05/31/05 Biofuel conference to be held this week

A one day conference in Boise will give Idahoans a chance to learn of the potential for making ethanol, biodiesel and biomass energy. Ken Burgess of the Center for the New West has invited biofuel experts and policy makers to the Thursday meeting. BURGESS "It's been difficult for private industry to invest in the production facilities to actually make that a real viable option here, certainly in Idaho and all around the West." For private industry to invest in alternative fuels, for example, they need to see a potential for a profit. To entice private investment what does government, federal, state and local need to do in support of biofuel production? BURGESS "We want to throw everything out on the table and say what's real, what's not. What could work to provide some private investment and then what has a realistically possibility of a chance of either passing Congress or any of our legislatures." Burgess says they'll talk about new technologies and what's in it for farmers. BURGESS "There's been a little bit of a shift not necessarily toward looking at the grain product itself but the waste product, the straw and what have you." The conference is open to all and it's free. Burgess does ask that you register in advance and you can do that on line and check out the agenda at the same time at www.centerfornewwest.org. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott