Oil and water: do they mix?

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

An upcoming conference in Moose Jaw will investigate the connection between irrigation and bio-fuels. The 11th annual Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association (SIPA) conference on December 5 and 6 is expected to draw over 100 irrigators.

SIPA Chairman Roger Pederson says the showcase session is called “Bio-fuels and Irrigation: Oil and Water, Do They Mix?”

The session, moderated by agricultural commentator Kevin Hursh, will feature presentations from Lionel LaBelle of the Ethanol Development Council, Judie Dyck of the Biodiesel Development Task Force, John Ippolito from Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food and Keith Rueve from Pound-Maker AgVentures.

Pederson says the goal is to explore how irrigation and bio-fuels can complement one another.

“We think there is a good mix for irrigation with some of the bio-fuels,” says Pederson. “Under irrigation, production is much higher than on dry land, and our production on a year-to-year basis is pretty much assured, barring some catastrophe. So it makes the number of acres you need to draw from in order to support those plants less than what it would be in a dry-land situation.”

Pederson says there are also transportation advantages if the feedstock for a bio-fuel plant is being drawn from nearby irrigated land.

“With irrigation, you can get more of your product closer to the location of the plant. Transportation is a factor, and obviously, if you do not have to go so far away for the raw product to supply your plant, that should be an advantage. One of the reasons for this topic at the conference is to find out just what those advantages might be,” explains Pederson.

While the session is aimed at giving existing irrigators the opportunity to relate this seminar back to their own operations, Pederson says it would be of interest to a much broader audience.

“There have been a lot of meetings about biodiesel and ethanol, but I think none quite like this one. We hope that it will answer some specific questions for irrigation farmers, but it will be useful information whether you are a dry-land farmer or an irrigation farmer,” says Pederson.

Anyone interested in attending the conference can register online at www.irrigationsaskatchewan.com, or call Sandra Bathgate at (306) 796-4420.

For more information, contact:

Roger Pederson, Chairman
Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association
Phone: (306) 867-8460