First of all, let me remind you that the movie "Tobacco Money Feeds My Family" will be shown at Robeson Community College this coming Saturday night. This movie is not about the history of tobacco but rather about the human side of how the changing tobacco industry affects rural communities and the people who live in those communities.

The opportunity for you to see this movie at no cost is made possible by grants and sponsors. I invite you to make plans to be at the A. D. Lewis Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. for preshow entertainment, refreshments, and the movie.

Other than the elections, the major topic of conversation during the past couple of weeks for many people in Robeson County has focused on the recent legislation that made the tobacco buyout a reality. Tobacco growers and tobacco quota owners will be paid from tax money received from the future sale of tobacco products to give up the antiquated tobacco allotment system they have operated by since the late 1930s.

At this time, the details of how this buyout will be enacted, when various provisions are to take place, and resulting implications for those affected are still being determined. As the details of the legislation are worked out, your local Cooperative Extension Service will be providing educational meetings for your benefit. Georgia Love, Extension Crops Agent, along with Extension specialists from North Carolina State University and other resource persons will be on hand to provide timely information and answer questions. Please watch this newspaper (The Robesonian) for announcements of these meetings.

The tobacco buyout was just one small part of the massive tax revision bill that was passed by Congress and signed by the President. Another portion of this bill that will have strong implications for our local farmers, as well as for consumers, relates to taxes associated with biodiesel.

Biodiesel is the term for diesel fuel that is manufactured to contain a portion of fuel from the oils of various crops. The most efficient blend at this time is one containing a portion of fuel from oils of soybean seeds.

As soybean seeds are processed, two major products are produced. Soybean meal is a major ingredient of animal feeds and is used extensively in feeds for swine and poultry. Soybean meal is a high source of protein and is also used to manufacture foods for humans. Many of the foods you eat contain soybean meal as a protein enhancer.

Soybean oil is also produced during this process. The primary use of soybean oil at this time is for cooking the foods we eat. The next time you buy vegetable oil at the grocery store notice that the ingredient label will indicate either soybean or cottonseed oil. Virtually all of the foods you buy in the grocery store will include this ingredient on the label, because vegetable oils were used to cook the foods.

Since it is an oil, another use for soybean oil is as a fuel. The great thing about this fuel is that unlike petroleum fuels it is renewable and it is a source of fuel that we can produced right here in the United States. Sooner or later all petroleum will have been removed from the earth, including those in the Middle East. But we can grow more soybeans every year.

Diesel fuels containing a portion of biodiesel, fuel from soybeans, reduce the wear and tear on engines. It increases the power level of the fuel, making engines run smoother and more reliable. It contains no sulfur or aromatics and will drastically reduce pollution. Most importantly, it creates another market for a crop grown by our farmers.

Those interested in learning more about biodiesel are encouraged to attend a meeting that will be held at the Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service located in the O. P. Owens Agriculture Center, Highway 72 West, Lumberton, at 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 10. If you would like to attend or want more information about this meeting, please call 671-3276. Individuals with disabilities and/or special needs interested in this meeting should call so proper arrangements can be made.

Biodiesel provides many benefits for farmers and consumers. I will attempt to provide more detailed information about biodiesel in future columns.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 11/10/04