From Power to Purpose, by Sam Brownback: on Energy & Oil


Harvest grass on conservation land for ethanol production

A lot of land in our country is in the Conservation Reserve Program. There are about 40 million acres in long-term grass set aside. This includes land that serves as buffer zones next to rivers, and some of it erodes fairly easily if not properly cared for. My hope is that in the future we could harvest that grass for ethanol production. We could then leave the land in grass, and it would be serving a dual purpose--soil retention and the manufacture of cellulose-based fuels.

This is part of the energy and environment equation that can provide answers for the future of agriculture in this country. Using farm products in this way helps with our energy needs and our environmental concerns. Agriculture provides a carbon cycle that is essential to soil enrichment. As you release carbon dioxide (CO2) by burning ethanol, you're fixing CO2 by growing corn and grasses. You're creating a carbon cycle that is beneficial for the environment.

Source: From Power to Purpose, by Sam Brownback, p.184 Jul 3, 2007

  • The above quotations are from From Power to Purpose:
    A Remarkable Journey of Faith and Compassion,     by Sam Brownback.
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