3
S
ways Minnesota soybean farmers
are helping clear the air
oybean farmers in Minnesota wear many different moped for travel and commerce, here’s why biodiesel
hats: small-business owner, agronomist, equipment matters.
expert, accountant and environmentalist. Yes, they
are the original stewards of the land, continually evolving
Diesel engines are all
their practices to keep natural resources healthy for the
next generation.
around you
But it doesn’t end there. Soybean farmers have been at
the forefront of developing a homegrown renewable fuel
that has resulted in a dramatic improvement of the air
quality in the Gopher state.
According to the Diesel Technology Forum, more than 95
percent of all large, heavy-duty trucks are diesel-powered,
as are a majority of medium-duty trucks. Together, they
move more than 90 percent of the nation’s freight. And
don’t forget public transit, school buses and construction
Biodiesel has become an important part of the energy equipment. Things we all come in contact with every day.
landscape not only in Minnesota, but across the country,
too. In just over 15 years, the biodiesel market in the U.S.
Waving the green flag
has increased from about 25 million gallons to more
than 2.8 billion gallons. Made from domestic, renewable
And while you may think these trucks’ massive diesel
resources such as soybean oil, biodiesel is a value-added
engines are an unfortunate but necessary aspect of
by-product containing sources that would normally go
commerce and expansion, think again.
to waste.
You may be scratching your head and saying, “I don’t
drive a diesel vehicle. Why should I care?” Well, you’re
not alone. According to the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics, diesel-powered cars accounted for only about
3 percent of total U.S. auto sales in 2014.
But, unless your family continues to rely heavily on the
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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MARCH 2018
According to the American Lung Association of Minnesota
(ALAMN), during the 10-year period with biodiesel
as a fuel standard for Minnesota, a reduction of more
than 7.4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide has already
been realized. ALAMN estimates that is comparable to
removing the emissions from 706,649 passenger vehicles
or 17,998 railcars of coal.