In 2009, during climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack signed a historic “Memorandum of Understanding” with dairy producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farms by capturing methane with enhanced manure management practices and turning it into electricity.
While much has been done to encourage deployment of anaerobic digester technology in the United States, more needs to be accomplished, and with that in mind, USDA will join with the Farm Foundation, NFP, the AgStar Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, and the Wisconsin Bioenergy Initiative of the University of Wisconsin to hold webinars from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus later this month.
Two back-to-back webinars are planned for Wednesday, March 14. One will examine how to finance a digester. The other will examine technology options for installing and maintaining anaerobic digester systems. The webinars, which are free of charge, are part of the Renewable Energy Education Field Day series–educational programs to provide farmers, ranchers, landowners and community leaders with information useful in deciding whether to implement a renewable energy technology in their operation.
The anaerobic digester on the Jordan Dairy Farm in Rutland, Mass., funded through a loan guarantee from USDA Rural Development
Both webinars will originate from the Pyle Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There is no charge to attend but registration is required. To register, visit the Farm Foundation website. You can either plan to attend the webinars in person, or you can watch from your home or office computer.
This is the third program in the Renewable Energy Education Field Day series.
To find out more about USDA’s renewable energy programs and resources, click here.
