need 200 farmers at 50,000.00 a piece to build it who has a spare 50,000 kiking around.
In this country farmers are second class citicines, the urban dwelers feel we have no place in the new canada.
Yes our canola will go to velva ND to help fill their system. We will pay freight and feed the US system, I just dont get it.

[SASKFARMER3]

I agree that it is a good idea. With all the tree huggers out their bio-diesel is cleaner burning.
But typical Canada we look at what every one else is doing and just sit back and wait.
Farmers in the USA with a healthy bottom line because of their subsidies have extra cash to put into these ventures.
But dear old Canada with our BS system farmers have no money left for projects.
Their is a new one being started in our area they need 200 farmers at 50,000.00 a piece to build it who has a spare 50,000 kicking around.
In this country farmers are second class citizens, the urban dwellers feel we have no place in the new Canada.
Yes our canola will go to velva ND to help fill their system. We will pay freight and feed the US system, I just don't get it.

[joedales]

Things are starting to happen in Canada - the USA seems to have a greater political will to become more self sufficient in energy...Also there have been more investors in the USA and they drove the growth in the number of plants faster tnan in Canada. I think Canada will benefit in the short and long term because of higher grain prices.