11/20/06 Waiting for a government move

Canadian based Iogen Corporation wants to build an ethanol production plant that uses straw as a feedstock. Iogen has contracts with eastern Idaho farmers to provide the straw and an option on land where the plant would be built. But Iogen's Morris Hladk says they have the same arrangements with farmers in Canada. What they want from Washington or Ottawa are loan guarantees and some grant money. HLADK "The US hasn't appropriated the funds yet although it's in the system. At least there's action going on in the United States but it's slow. There's precious little action in Canada right now but just to repeat there's nothing in the pipeline in either system right now." Hladk says Iogen would like to begin construction of a plant sometime next year. Iogen has already produced ethanol by using Idaho wheat straw and something new, barley straw. HLADK "Which we never worked with before performed equally well and that really excited us because we thought we'd have to do some adjusting of our enzymes and what have you but we were very pleased with the way barley straw worked. So both were a success." Hladk says which ever government moves quickest to meet his company needs will determine where their ethanol facility is located. The farmers in that area will have a new market for a crop most considered a nuisance. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott