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 Power Companies Seek Swine Waste-to-Power Projects
In an effort to comply with a state requirement that power companies must use swine waste to produce electricity as part of an overall portfolio, North Carolina's electric suppliers have issued a joint request for proposals (RFP) for electricity generated from swine waste facilities in the state.
Progress Energy will head up the RFP process on behalf of itself, North Carolina Power, Duke Energy Carolinas, GreenCo Solutions, N.C. Electric Membership Corporation, N.C. Eastern Municipal Power Agency and N.C. Municipal Power Agency Number 1.
Pork producers interested in submitting a proposal are asked to do so by April 15th. The field will be narrowed to a short list for negotiations by July 1st and Progress Energy expects to award contracts by Oct.1st.
The N.C. Utilities Commission cleared the way for the joint effort with a recent order that approved a plan proposed by the suppliers to work together to meet the statewide requirement to produce .07% of the energy they sell from swine waste by 2012 and then .14% by 2015.
Power companies had first involved the N. C. Utilities Commission when they petitioned the Commission last August to extend their deadline to comply with the swine waste requirement by one year to 2013..
Concerned that pork producers would be missing out on opportunities to produce renewable energy on their farms, the North Carolina Pork Council formally intervened in the process with the Utilities Commission last September questioning the need for an extension and bringing attention to the potential availability of on-farm projects.
NCPC is pleased that power providers will be working together to identify these energy projects and that pork producers might be able to take advantage of the Federal Investment Tax Credits for any projects commissioned in 2010.
To see the original press release from Progress Energy, including information for where to send proposals, click here. |
Pig Tales NCPC Members in the News
Brunswick County pork producer Mary Earp recently received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from Governor Perdue. The Order of the Long Leaf is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a citizen of North Carolina.
Mary received the award in recognition of her continued service to the community for over 50 years. Other notable recipients of the award include Michael Jordan, Charles Kuralt, and NCPC staff member Tommy Stevens!
Bill Prestage, founder of Prestage Farms, was recently honored with the National Turkey Federation's (NTF) Lifetime Achievement Award.
Presented by his three sons, John, Ron, and Scott during the NTF Annual Convention, the turkey industry leader received the award for his long-term, unselfish dedication to creative innovation in turkey production.
During the presentation, John Prestage spoke of the characteristics that made his father deserving of such an award. "His humility and commitment to the community is visibly in the many honors he has won for volunteerism and distinction," John said.
L-R: Ron and Cindy Prestage, Bill and Marsha Prestage, John and Janet Prestage, and Scott and Joy Prestage.
Cabarrus County pork producer Vicky Porter has been appointed by Governor Perdue to serve on the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Vicky and her husband Tommy were the recipients of the 2008 NCPC Outstanding Pork Producer Award.
At the Duplin County Agribusiness Council's annual meeting in January, Beulaville pork producer Dexter Edwards was awarded the 2010 Melvin Cording Service to Agriculture Award for his leadership in agriculture. Past recipient Jo Ann Stroud presented the award to Edwards.
 At the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce annual banquet last Tuesday night, pork producer and former NCPC director Gerald Warren was awarded "Business Person of the Year."
Gerald and his brother, George, and their sons own and operate Warren Farming. In addition to hog and beef cattle production, Warren Farming's operation consists of over 6,000 acres of corn, soybeans, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes, wheat and Bermuda hay. Gerald's oldest son, Brandon, was recently elected to his first term on the NCPC board of directors.
Editor's Note: Do you have good news you'd like to share about an NCPC member? Then let us know! All submissions are welcome. Please send your stories to angie@ncpork.org. |
AgriSafe Hosting Series of Webinars
See below for upcoming educational webinars being offered by AgriSafe.
There is no cost to attend. March 16, 2010 - 12-1pm CTTopic: What's New in Diabetes Research and Care Presenter: Martha Funnell, MS, RN, CDE Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Center for the Study of Complications in Diabetes April 28, 2010 - 12-1pm CT
Title: First Aid for Farm Families: Using Interactive Learning Modules to Improve Emergency Preparedness Presenter: Ann Carruth, RN, DNS Professor, School of Nursing, Southeastern Louisiana University May 12, 2010 - 12-1pm CTTopic: National AHEC Organization Presenter: Kelly Withy, MD, PhD Director, Hawaii/Pacific AHEC, Board Member, National AHEC Organization June 17, 2010 - 12-1pm CTTopic: The Agricultural Health Study Presenter: Laura Beane Freeman, PhD Investigator, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute Click here for the most up-to-date information and further details on how to join the webinars. | |
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Price Risk Management Workshops
The Marketing Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services is holding a series of risk management workshops on "Managing Price Volatility By Using Futures & Options."
There is no charge for these workshops and the following topics will be covered: Introduction to Grain Hedging, Basis Trading, Cost of Carry, Cotton Futures, and Options Trading on Futures, Equities, and Indices.
There will be an emphasis on the principles of options, spreading strategies, and using options to manage financial risk. Energy derivatives, traded at the NYMEX, will be explained as well as trading strategies to manage your exposure to energy.
Listed below are the statewide locations with all workshops scheduled from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM with an "on your own" lunch break. Please promote these workshops with your customers and within your community.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010, Stanly Community College, Crutchfield Campus, Locust, NC, (704) 991-0378.
Thursday, March 4, 2010, Carolina Farm Credit, 146 Victory Lane, Statesville, NC, (800) 521-9952.
Anyone interested in attending any of these workshops should contact Nick Lassiter in the Marketing Division of the NC Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 919-733-7136 or nick.lassiter@ncagr.gov. | |
